After a day-long summit to discuss compromises to the health legislation that Democrats and President Obama are pushing, several conclusions can be reached.
President Obama obviously did NOT want to compromise with any Republican ideas. Rather, he thought that his magnificent presence on tv would sway Congress and voters to his side of the debate.
Republicans presented valid ideas including: inter-state insurance; tort reform; grouping of small businesses to buy insurance. These would lower the health care costs for businesses and individuals and provide health care to more Americans. None of the Democrats nor Obama seriously accepted these proposals. At the end of the day, Obama clearly was upset that Republicans did not jump onto his bandwagon, even though he said he would “contemplate” their ideas. He must think we are all idiots. That we don’t realize that he and the Democrats intend to try to ram this legislation through with reconciliation — a process they previously repudiated.
President Obama showed his own arrogance by talking, and talking, and talking. Well, according to him, he’s the President, so he gets more time! Really? Wasn’t he there to listen to everyone’s ideas?
Republicans explicitly demonstrated that the health legislation being proposed would not only cost us more money, would NOT cover more people, and would only be in effect for 6 of the 10 years that taxes were collected for it. In essence, the legislation does NOT do what Democrats claim it will do, Americans absolutely do NOT WANT it, and it might actually ruin the financial integrity of our country. It was a waste of everyone’s time.
The summit was exactly what people suspected it would be– grandstanding by President Obama and the Democrats. They had no intention of listening to the other sides’ ideas and all they wanted was a photo op so they could claim they were trying for bi-partisanship. Unfortunately, for them, Americans saw through this fiction and yet another poll proves that Americans do NOT trust Obama nor the Congress.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/02/26/cnn-poll-majority-says-government-a-threat-to-citizens-rights/?fbid=HVuJuC-2u9V
Washington (CNN) – A majority of Americans think the federal government poses a threat to rights of Americans, according to a new national poll.
Watching this debacle on tv was even more boring than watching reruns….wait. This actually WAS a rerun of the Democrats’ and Obama’s talking points.
If they truly want to “do what the American public wants”, then they had better start listening. As of yesterday, they and Obama were just doing what they always do — talk. The saddest outcome of this health summit is that Democrats hardened their “we’re right” attitude and forgot that they were elected to represent us — our views and wishes — not pass legislation that helps them get re-elected!
So, the real outcome of yesterday’s “summit” was that President Obama, he of the “change, transparency, bi-partisanship” campaign, became just another talking head.