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March 08, 2010
Obama's Health Care Pitch to Democrats: Trust me
Obama's health care pitch to Democrats: Trust me
WASHINGTON
In private pitches to Democrats, President Barack Obama says he will persuade Congress to pass his health care overhaul even if it kills him and even if he has to ask deeply distrustful lawmakers to trust him on a promise the White House doesn't have the power to keep.
That, in a sometimes darkly joking way, is what the president is telling Democratic House members as he begins an all-out push to coax Congress into passing his proposals despite voters' misgivings and Republicans' dire warnings.
"He made the case, 'Listen, we put in a very hard year working on health care reform and the time for action is now,'" said Rep. Ron Kind, D-Wis., one of several Democrats who met with Obama at the White House on Thursday.
Obama joked that the political battle has contributed to the recent rise in his cholesterol, Kind said, and the president noted how ironic it would be if health care drove him to his grave.Some answers, however, rely more on faith than fact. Confronting party unrest on his left and right, Obama is calling for political courage, citing historic opportunities and essentially saying "trust me" in areas inherently murky, uncertain and out of his control. The process for getting health care legislation through Congress is tough enough already, and Republicans are determined to derail it.
Obama told House liberals last week that he understands their frustration in seeing priorities — such as allowing the government to sell insurance in competition with private companies — dropped from the revised legislation. He promised to work with them in the future to improve health care laws, said Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., who leads the Congressional Black Caucus.
"He said, `This is the first step, a foundation that we can build upon,'" she said. "He made a commitment to work with us on all the issues that are outstanding, and there are many."
It's unclear whether Obama can keep such promises, especially with Republicans expecting to gain House and Senate seats this fall.
Obama is asking his party's House moderates to have a different kind of faith. The party's strategy calls for House Democrats, despite many misgivings, to go along with a health care bill the Senate passed in December. Obama would sign it into law, but senators would promise to make numerous changes demanded by House Democrats. Because Senate Democrats no longer have the numbers to stop GOP filibusters, the changes would have to be made under rules that require only simple majority votes.
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Wild Thing's comment........
The socialist SOB is relentless.
Congress can either listen to the usurper or to their constituents. If they refuse to listen to their constituents, it will end badly for them and our country. The line has been drawn.
Posted by Wild Thing at March 8, 2010 05:45 AM
Comments
Aside from his Apology Tour around the world, what has thie cretin actually done. On the negative side he's doubled the National debt, coddled Terrorists, he's trying to climb into bed with every third rate dictator in both hemispheres...and oh yes, his Health Care debacle.
Hopefully, the closer we get to November the more skittish the Democrats become. They by osmossis have figured out the ' we the people' who elected them are pissed and want nothing to do with this stupid Communist scheme. If the dems know what for they will back away from this catastrophe.
Posted by: Mark at March 8, 2010 07:20 AM
I agree Mark, not one positive change for this country but a myriad of negative plans and programs are being spawned by this POS of a President.
Posted by: Bob A at March 8, 2010 08:24 AM
I agree, I think really that the skittishness is starting to show. We are not that far from Nov - 6 months and counting. When they are on summer break and get back to the real world, they will not be able to cover their ears,eyes, and noses which seems like they are doing now. They will be exposed to the strength and verbage of this anti-socialist takeover bill. Only the dead would not be able to see it.
Posted by: jan at March 8, 2010 08:46 AM
Let's hope enough Democrats run scared of their voters to vote against obamacare. obama is pushing for a vote by Easter and is pulling out all the stops and all the guns to get his needed House votes. It appears to be a close battle with neither side having a clear edge. Maybe voter backlash will win out over Chicago thuggery. If this bill does go through, we will have lost a big chunk of our freedom and created a very, very costly program of ratined care coupled with incompetance and bureaucracy.
Posted by: TomR at March 8, 2010 11:05 AM
Mark, well said!!! Thanks Mark! I sure do agree.
Posted by: Wild Thing at March 8, 2010 07:03 PM
Bob A., exactly like you said not one positive change,everything he touches is about destroying our country.
Posted by: Wild Thing at March 8, 2010 07:06 PM
Jan, love how you put that. I lovoe the visual of it, and that is what will happen too.
Posted by: Wild Thing at March 8, 2010 07:07 PM
Tom, it is like I am not breathing all the way. Just filled with so much hope and praying I guess. This taking so long is really making obama look really bad which is what he is....really bad, evil.
Posted by: Wild Thing at March 8, 2010 07:10 PM
