Obama Quietly Reaching Out To GOP On Health Care

Politico:

President Barack Obama's first date with House Republicans didn't end so well: He made a high-profile trip to the Capitol to ask for their help with his economic stimulus plan, and they said no -- unanimously, twice.

Now Obama is trying again -- more quietly and with a smaller group of moderate Republicans who might be more willing to say yes. The goal: Try to get at least some Republicans
to back big-ticket items such as Obama's health care plan, but avoid the public spectacle of being rejected a second time around.

Read the whole story: Politico

Comments

[wayoutleft]

i'd feel better if obama was reaching out to the uninsured with healthcare ralleys across the country instead of these capitol hill yard apes trying to get this or that deal for their backers.

[American50]

HealthCare isnt a Right.....­.. sorry
Pay for your own!!!!!! This isnt Canada

[wayoutleft]

why don't you pay for YOUR own deadbeat. no more subsidizing hospital construction or medical education. no more grants for rural care? no more federally funded medical research. no more support for a healthier environment. no more food and drug quality testing. no more health education at lower educational levels. no more tax subsidies TO ANYONE for medical insurance. no more medical expense deductions. no more preventative care for children. no more testing requirements for medical professionals. and of course- no more medicare.
why don't you clean up your deadbeat bumming off the REAL healthcare system. everyone can spot a deadbeat trying to put up a front. suck it up and pay your share for this country's public health and it's countless subsidies to your own medical care. you individualist types would run out without paying your barber if you could get to the door. anybody who thinks they're self-sufficient in this society is a deadbeat who doesn't know what he owes. a lot like the militarists who ducked out of serving themselves.

[Steamboater]

Reaching out to GOP moderates? Obama would have it easier looking for a needle in a haystack.

[OverIt]

No really.

Reaching out to Moderates = All eyes on Snowe and Collins.

[PersonaNonGrated]

It's a sound political strategy. The more Obama attempts in futility to reach out to Republicans, the more it makes the GOP and their base look like the 21 percenter White-Christian party, and the more it makes Obama look like the man who wants to unite the country.

However, the media isn't biting on it. They're still too scared of Boss Limbaugh and Ins-annity taking their lunch money.

[Yeeeech]

President Lyndon Johnson and the Democrats gave us The Great Society, which wrecked middle class black America and has brought us to this point ---the financial failure of Medicare. So, what's the rush to "reformed comprehensive health care"? If we cannot afford what we've got, how can we afford "comprehensive health care?

Is it the imminent death of Senator Kennedy, for whom the bill is named/dedicated? Or as Obama said "the stars are aligned"? Why is the Montana Senator heading up the committee to "study" the issue not allowing all points of view?

Obama, Geithner, Summers and Orszag rushed us into the Stimulus Bill, which will not be spent for another year and is a boondoggle for favored groups. ACORN gets $8 billion, dead people who were never even on the Social Security rolls are being sent checks! Tarp II& III are an unfathomable mess. The administration put unqualified Wall St. media-comm­unications Rattner in charge as the Auto Czar, his proceeded to screw investors, management in in favor unions, deep six the automotive industry, put thousands out of work shutting down small dealerships. (Why Rattner, well he was a big fund raiser, his wife is a pasr DNC Finance Chairman.) Sibelius, in charge of the health care issue is a compromised Governor with no medical or hands on health care experience. Theoretical wonk Budget Director Orszag outlined a punitive medical policy which will limit, not provide health-care.
This is, so far, the WRECK & RUIN Administration.

[citizen of the universe]

Do any of you people have you own opinion? It seems like you just repeat what was handed to you, almost like your reading a teleprompt­er......th­at cracks me up!

[TomTheAlmostUgly]

"Do any of you people have you own opinion? It seems like you just repeat what was handed to you, almost like your reading a teleprompt­er......th­at cracks me up!"

(Mindlessly repeating Rush Limbaugh's talking points.)

[American50]

http://wwwamericanpatriot-vance.blogspot.com/

[AFAN]

Hey wingnut, nobody going to listen to your paranioa comments.

[PlaceboStudman]

Ya gotta have respect for a man who at least tries to reach out and communicate with people who don't agree with him. Gives me a whole new sense of admiration for him, over you so called progressives who literally want to kill off anyone who doesn't agree with you lock stock and barrel

[Rescisco]

There are no GOP moderates. So the President is reaching out to an imaginary friend.

[donttasemebro]

Ah, moderate republicans. The rarest of all DC wildlife. Nearly extinct.

[jpinsatx]

Hmmm... Health Care for All Americans is Simple!

1) Merge Medicare with Medicade into one single "Income Based" system
for elderly and poor citizens.

2) Require insurance companies to provide the same basic coverage for
all Non-Medica­re/Medicad­e citizens, regardless of health status, at
government established rates.

3) Allow insurance companies to profit by offering additional benefits
and options to those who qualify and are willing to pay the difference.

As for Funding...

1) Changing from an "Emergency Treatment" to a "Preventive Care"
system will save local communities billions, maybe even trillions of
taxpayer dollars!

2) Small business will be able to compete globally and hire additional
taxpaying employees!

3) Wealthy seniors will pay their fair share!

4) The tremendous burden on future generations will be greatly reduced!

[jsgaetano]

Why does Washington STILL care about Republicans?

All getting those scant few (if any) Gooper votes is going to do is destroy any meaningful reform in favor of time and money wasting half-steps.

It always seems like Obama would rather get to the 50 yard line with Republican help, rather than score a touchdown without them.

[williamg]

Generally, it takes 60 votes in the Senate. Not all Democrats are going to vote party line, therefore you need some Republicans.

Just a fact.

[jsgaetano]

You might want to retake high school civics. It doesn't take 60 votes to pass a bill, it takes a simple majority.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEJL2Uuv-oQ

[GreatNews27]

If I could just spell the whole thing out for everyone. There is a governmental and corporate sponsored program to literally kill off middle class Americans. First they sent your job overseas and you were unemployed. Then they denied you health care by making it too expensive for you. They take your house, your car, and your money. Then they simply wait for the food they produce to kill you. Presto! No pesky middle class. Now it's just the rich that can hire lawyers and afford health care and drive cars and hold jobs. Everything else is run from India. The government is giving tax breaks to companies that fire taxpayers and hire foreigners in foreign countries. You are subsidizing, through your taxes, your own job loss, loss of health care and death. Oh, and did I mention that Obama is in on it? He must be. There is no other excuse for his inaction on single payer. Another fox to guard the henhouse. Another Republican in Dem clothing. Another Bush but far more dangerous. This one has a brain. No heart, but a brain.

[wayoutleft]

isn't it interesting that the republicans talking to obama are all of a sudden "moderates" even though they're driving out the likes of colin powell and arlen specter? while obama is canoodling with "moderates", the republicans have launched an anti-reform ad campaign that will solidify reform opposition among the constituencies of the very "moderates" obama is courting.
i regret to say that no one has shown me they can overcome the incredible callousness and selfish of the american electorate to anywhere near the extent required to institute health access for all.

[CitizenJ]

Moderate Republicans? There's an oxymoron.

[teron678]

Politico & their Sensationalism ..........­.

[DMHendrix]

exactly!

[bmermaid]

OMG. It seems so strange to have a President that works hard all the time.
Imagine what a mess GW could have gotten us into. Lucky for us, he worked as little as possible.