Lawmakers gear up for healthcare summit meeting

[TomCADem]

Source: Christian Science Monitor

Meanwhile, Republicans want assurances that President Obama is willing to scrap existing bills and start over. They are holding out for more elements in the legislation that rein in healthcare costs for American families.

“What we need to do is start over, go step-by-step on a truly bipartisan basis and try to reach an agreement. My members are open to doing that,” said Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, after a meeting with President Obama on Tuesday.

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Despite the snow, Democratic leadership staff are working through the recess to try to reach agreement on a common healthcare strategy by Feb. 25.

“The point is to try to continue the work with the Senate and the White House on the legislation that has passed both chambers and also have the meeting on the 25th and look at ideas and see what they have to offer,” says Nadeam Elshami, spokesman for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.


Read more: http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2010/0211/Lawmakers-gear-up-for-healthcare-summit-meeting

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I can see why the Republicans want to relive 2010 like it was 2009, and start the townhalls, and congressional hearings all over again, so they can renew the charges of death panels, and claim that they are the champions of Medicare while House Republicans work on bills to privitize Medicare.

[Cleita]

1. I would love to see Obama pull the rabbit out of the hat and

just extend Medicare to everyone since the Republicans want to scrap the existing bills. I know it won't happen, but it would be fun.

[Repealer]

2. NUCLEAR OPTION

I'm beginning to think that the Democrats are the biggest wimps to ever hit DC. They pretend that bipartisanship is essential when the truth is that a very effective tool for ending Filibusters already exists.

If the Demos can get 51 votes together, they can pass every bill they want and the GOP can jump in the Potomac for all the good it will do them.

The Republicans used the  NUCLEAR OPTION in 2005 to get their judicial appointments approved, so they have no come back when the tables are turned.

Are the Demos stupid or are they just Republicans in disguise.

Running the country is not an exercise in collegiality, but a maximum use of the sheer POWER your party can muster.



NUCLEAR OPTION http://uspolitics.about.com/od/usgovernment/a/filibuster.htm
In 2005, then Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist threatened to end Democratic filibuster of judicial nominees by something called the "nuclear option." It is actually a series of steps designed to bypass the two-thirds vote requirement to change rules:

1. The Senate moves to vote on a controversial nominee.
2. At least 41 Senators call for filibuster.
3. The Senate Majority Leader raises a point of order, saying debate has gone on long enough and that a vote must be taken within a certain time frame. (Current Senate rules requires a cloture vote at this point.)
4. The Vice President -- acting as presiding officer -- sustains the point of order.
5. A Republican Senator appeals the decision.
6. A Democratic Senator moves to table the motion on the floor (the appeal).
7. This vote - to table the appeal - is procedural and cannot be subjected to a filibuster; it requires only a majority vote (in case of a tie, the Vice President casts the tie-breaking vote).
8. With debate ended, the Senate can vote on the issue at hand; this vote requires only a majority of those voting. The filibuster has effectively been closed with a majority vote instead of a three-fifths vote.

[AllentownJake]

3. Remember in August and September of 2009 and Baucus and the President

Doing everything in the world and their power to try to woo Olypmia Snowe and Susan Collins in August/September of 2009 only to be left standing their with a big HELL NO?

Seeing that those two ideologically are about 1 point away from Evan Bayh, I highly doubt this will produce any results.

The GOP has picked up a Senate Seat in Mass they haven't been able to even think about looking at since 1953 by saying fuck you. I doubt they are suddenly going to abandon what has been a successful strategy so far.

[groundloop]

4. I really want to know where this is going

I supported President Obama'a election, I donated to his campaign, I even did a bit of volunteering for his campaign. I'll suupport his reelection just as enthusiastically, because there's no way I want to see this country go downhill again under Republican rule. However, at the moment I'm kind of wondering why President Obama is still concerned with the smoke and mirrors called "bipartisanship". In over a year, trying to be "bipartisan" has produced nothing, in fact it's done far more harm than good. Voters sent a clear message by putting a strong Democratic majority in Congress, and sending a Democrat to the White House. I think President Obama knows that the American public wants universal healthcare, so why doesn't he and Congress quit playing nice and shove through legislation through reconciliation which will accomplish as much as possible of what needs to be done?