White House To Senate: Get Health Care Done
In a meeting that lasted slightly over an hour yesterday, President Obama upped the pressure on congressional leaders--but particularly on the Senate, and Senate Finance Committee chairman Max Baucus (D-MT)--to move a health care bill forward so that both chambers can individually complete work on legislation before the August recess.
Obama met with Baucus and Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY)--chairman of the Ways and Means Committee--along with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer yesterday afternoon, two days after returning from a long trip abroad. Specific details are scarce, but this account, provided by a knowledgeable official, dovetails well with better known facts, including that the Senate--particularly the Finance Committee--is significantly behind schedule, and that the White House appears to be turning up the temperature on Congress more generally as August recess approaches.
Obama also met yesterday with Blue Dog Democrats, who have successfully delayed the introduction of House health care reform legislation. More details on that meeting if and when they become available.
Josh
Matt
Eric
Brian
I'm very glad to see this push from the President. Let's hope it bears fruit. With unemployment almost certain to still be very high next year, the Democrats need to realize that they'd better be able to show they've done something that actually helps ordinary people. The Republicans lost because their policies trashed the country, but voters have short memories, and if they perceive the Democrats as uninterested in actually doing anything for them, Republican fortunes could improve a lot faster than people like to think.
July 14, 2009 9:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
Finally, Obama is starting to throw some of his weight around. Unfortunately, he is doing it now that his popularity has waned somewhat, due to the relative weakness of his stimulus, which he stupidly watered down all in the name of "bipartisanship."
July 14, 2009 10:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
Actually his Gallup numbers bounced right back up this week.
July 14, 2009 10:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
Obama is playing with the card deck the voters gave him. It's not the other way around.
The voters are in charge. This is a time of political upheaval and Congress, particularly the Senate, has not caught up to that fact. Obama is instructing them and I'm sure is using recent examples of ticked-off voters--like Talent encountered here in Missouri; or Joe L. encountered; or perhaps Norm or even Arlen. Voters are not just pissed at the GOP; they are also pissed at Congress. I'm also sure that district/state polling results would be revealing to more than a few of our Democratic Senators.
I'm happy for Obama to point it out to them since apparently they can't figure it out on their own. The voters are in charge and can "unelect" folks within their state; it's very foolish and stupid in this time of political upheaval to assume that the GOP is the only brand in trouble. I think any incumbent is in potential trouble.
July 14, 2009 11:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
Some hard core ass kicking has to be done with these clowns. In their mind they have their health care so screw the public, they want their vacation.
July 14, 2009 11:36 AM | Reply | Permalink
The runway premiums might explain why the middle class and housing market collapsed. Today the costs running out of control have led the people worrying about losing their job, coverage, and denial of care to save the stimulus money increasing the unemployment index.
July 14, 2009 12:07 PM | Reply | Permalink