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Here's a couple of differing opinions on the health care summit just concluded. Both come from the New York Times opinion page. One thing I do like about the NYT is that they never shy away from presenting various sides of the same issue and this is just another example.
My opinion? The health care summit was pure political theater and nothing more. Every participant was playing to the camera and voters back home. They all wanted to appear as rational, informed, intelligent and sincere. They mostly accomplished that, but little else. What else would one expect from negotiations held in public? Serious debate and compromise? LOL
What's curious to me is why the President called it and why he decided to make it public. Was he really naive enough to expect concrete results, or was it a coldly calculated political maneuver designed to box the Republican's inside their own rhetoric? Or, was it an act of desperation, driven by the very real fear that the key objective of his first term is rapidly slipping away? Or, was it simply the result of devious advice given him from some in his administration who may be pursuing an agenda of their own, perhaps in league with another prospective Democratic candidate in 2012 who would benefit from Obama's failure to deliver on health care reform? Yes, I'm talking about Hillary.
In some respects, I feel sorry for our new President. As an outsider to Washington, he's beset by enemies from all sides and from both parties, some of whom he doesn't even recognize as enemies. Like Jimmy Carter before him, he rode into town promising to change the "culture" of Washington and, as with other reformers before that, he's likely to find himself tied in knots, wrapped in pretty ribbon and frog-marched out of town in 2012.
They came to one conclusion and that was to grow the gvt,the idea is to have spies go to doctor offices,hospitals,etc and find fraud.They claim that there is 30 billion of savings,think about that before you want the all knowing federal gvt reforming health care insurance.
I thought the best remarks were from McCain,who quoted the POTUS saying he wanted to change the culture of Washington.But in the bill was the La purchase,corn husker kick back and the big deal with PHARMA.Pharma did 15 million in commercials in exchange for the 880 billion they will make from the bill.And also that nice provision to extend the years for generics hitting the market which hinders their competition and increases the cost to consumers.Sweet!!!!!
I would prefer that they make a draft of key elements that have to be in the bill sort of a guide line and let the states craft the legislation.
Obama is anything but naive. The purpose of the meeting was simply to see if Repubs would offer anything in the way of cooperation in dealing with the problem. There was very little of that. The American people saw that again, it just makes Reconciliation easier to justify. I certainly hope they go ahead with that and get this process started, we cannot continue to do nothing for even more decades.
Obama is anything but naive. The purpose of the meeting was simply to see if Repubs would offer anything in the way of cooperation in dealing with the problem. There was very little of that. The American people saw that again, it just makes Reconciliation easier to justify. I certainly hope they go ahead with that and get this process started, we cannot continue to do nothing for even more decades.
You may be right, but if that's so, the Republican's played right into it. I doubt they aren't savvy enough to see that, so maybe it fit their "no" agenda too.
After all, if and when the Demo's pass this 2200 page monstrosity, the GOP will have plenty of ammunition for the mid-term elections.
The summit made for interesting political theater, but I'm not sure how much good it did the country.
One of them could have juggled or one could have had a ventriliquists dummy. Okay I guess they had Obama there so that was covered.
We elect these drones, making us watch them butcher the US is just too much.
You may be right, but if that's so, the Republican's played right into it. I doubt they aren't savvy enough to see that, so maybe it fit their "no" agenda too.
After all, if and when the Demo's pass this 2200 page monstrosity, the GOP will have plenty of ammunition for the mid-term elections.
The summit made for interesting political theater, but I'm not sure how much good it did the country.
You are correct, the Repubs knew exactly what was going to happen. But, they were between a rock and a hard place. They are hoping that perpetuating the incorrect perception of Govt takeover, will enhance their political agenda. The reality is that the plan is anything but a Govt takeover of Health Care, although it does provide for some constraint on Ins Cos and establishes a legislative initiative to work specifically on the increasing costs of providing care services. If the exercise results in moving this process forward, it will prove to be very valuable.
It was apparent that while Obama expected compromise from the Republicans, he and the Democrats were not willing to make any compromises. They want their plan, and they want total buy-in from the other party.
It was apparent that while Obama expected compromise from the Republicans, he and the Democrats were not willing to make any compromises. They want their plan, and they want total buy-in from the other party.
It was a sham.
He did not expect compromise from the GOP. He got exactly what he expected, no indications that the GOP wants to work on any solutions. He just wanted to make that even clearer to the public.
He did not expect compromise from the GOP. He got exactly what he expected, no indications that the GOP wants to work on any solutions. He just wanted to make that even clearer to the public.
Why would he expect any compromise, when he proposed his health insurance bill BEFORE the "negotiations"? We Americans, who are savvy enough on political matters, recognizes that this was a scam, and will not fall for it.
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