John Kyl (R-AZ) Calls Bipartisan Health Care Summit 'Pointless'

[Amerigo Vespucci]

John Kyl Calls Bipartisan Health Care Summit 'Pointless'

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/14/john-kyl-calls-bipartisan_n_461865.html

Sam Stein

Posted: 02-14-10 11:50 AM



A top Senate Republican said on Sunday that it appeared the upcoming bipartisan health care summit with the White House would be "pointless" since Democrats could ultimately pass legislation using reconciliation.

Appearing on CNN's "State of the Union," Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) described it as a near certainty that congressional Democrats would use budget-related parliamentary maneuvers to get health care amendments passed into law via an up-or-down vote. This, he said, would be the "nuclear option" -- causing paralyzing strife in the Senate and rendering useless a bipartisan health care summit -- scheduled for February 25.

"They have devised a process by which they can jam the bill through that the president supported in the past throughout the Republican ideas in it," Kyl said. "And chief health care adviser... said that 'there is a trick, but I think we will get it done.' Well there is a trick. Reconciliation is not the process for comprehensive bills like this. It's sort of to balance the budget. It would be what some -- some call it the nuclear option -- to proceed that way. I don't know why we would be having a bipartisan summit down at the White House if they have already decided on the other process by which they are going to jam the bill through that passed the Senate on Christmas Eve."

The Arizona Republican lamented the fact that the "Democrats have already decided on the so-called nuclear option" -- the reconciliation process.

"If that's the case," he said, "then obviously it's pointless to talk because they made up their mind and they will ram it through whether we like it or whether the American people like it."

[panader0]

1. Once again I am ashamed of the politicians in my state.

Edit to say: except for Raoul Castro.

[Turbineguy]

2. He's right.

It is pointless. The repubs will not go along with anything the Democrats want. No matter what. If the Democrats said "fine, you guys write the bill and we'll vote to approve it" they would still filibuster and vote against it.

[msongs]

5. lol some dems will NEVER learn that no matter how much they beg and crawl nt

[TwilightGardener]

3. Poor widdle pants-wetter. Dems won't totally roll over and scuttle all of their efforts to date,

so it's "pointless" to participate.

[mdmc]

4. pointless indeed

time for the dems to do something for real..

[O is 44]

6. I don't believe it is pointless...

He is making them present an actual plan to back up their talking points. Kyl knows this cannot be done. I think Obama wants to get this on public record then I hope he and Dems will move full speed ahead. This meeting just may provide cover for reconciliation. I can only hope.

[Andy823]

9. I agree.

The republicans have nothing to put out, and that is going to make them look pretty bad. They know what happened the last time the president took them on at their retreat, and they don't want that to happen, so they are trying to make excuses! If they use this old line that it "won't matter" because no matter what the democrats won't listen to them, they hope they can do some damage control "before" the meeting!

I agree with you, get all this on the public record, show the public the republicans are just playing games and have no plans at all to work with the president, and then do whatever it takes to get reform passed!

[abbeyco]

7. I call Jon Kyl pointless

he's just echoing the words of man-tan Boehner about the summit and getting the professional victim playbook all ready.

Have you noticed that once the top level victims say something, all the rest of the soldiers parrot their garbage, ad nauseum, hoping that repetition will make it somehow truthful.

All these fugs are just pitiful.

[spanone]

8. good, stay home mr kyl, let the President frame your debate...that will be wonderful

[Bitwit1234]

10. Of course because first

it is going to show them up as obstructionist. And second unless the bill is changed to read exactly like they want it to, they AIN'T gonna give it any life.