Axelrod, Grassley Spar Over Bipartisan Health Care

One of Barack Obama's chief advisers and one of the key Republicans in the Senate jousted on Sunday over what constitutes bipartisanship when it comes to health care legislation.

Appearing on ABC's "This Week," David Axelrod, the president's chief strategist, sought to allay criticism that the health care reform being pushed by the White House and Democrats on the Hill was being constructed without GOP support.

"The bill will be bipartisan by definition," said Axelrod. "The Senate health committee accepted 82 Republican amendments. Republican ideas will be included with this process, we hope it will come with Republican votes as well."

Host George Stephanopoulos followed the remark by noting: "That seems to be the new White House definition of bipartisanship." He appeared to be referencing the administration's approach to the stimulus package, which passed with no Republican support in the House but contained various GOP policy proposals.

"I don't think we should get consumed by process at a time when health care costs are -- you know they've doubled in this decade?" Axelrod responded. "Ultimately we'll bring the federal budget down. We have to act. We can't afford to get consumed in these types of Washington discussions."

That position was attacked in a latter segment on the same show when Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), the ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, scoffed at Axelrod's definition of bipartisanship.

"He said they put in 83 amendments," responded the Iowa Republican, missing the number Axelrod used by one. "Let me assure you, those were not changes in policy. Those were strictly technical. And Republicans are not going to hoodwinked into calling that a bipartisan bill."

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Comments

[byyou]

Republican ideas stinks anyway, if they had better ideas they will not be less popular than paris hilton.. To hell with them. let the Dems do the reform. we all suffer when there is no an alternative ideas but republicans have no new ideas and they resort to name callings. We are better off without them meddling what we are doing.

[CommonSenseMom]

GOP votes are not needed for ANYTHING now.

The party of "NO" is powerless.

[Lorianne]

Then why do the Dems keep kvetching about them?
Why don't they just get on with it and pass a REAL universal plan?

[miriamfl]

For years the Repugs didn't care about bi-partisanship. These are the same GOP Grumpy Old Party that brought us to this point. These are the same CLOWNS that have destroyed this country and they are still demanding that we listen to them? How about some time- out in the corner somewhere with dunscaps on?

[bayarea000]

have no fear. the dems will cave. we will get nothing from this administration either. our senators and their families are set for life. once there they know it's hard to get them out. look at my senator feinstein, "she doesn't give a tick (her words) what people think." she's despicable!!!!

[RRG64]

she's despicable!!!!...

don`t be so harsh on Palin, I don`t like her either but sheesh.

[edwarvir]

Move out the way Grassley, because we are
going to have Public Healh Care. Then maybe
we who are paying through the nose to be
insured, now will finally catch a break.

[ckfan]

I don't ever recall the Rethugs talking about bi-partisanship. They just did what they wanted to do - protect the rich and corporations.

Obama should move forward and give the Rethugs the finger.

[sanity2008]

Forget the Republicans, they forgot us a long time ago.

[flyribbon]

Forget the Republicans. Their idea of "bipartisan" is that we all do what the Republicans want 100% of the time. Anything else is partisan gridlock. Forget them.

Just get this passed. ASAP.

Call your Congressmen and Congresswomen. Don't expect someone else to do the calling for you.

[Tomlastliberalleft]

Fellow Democrats:

The need to achieve or subscribe to a bipartisan goal has no real downside in the long run. All the undecided and Independent voters have a stake in these issues and they will be infinitely more willing to weigh in with their votes for change if they see the Democrats moving away from the politics of polarization. Obama is not doing this the old way. He is trying to operate in terms of a long term plan aimed at turning things around in a real sense, not some short term fix that we have all suffered from for two generations at least. Every time the Republicans state their intention to stop progress by any means possible they simply dig themselves in deeper. Keep in mind what needs to be done to succeed in 2010. Things will get better in an incremental way. That is our history as a Republic. We all want change to happen quickly, but doing that creates political problems that need to be avoided.

[miriamfl]

I agree with you, but the Repugs are not going to sign anything anyways so lets not water down the proposal lets get it done without them!

[lianmolive]

Private universities can make their rules...

If I had enough money to build and run a university, I would make some rules too, even censoring or banning some material.

I don't know why anyone is having a problem with this.

[flyribbon]

And this has what to do with healthcare?

[lianmolive]

Oops wrong post in wrong section... sorry.

[THE JEDI 69]

America if you don't see the game the right is playing with you and you grandkids future we get what we deserve..this entire thing is to insure that health companies get to keep beating us down with cost..time for it to go...it don't work, and all these americans who got layed off in the upppppper middle class are feeling it now.....it's simple..if you work and pay taxes you should have health care..whats wrong with that...simple.

[ByersL]

I am SO sick of the right saying that this is socialism so la zy people who don't work can get insurance. Please stop saying that. I'm quite happy with my HMO in the DC suburbs, really great docs (mostly women) who have families and don't want to work an 80 hour work week. They all went to very good American medical schools, and I have excellent care, as does my family. However, my friends who live in a small city in TN, both psychologists with good incomes, have to insure themselves. They paid $1000 a month last year with a $5000 deductible. Sadly, my friend's husband got cancer, and now their new rate is $1500 a month with a $10,000 deductible. THIS is what is wrong with our system.

[miriamfl]

You are so right, 1/3 of the population in this country either don't have ins or are under insured, my husband and are also insured through work but all of us are one lay off or one illness away from bankruptcy. This country no longer has jobs we work in for 20,30 or 40 years and then we retire and go on medicare that country does not exists anymore.

[Westof405]

When the GOP thought they were going to keep their overwhelming majority in Congress, they had no interest whatsoever in being bipartisan. Now that they are the minority, that's all they whine about, then the Dems don't get one vote from them.

Time to end the charade. The Dems are in charge; that's what the majority of Americans wanted and voted for and there is no reason to give in to Rush, Hannity and the rest of the GOP mob that wants to destroy any forward progress.

It's time for Obama to really step up-you know you won, you keep repeating that, yet you also keep giving in to these ignorant thugs. Enough already.

[ErnestineBass]

Face it, we need to revamp the entire American medical system from top-to-bottom.

Every year fewer and fewer American doctors graduate from fewer and fewer med schools, and those who do are often saddled with close to a half-million in student loan debt. Between payments on that debt, office overhead and the ever-increasing cost of malpractice insurance premiums, a lot of newly-minted doctors have no choice but to charge an arm and a leg just to make ends meet.

As long as we're engaged in a debate over health care, perhaps we need to consider establishing a program that would partially (or fully) pay the tuition of medical students who agree to go into general practice and/or to set up shop in under-served urban or rural communities for a specific period of time once they've graduated. Just a thought.

[ncmom54]

bipartisanship happend on election day.

[ByersL]

Very nice post! Thanks for reminding us what this is really about!

[zerotimes10]

ncmom54: Yes We Did!

[pbziegler]

The Repos think bi-partisan means doing what they want. After all they get their guidance from God. At some point its time to stop letting them amend the guts out of all the legislation since they will vote against it and cry that they are not being given a voice.

[miriamfl]

Completely agree, since they will not be signing anything anyways we want whatever they put in the bill OUT! You know they will throw in taxing benefits. How dare they?

[Waltfl]

I don't think it's God they are getting their guidance from. Not sure what force it is, I just hope it's not what I think it is.

[DoTheMath]

Darned right! I hope we learned our lesson with the stimulus. For three lousy Republican votes, we gave away how many jobs? Then Boehner has the nerve to ask where the stimulus jobs are. Our only hope is a Repo-proof Congress.