Orszag: Republicans Trying To Kill Health Care Reform Through Delay

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President Obama's Director of the Office of Management and Budget, Peter Orszag, accused Senate Republicans on Sunday of trying to kill health care reform by dragging out the legislative process.

Appearing on CNN's State of the Union, Orszag labeled the attempts to push back the health care reform timeline as a "typical Washington bureaucratic game of if you don't have a better alternative just delay in hopes that that kills something."

"We want to get this done by August and we think we can," he added. "There are those that are advocating delay just as a desperation move to try and kill this."

Orszag stressed that not everyone calling for delay had sinister motives. The moderate Democrats in the Senate and Blue Dog Democrats in the House, he said, were "actively participating in the debate and that is great." This past week, Sens. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) Mary Landrieu (La.) and Ron Wyden (Ore.), along with Independent Sen. Joe Lieberman (Conn.) and Maine Republican Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins signed a letter asking to slow down the health care reform debate.

Nevertheless, from Orszag's CNN appearance, it seemed clear that the administration thinks pushing back the health care timeline amounts to a death sentence for reform. On Sunday, the OMB Director repeated that the White House's goal was to have legislation passed through both the House and the Senate by the time both chambers break for August recess.

"It's still the goal," he said. "We think we can make that. We are working towards that."

He added that the White House had been in discussion over the weekend with many of the recalcitrant House Democrats and Senate Finance Committee members to hammer out some sort of agreement.

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Comments

[cuniverse]

Most rich white folks including privileged rich from Latin America will never vote or have their representative vote for health care reform
And rightly so!!!
What is the rush!!! Is it because the middle class is now at risk and hurting? Why its always about the middle class , when they were having it good they did not give a dam about the millions of poor underprivileged uninsured Americans, now that the are being impacted the are talking about reform.
However take note ,it is only to the extent that they get back on the gravy train.
The middle class and the rich needs those returns on investments rolling in by keeping those jails full the gun shops selling , drugs premiums high, security systems humming, and a large portion of unhealthy Americans
There are two Americas and never the twain shall meet

[3dtrix]

Is there ANYONE in this country - anyone at all - who thinks the private insurance industry does a good job of looking after their interests? In any field - auto, life, fire, flood, theft, workman's comp, etc. - for any price? When the business model is set up to succeed when it takes in more than it pays out - is the motivation to take in or pay out? Is it comforting to know they do best when you die before their break-even point?

[3dtrix]

You are so clever - and handsome, too - I say we cut the insurance companies out of the equation altogether. The only reason they're even in the picture is to profit off the misfortune of others. Do you think they would offer the same "services" if their profits were eliminated - or even regulated?

[Drew2821]

I am quite happy with my health insurance. I am in control of my healthcare. I pay a premium for this ability and am happy to do it. In the case of my auto insurance I did my research and picked a company that caters to my needs. They were superb when my truck was stolen.
You see I am responsible and have no need for the government to do things for me. While I am happy to help those that need a hand I refuse to even pay for my parents healthcare, and they do not want me to. Really people do you want the government in control of yet another aspect of your life>

[BigShotBob]

I am dreadfully weary - and wary - of the repeated "Chicken Little" tactics: the administra­tion/leade­rship drops an almost inconceivably expensive bill, hundreds of pages (or over 1,000) in length, and demands immediate passage with minimal debate or discussion -- or else Armageddon. See also the Stockbroker Anti-Suicide Act (TARP) and the Porkulus Package.

LBJ took a year-and-a-half to get Medicare through a Congress Democrats controlled by huge majorities, roughly 2/3 in each house. National health-care ("NHC"), by comparison, is much more ambitious, and relatively less well-developed conceptually. There is, for example, no consensus -- even among supporters -- as to how to pay for NHC, especially long-term. So why the artificial deadline? Where's the fire, as they say?

Perhaps Pres. Obama should emulate LBJ: take a more considered approach to an important (and hideously expensive) issue, and ensure that the final NHC legisation is comprehensible, well-reasoned and most of all, fiscally sound. (Or at least apparently. Medicare costs significantly exceeded expectations within just the first few years.) While at the same time remaining firmly focused on the desired result (i.e., passing the legislation), rather than holding hands with the industry and the politically bankrupt Republicans.

[1dogs2]

The subject of health care reform and universal coverage and how to achieve it have been under thorough discussion for 50 years.

[vondiamond]

GOP and Some of the DEMS have already been paid by the Lobbyist ($23.000.00 each) to stop the Health C are reform.

[blueken]

The hope is that if it can be put off until the August recess, it will give special interest groups a chance to go on the offensive before the next session. They want more time to water down health care reform to the point that they keep over chargeing the American people. Stop the madness. Single payer, universal health care the one and only path that has been proven around the world to contain health care costs and evenly spread out cost.

[DestinationsUnknown]

The party of no- the do-nothings!

What have they accomplished for our country from 1994-2006? 12 years!

