Obama gambles on moving health care reform bill ahead
Source: Agencies |
February 27, 2010, Saturday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
UNITED States President Barack Obama strongly signaled that Democrats will move forward on a health care overhaul with or without Republicans, preparing his party for a fight whose political outcome will rest with voters in November.
Delivering his closing argument at a 7-1/2-hour televised policy marathon on Thursday, Obama told Republicans he welcomes their ideas -- even ones Democrats don't like -- but they must incorporate into his framework for a broad health care remake that would cover tens of millions of uninsured Americans.
It's a gamble for Obama and his party, and it's far from certain that Democratic congressional leaders can rally their members to muscle a bill through on their own. At stake are Democrats' political fortunes in the November congressional elections and the fate of Obama's domestic agenda pitted against Republicans emboldened by their win last month of a key Senate seat.
"The truth of the matter is that politically speaking, there may not be any reason for Republicans to want to do anything," Obama said, summing up. "I don't need a poll to know that most Republican voters are opposed to this bill and might be opposed to the kind of compromise we could craft.
"And if we can't," he added, "I think we've got to go ahead and make some decisions, and then that's what elections are for."
To the nearly 40 lawmakers in the room with him, the message was unmistakable.
"Frankly, I was discouraged by the outcome," said Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell. "I do not believe there will be any Republican support for this 2,700-page bill."
Democratic leaders -- who preside over majorities in both chambers -- were having none of that.
"It's time to do something, and we're going to do it," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
Delivering his closing argument at a 7-1/2-hour televised policy marathon on Thursday, Obama told Republicans he welcomes their ideas -- even ones Democrats don't like -- but they must incorporate into his framework for a broad health care remake that would cover tens of millions of uninsured Americans.
It's a gamble for Obama and his party, and it's far from certain that Democratic congressional leaders can rally their members to muscle a bill through on their own. At stake are Democrats' political fortunes in the November congressional elections and the fate of Obama's domestic agenda pitted against Republicans emboldened by their win last month of a key Senate seat.
"The truth of the matter is that politically speaking, there may not be any reason for Republicans to want to do anything," Obama said, summing up. "I don't need a poll to know that most Republican voters are opposed to this bill and might be opposed to the kind of compromise we could craft.
"And if we can't," he added, "I think we've got to go ahead and make some decisions, and then that's what elections are for."
To the nearly 40 lawmakers in the room with him, the message was unmistakable.
"Frankly, I was discouraged by the outcome," said Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell. "I do not believe there will be any Republican support for this 2,700-page bill."
Democratic leaders -- who preside over majorities in both chambers -- were having none of that.
"It's time to do something, and we're going to do it," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
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