Now it looks like I'm right, as new statements from the White House indicate that the Democrats will attend with a "final bill" ready, suggesting that the whole thing is designed not so much to listen to Republicans as to demonize them to gain momentum for the Democrats' package.
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/80977-white-house-hints-dems-health-talks-could-be-done-before-summit
House and Senate Democrats could complete negotiations on a final healthcare reform package before they sit down with Republicans for a bipartisan summit that will be hosted by President Barack Obama.Since this meeting will be most productive if information is widely available before the meeting, we will post online the text of a proposed health insurance reform package. This legislation would put a stop to insurance company abuses, extend coverage to millions of Americans, get control of skyrocketing premiums and out-of-pocket costs, and reduce the deficit.
It is the President’s hope that the Republican congressional leadership will also put forward their own comprehensive bill to achieve those goals and make it available online as well.
If the Democrats will have their "comprehensive bill" ready and waiting, what is the conference really for? We knew when Presbo refused to start over and instead used the Senate bill as "a starting point" that he wasn't serious about Republicans having a substantive part in crafting a reform bill. He wants his bill to pass more or less as is... he may have no objection to adding in a Republican suggestion or two, just so long as he has a GOP contribution he can point to in the bill, but he won't tolerate changing the Democrats' bill that they have worked so long on.
IF the Republicans cooperate in this sham of a "summit," and I would hope that it's a BIG "if" at this point, look to Presbo and the Democrats to ridicule and dismiss their suggestions. One or two may be adopted and added to the Senate bill, at which point they will call it "truly bipartisan" and resume partisan attacks if the GOP doesn't rush to support it en masse.
I have to be honest with you, at this moment in time I do not see an upside to participation for the Republicans. The only results from attending this fake summit would be bad... so why attend?
One of my readers made a suggestion that may just have merit... The more I think about it, the better I like it. The GOP should send a single spokesman, possibly Scott Brown, to deliver an outline of GOP ideas... and then leave. Leave PresBo alone with the Democrats, since that's what he seems to really want.
At that point, the Republicans have complied by delivering their plans and ideas, but since they haven't been included in the crafting of the existing legislation and won't be included in future drafting sessions, why should they stick around to do more than deliver their plans? Especially since those plans and ideas will be almost universally dismissed by Democrats?
That's what I think the GOP should do... either refuse to attend or send a single spokesman to deliver their suggestions and then leave. If the Democrats REALLY want to work with Republicans, then they need to actually WORK with Republicans. From scratch.
Scrap the existing ObamaCare plans and start over.
Yes, that sounds like a plan. We know that Republicans will be ridiculed or at least accused of obstruction whether they go or not. I know that every time my ideas are not valued or even listened to, it is less motivation to say anything. But the GOP does have a responsibility to at least try. They have done a very decent job considering the circumstances. So sending a representative is important if even just to say, "Here we go again. We do have a voice, even if Mr. BO refuses to listen." And if he doesn't listen now, he may be forced to listen in November!
ReplyDeleteIt's getting clearer every day that this "bipartisan summit" was intended to weaken the GOP and push the Senate bill through the House. And I think a single representative presenting a list of ideas that the GOP would support would be good... along with a strong statement that passing the current Senate bill would constitute a rejection of bipartisanship by the Democrats and will worsen the relationship between the parties.
ReplyDeleteScrapping the current bills is the absolutely mandatory first step towards reaching a bipartisanship agreement. That should be non-negotiable.