Campaign for America’s Future
By Bill Scher
February 26, 2010 – 8:36am ET
After Summit, Dems Move To Pass Bill Without GOP
Summit ends with presidential call for action, despite continued GOP obstruction. W. Post: “President Obama declared Thursday that the time for debate over health-care reform has come to an end, closing an unusual seven-hour summit with congressional leaders by sending a clear message that Democrats will move forward to pass major legislation with or without Republican support”
HuffPost’s Sam Stein notes summit made clear the futility of bipartisanship: “…it did produce one thing: A consensus that there really isn’t any point in talking anymore … even before the summit was over talk shifted to what the party now has to do if it wanted legislation passed.”
W. Post’s Ezra Klein says Obama’s insistence on action is the big summit story: “The Democrats are not taking reconciliation off the table, they are not paring back the bill, and they are not extricating themselves from the issue. They think they’re right on this one, and they’re going to try and pass this legislation.”
NYT suggest right-leaning Dems may not yet be willing to go along: “It was unclear if the event had won over any of those votes, especially among House Democrats who opposed the bill in November, and whose support could be critical to reviving it.”
CQ reports on possible next steps: “Democratic senators are discussing a strategy to finish their health care overhaul … key senators and House members would agree to a set of changes to the [Senate] bill. Legislative language would be sent to the House, along with a letter signed by 51 or more senators pledging to pass the modifications using the budget reconciliation process, which requires only a majority vote and would protect the second bill from a filibuster. The developing tactic is intended to assure anxious House Democrats that the Senate would act on a package of corrections to the Senate bill … House Democrats do not trust that if they clear the Senate bill, Senate Democrats will follow up with a reconciliation bill.”
Politico also explores next steps: “One Democratic lawmaker involved in the negotiations, who asked not to be identified to speak candidly of the process, said the party would not, in fact, start down the path of reconciliation next week. Rep. Rob Andrews of New Jersey … said House leaders expect Obama to modify his plan based on Thursday’s meeting and send a revised proposal to the House by next week. Democratic leaders will then use the president’s bill as their jumping-off point.”
Sen. Ben Nelson defends insurance companies, attacks Sen. Feinstein plan to restrict rate hikes. Politico: “Nelson quietly urged Democratic leaders to reject Feinstein’s effort to include in the Senate health care bill a proposal empowering federal authorities to block high rate increases by health insurers … that irked Feinstein, who swallowed her pride and voted for the Senate bill even though she felt it shortchanged her state of California in some areas.”
USA Today edit board says Dems should act: “…at some point, they’re going to have to set aside the polls, pass a credible plan that pays for itself, and let the public judge the results firsthand.”
GOP Obstructionism Exposed
