A GOP source familiar with the meeting said that the president was extremely sensitive -- even "thin-skinned" -- to the fact that the stimulus bill received no GOP votes in the House. He continually brought it up throughout the meeting.
Obama also offered payback for that goose egg. A major overhaul of the health care system, he told the Republican leadership, would be done using a legislative process known as reconciliation, meaning that the GOP won't be able to filibuster it.
Congress has until October 15 to pass health care or student lending reform under the normal process. If it doesn't, reconciliation can be used to eliminate the 60-vote requirement.
Democratic aides said that Obama made clear to the GOP leadership that he would continue to work in a bipartisan way, but that they didn't have veto power over health care policy. GOP aides, however, said that Obama was pretty clear that reconciliation would be used. "From what was told me, it sounded more like he would almost definitely use reconciliation for healthcare. I don't think he hedged much," said one.
Another GOP aide said that Obama and House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) had a back-and-forth about the zero votes. Obama argued that House Republicans had made a "strategic decision" to oppose the stimulus, while Boehner countered that Obama hadn't accepted House Republican input on the bill.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) pushed back against the decision to use reconciliation. "As he told the President during a meeting at the White House on Thursday, Senator McConnell and his colleagues want to be part of the solution to reforming our country's health care system and expects the majority party to include Republicans in that process. Sen. McConnell wants a bipartisan solution," said McConnell spokesman Don Stewart.
"Fast-tracking a major legislative overhaul such as health care reform or a new national energy tax without the benefit of a full and transparent debate does a disservice to the American people," said McConnell in a statement. "And it would make it absolutely clear they intend to carry out their plans on a purely partisan basis."
Ryan Grim is the author of the forthcoming book This Is Your Country On Drugs: The Secret History of Getting High in America
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Comments: 17
Treat Republicans the way Republicans treated Democrats when Republicans were in power: "We don't care what you think on this policy. We will do what we want"
And I also happen to agree but I can read the news on yahoo or msn. I want to hear YOUR opinion.
But they were wrong.
Being bull-headed and closed minded is not a sign of strength, as the Bush Criminal Cartel and their blind followers (who tried too late to disavow them) seemed to think. Rather it is a sign of weakness.
True strength is knowing that you can listen and consider and even compromise without giving up your cherished principles or waffling or capitulating. You can take risks because you have the confidence in your ability to win.
Obama knows he is smarter than these fools, and once again he has proven it.
Sort of like the "Energy Plan" of a few years back? Let's be clear - I agree with him. The problem is that Democrats weren't even invited to the table, but Republicans HAVE been. Unfortunately, Republican leadership, its lying denial notwithstanding, has dropped wholesale "take-it-or-leave-it" change that amounted to bill substitution into the process. When "their" version is rejected, they claim non-involvement. This is embarrassingly classic.
Obama's got 'em this time, though. Reconciliation won't allow them to veto true healthcare reform, as they've tried to do with other important legislation to date. Their lack of votes doesn't mean no bipartisanship has been tried, and it's time the American public knew it.
For six years, the Republicans said publicly that there was no way the Democrats were going to be a part of ANY legislation. They were neither needed nor wanted. Now, they're claiming the same in reverse, but, in truth, they're doing this to themselves and crying, "He hit me!"
For the record... I want to see the Healthcare revolution first!
This is what I intended: I want to share this article, and since it is free on the internet, I don't feel that I am cheating since it is obvious that I do not claim to have written the article but gave credit.
It is a crime to steal someone's work and not pay them what they are entitled to. I don't see that this writer lost deserved money and his name was "advertised" and his ideas spread.
I certainly do not mean to do anything wrong.
I am confused and puzzled.
Seems to me that statement , in Leo's own words, tells me this article is something he has positive feelings about. He thinks it is worth sharing with those that might have missed it and opens up an opportunity for others to add their views. He included links to the original article that the author published and even a link to a forthcoming book he wrote.
I appreciate being directed towards articles I might have missed.............and Ryan Grim might possibly sell a few books from this exposure.