(December 8, 2009 - Photo by Pool/Getty Images North America)
The February 25th “bipartisan” health care reform summit scheduled for Blair House is officially on the books – at least to the extent that invitations have now been sent out to those the Chosen One wants in attendance. The question now…. will Republicans RSVP, or will they crash this thing and make the President regret the day he proposed this little meeting of the minds?
I think we all know the answer to that. Republicans find themselves in an unenviable position unable to abstain – a real damned if you do and damned if you don’t situation. The President has chosen the field of battle and he’s even set the terms for the skirmish, and Republicans risk political suicide if they don’t attend “willingly” or otherwise….
So what’s the plan? Take it on the chin; embrace the role as cannon fodder; or muscle up to the bar and lay a round of tough shots on Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, and the Chief Executive? While I would be inclined to hope for the latter, I anticipate a measured approach from this Republican leadership. McConnell lacks the necessary talents to serve as point man on this one so I would expect him to defer in large part to other players – Krauthammer thinks that someone should be Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan. I wish we had a deeper bench but I’m inclined to agree with him – at least on the selection.
More than finding a front man, I think its imperative that Republicans approach this summit with two things to offer: (1) A plan of their own which they can present to the American people THAT DAY and that is available (immediately) for viewing online or in print (buy an ad or two to prove its not 2000 pages long) and (2) a united and consistent message. Its time for McConnell to earn his keep and pay his way. 41 gives him the power and responsibility to offer something now… let’s see if he can hold them all together.
Ruby Slippers posted the language of the invite...
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. As the President said earlier this week:
I’m looking forward to a constructive debate with plans that need to be measured against this test: Does it bring down costs for all Americans as well as for the Federal Government, which spends a huge amount on health care? Does it provide adequate protection against abuses by the insurance industry? Does it make coverage affordable and available to the tens of millions of working Americans who don’t have it right now? And does it help us get on a path of fiscal sustainability?
These are priorities that we all share, and the President is looking forward to examining with you and your colleagues how we can best achieve the most effective reform possible.
So who’s on the list?
Senator Harry Reid, D-NV, Majority Leader Senator Mitch McConnell, R-KY, Republican Leader Senator Richard Durbin, D-IL, Majority Whip Senator Jon Kyl, R-AZ, Republican Whip Senator Max Baucus, D-MT, Chairman of the Finance Committee Senator Chuck Grassley, R-IA, Ranking Member of the Finance Committee Senator Tom Harkin, D-IA, Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Senator Mike Enzi, R-WY, Ranking Member of the Health, Education, Labor and Senator Christopher Dodd, D-CT, Member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-CA Representative Steny Hoyer, D-MD, Majority Leader Representative John Boehner, R-OH, Republican Leader Representative James Clyburn, D-SC, Majority Whip Representative Eric Cantor, R-VA, Republican Whip Representative Charles Rangel, D-NY, Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee Representative Dave Camp, R-MI, Ranking Member of the Ways and Means Committee Representative Henry Waxman, D-CA, Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Representative Joe Barton, R-TX, Ranking Member of the Energy and Commerce Representative George Miller, D-CA, Chairman of the Education and Labor Committee Representative John Kline, R-MN, Ranking Member of the Education and Labor Representative John Dingell, D-MI, Chair Emeritus of the Energy and Commerce
Committee
Pensions Committee
Committee
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Ed Morrissey at Hot Air has some reservations about the format of this made for TV movie…
In any political debate, having a moderator with an explicit interest in the outcome is completely unacceptable. How hard would it have been to find a retired elder statesperson to act as moderator? Howard Baker, Lee Hamilton, Bob Dole, and even Bill Frist comes to mind here, although Frist may have been too recent for the comfort of Democrats. Someone could have gotten on the phone with former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor to ask if she was available.
President Obama is going to moderate this thing? Wait? Isn’t the President a Democrat AND doesn’t he have a vested interest in the outcome of this “debate?”
I think I’ve heard this line before…. Oh yeah I remember…
Gwen Ifill…. PBS personality and Vice-Presidential debate “MODERATOR” (Biden v. Palin) – oh and author of The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama that was scheduled for release on President Barack Obama’s Inauguration Day. Pretty hard to remain objective when doing so makes the premise of your book a bit hard to sell. I think the President must have learned a thing or two about “moderation” from the author…
via Memeorandum
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This post was mentioned on Twitter by healthcarefan1: Invitations in the Mail for Bipartisan Health Reform Summit …: The President will then open and mod… http://bit.ly/bNAbUm health reform…
You said it, the Republicans are in an unenviable situation. The only way they would be able to come out of this without being castigated by the Democrats and the media is to roll over and let the Democrats have everything they want. If they protest too much on any one part of it, they will be portrayed as the party of no.
Could there be something good come from this? I think the answer is yes, but unlikely. Both parties would have to be willing to compromise and they have both talked themselves into a corner, from which there may be no escape. There is too much in the current legislation that the Democrats will insist on keeping and the Republicans will insist on removing. I am talking about the mandates, any kind of government option, etc. The entire process needs to be scraped and restarted, but that is unlikely to happen.
The sad part LD is that all parties know it needs to be scrapped bc they have talked themselves into a corner. Neither side walks away from this thing now with an ounce of satisfaction that they are getting what they wanted. If a compromise can be reached, I am inclined to believe it will be a concession by Republicans to expand Medicare/Medicaid – no real evidence there just a gut feeling. I base this little premonition on Republicans new found affection for an old entitlement program. I have no idea how “we” have come this far…
Nowhere on Barry’s agenda is tort reform? Can the GOP add that in under “cost containment”? Not bloody likely!
I too agree that the GOP is in a no-win situation here. Barry and his TelePrompTer running the meeting really means the deck is stacked against any free-market ideas.
Not likely at all there Chris. Tort reform is as offensive to Dems as the public option is to the Right. No way it makes even on to the table.
You know, I’ve REALLY found your posts really rather interesting. I can’t wait to read your next one, this has really struck a cord with me.
What I find astonishing is Pelosi’s attempt to simply explain away and dismiss the misconduct as a “non-event”…Rangel should not only lose his chairmanship, but his seat as well. Our representatives need to show some wisdom, not a total lack therof.
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