Twelve years! How have they moved our country forward?

The Senate- a 100 Member debating club - all with the same goal- more contributions.

Step outside the Senate- Senators?

8 years of 'no child left behind' - the USA -does not even rank within the top 25 for education in the world.

Healthcare reform - A - Healthcare crisis that Obama, Clinton and McCain ran on- Healthcare reform-

FYI- Obama won.

Senator Durbin of Illinois stated the Banks own the Senate. I am sure he will probably be stating the same for the Energy bill and the Healthcare bill.

On C-Span- John McCain"s response to the healthcare problem was that there was not enough competition.

A C-Span viewer asked him regarding his solution to the healthcare problem that we have had 40 years of competition- why do we have this crisis?

He then threw back his body and said we have problems- no solution.

Do you think Obama would give this as an answer? While on C-span, Mr. McCain could not thank his GOP Party enough for giving him the nomination of his party.

The press does not question the ability of the congress or leaders in government to understand domestic issues that are facing our country.

Progress? What have they accomplished for our country from 1994-2006?

[skeller]

Well, duh. Pity MSM can't state the obvious without getting a quote from somebody.

[garymc8]

TAKE AWAY THE BENEFITS OF ALL ELECTED OFFICIALS AND IN 3 MONTHS WE WILL HAVE SINGLE PAYER HEALTH FOR EVERYONE.

[skepticalindenver]

You are wrong. They would have it done in under two weeks if they had the same coverage we had, it would be efficient and at least within reasonable costs for their lifetimes. I've noticed they really get down to busness when it is their ox getting gored.

[Hopeington]

co sign !!!!!!
In less than 3 months, they wouldn't last that long.

[Transcendentobserver]

This blog and its thesis was a disclosure of the obvious. Of course the motivation of at least the gang of 6 and blue dogs is to kill it. 3/4 of a century and extensive hearings over the past 7 1/2 months involving 3 committees of Congress has provided more data than virtually any issue before Congress. Orszag's gentle defense of the gang and blue dogs, however, only compounds the problem. Most of the Dems he tepidly defends are recipients of the largest insurance industry's "campaign" contributions whose interest, be assured, is not to reform the system they control but to maintain their monopoly though ironically have no direct role delivery of service or provision of facilities. Both the providers and consumers of healthcare services overwhelmingly and increasingly support broad and comprehensive reform.)

Of the Gang of 6, the Maine senators' position are understandable. Those two are the tenuous link between an otherwise extremest right wing GOP whose objective is to destroy the Obama presidency. Nelson and Lieberman and their ilk, however, could be neutralized by a grass roots movement to cancel or fail to renew, and decline to purchase any insurance or benefit offered by insurance companies domiciled in their respective states--most of which ironically are blue. Polling suggests than nearly 2/3 of the nation support reform substantially as presented by the bills presently voted out by the logically responsible committees of Congress whose mission is health care rather than "commerce".

[Brian Rabble]

Speaking of delays, wonder why O bama won't release his budget numbers? What happened to transparency? Only when it works in his favor?

http://bit.ly/twatY

[rxvette]

The toughest choices on health care are actually individual choices made by every American every day of the week. Read this to find out more - http://bit.ly/9QLV8

[kimleehan]

Force it to come up for a vote even if it won't pass, Than at least the Americans will see who voted against it and we can make some changes in 2010, than maybe it will pass than. Give me at least a public option or give me nothing at all.

[cripes]

Why the USA has no National Health Care???

Because we are STUPID..

[IowaKid]

Short but right to the point....LOL

[jmpurser]

I think "self loathing" should take some of the blame as well as "owned by corporate interests that treat us like mushrooms."

[1dogs2]

Oops. I was skimming so fast I misread "mushrooms" as "restrooms."

[RnR]

Too many shills in government. Local elections are stolen just like national elections. The corporations put theirs in place; we pay the price.

[RRoadrunner]

If this fails there are going to be a lot of politicians with eggs on their faces. The democrats for failure to get the job and the republicans for being obstructionist. Something will get done. We may not like it, but something will pass.

[jmpurser]

I think failure has already occurred. The status quo is killing us physically and economically and there's nothing in this plan that doesn't fortify the status quo for another generation.

[Acidic]

A point a lot of people are missing I believe, is that NOBODY in Congress cares. If a Rep. or Senator is elected they are set FOR LIFE regardless of if they get the boot the next election cycle. There is NO incentive for any of them to do what's right. Even if they only serve ONE term they all get health care for LIFE and plenty of job opportunities once they leave office. THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN. It all starts with campaign finance reform.

Sorry for caps but this just stinks.

[cripes]

How true!

[1dogs2]

Such blanket cynicism is tiresome and counter-productive. Sen. Wellstone didn't care? Sens. Durbin, Kennedy, Sanders, Leahy and Feingold don't care?

[Acidic]

So you can name a handful of people out of the ENTIRE Congress, Bravo.