Been There, Done That? Why This Year's Health Care Summit Will Be Different From Last Year's

A summit presumes that all of the players act in good faith. So, let's skip it.

Actually, what one thing can the two parties agree on about health care reform? (I'm asking seriously)

I think we have reason to be optimistic, and I base this on last month's Q & A with House Republicans which was available for all to see. I think we put the President in the room with Republicans, Democrats, whoever, turn the cameras on and see what happens. The individual issues, legitimate (public option) and otherwise (tort reform), have been scrutinized over the year and there's pretty good numbers out there to evaluate the contribution of this or that element of the plan. Put it on a big screen and let's let the American people have a go at it. Also, let the President do what he does best, which argue for a logical position armed with the facts and call people out on their distortions.

Put it on camera and let the people watch. They say that light is the best disinfectant. I say that we should let the light shine.

Also, Tom Daschle has written a pretty good book on this subject:

Critical: What We Can Do About the Health-Care Crisis (Thomas Dunn Books, 2008)

What kind of beverage with they be drinking? These are important questions people! THE PUBLIC DEMANDS ANSWERS!

I don't see how Prez can go wrong (except through excessive politness). When he goes toe to toe with the thugs, their pettiness, nuttiness and scummyness shines like a beacon.

The only way this summit will be different is if Obama grows some balls and hits both the Republicans and the useless "Blanche Lincolns" of his own party.

We need him to give Chris Matthews a hard on, then we know he did well.

they are all pretending to govern. it's a false drama.

The longer it goes on, the worse it gets...the Republicans will press for "competition" via a rush to the least-regulated states (see the credit card industry), and my bet is that the Dems will go for it in some "moderated" form. Cheery, eh?

Calk Girl has it right here

The only folks who will watch the entire thing are the people who have allready made up their minds and want to see points scored on their side.

The balance will turn to the MSM who will not analyze any policy and wont give it too much attention unless there is an unexpected bright shiny object that leads to a beer summet.

Democrats have created their own lose/lose. The Republicans do not have to participate and shouldnt participate. The Democrats have beaten themselves.

Item 1:
 “A mere seven months ago (that would be around June 2009), The New York Times/CBS poll found that 72% of Americans ‘supported a government-administered insurance plan—something like Medicare for those under 65—that would compete for customers with private insurers.’”

Item 2: As of February 2010, no single payer health care reform, no 'government option', mandated premium payments to private sector insurers, tax money to private sector insurers, stipulations making it legal for insurers to spend only 80 cents of every 100 cents on actual health care while spending 20 cents of every 100 cents on lobbying, 'sympathetic' candidates, CEO bonuses, 'administration' and fighting your claim for treatment.

Item 3: Other than those who created the sop for themselves, no one (try 72%) wants this bastardized insurance industry bailout to pass.

Question: Why should the Republicans participate in the 'summit'?

Answer: Approval for the Democrats 'reform' is below 30%. The Democratic Party's wounds are all self-inflicted, there is no reason to participate. So, stay away from the death throes and enjoy the demise of your opposition which has turned its back on its own constituency, on thoughtful independents and Republicans who were willing to 'wait and see'.

The GOP is negotiating this like they do everything. "We will talk to you as long as you strip yourself of all bargaining chips first". They seem to think it's some kind of treat just to be able to speak to them. "Bipartisanship" means doing it our way...

Why do the Repubs get to call all the shots? They have done more over the last 30 (they controlled 28 or the last 30 years) to destroy our country and yet they do not get the credit. Through their legislation and lack of regulation, we are where we are today. Why don't the American people see them for who they really are?

Obama continues his job as neighborhood organizer, getting the two major gangs together to sing Kumbaya and share bread. Kudos to him for that. Now, about this President job? Maybe next year his desk will be clear enough to start on that one.

Poll: Bipartisanship popular, compromise tricky
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/behind-the-numbers/2010/02/americans_spread_the_blame_whe.html
Americans spread the blame when it comes to the lack of cooperation in Washington, and, in a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, most want the two sides to keep working to pass comprehensive health-care reform.

Nearly six in 10 in the new poll say the Republicans aren't doing enough to forge compromise with President Obama on important issues; more than four in 10 see Obama as doing too little to get GOP support. Among independents, 56 percent see the Republicans in Congress as too unbending and 50 percent say so of the president; 28 percent of independents say both sides are doing too little to find agreement.

As party leaders tussle over the proposed bipartisan health care summit, nearly two-thirds of Americans say they want Congress to keep working to pass comprehensive health-care reform. Democrats overwhelmingly support continued action on this front, as do 56 percent of independents and 42 percent of Republicans.
Poll1.gif

The sticky part of widespread desire for compromise is that it's simple to want it from the other side. About three-quarters of Democrats see the congressional Republicans as intransigent, while a similar proportion of Republicans see Obama that way. But even Republicans are critical of their congressional leadership, with 44 percent seeing them as doing too little to strike deals with Obama; that compares with just 13 percent of Democrats worried about inaction on Obama's part.

At the same time, the president does pick up some criticism from the left here: 18 percent of liberal Democrats say Obama is doing too much to compromise with the GOP on big issues.

More from the poll conducted Thursday through Monday will be released tomorrow in The Washington Post. The margin of sampling error for the results from the full random sample of 1,004 adults is plus or minus three percentage points.