House GOPers demand Dems disavow healthcare deal ahead of summit

[jefferson_dem]

House GOPers demand Dems disavow healthcare deal ahead of summit
By Jeffrey Young - 02/12/10 03:18 PM ET

House Republicans are demanding Democratic leaders disavow a deal in the works on healthcare ahead of a bipartisan summit.

GOP leaders sent a letter Friday seeking assurances from Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) after hearing reports that they are negotiating behind the scenes a package that would pass both chambers with only Democratic support.

The bipartisan summit is scheduled for Feb. 25.

"To ensure we can move forward in good faith, we ask that you publicly disavow these reports and assure the American people that Democratic leadership is not putting together any kind of backroom deal or plotting any kind of legislative trickery to pass it," wrote Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) and Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence (Ind.). "Your response will help clarify whether Democratic leadership is serious about genuine bipartisan negotiations and whether the proposed summit will be a truly open forum or merely an intramural exercise."

President Barack Obama announced his plan to invite Republican leaders to a televised summit during an interview aired on CBS before the Super Bowl on Feb. 7. Republicans accepted Obama's invitation but have expressed deep skepticism of his intentions to consider Republican ideas on healthcare.

Obama has responded by asserting he plans to encourage both sides to air out their ideas.

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http://thehill.com/homenews/house/80939-gop-demands-democrats-disavow-healthcare-deal-ahead-of-summit

[Vinca]

1. The Republicans are terrified at the idea of having a live broadcast

which might let the American people know how hateful and self-centered they are.

[Pirate Smile]

2. The President said for those Jackasses to post their plan for everyone to see before the summit.

They clearly don't want to do that but the Dems are going to so they can just go #$%^ off.

Here is the invite the White House just sent out:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/rss_viewer/2010blairhouse_letter.pdf

[Jackpine Radical]

3. I don't even know what to say.

What kind of club do the Republicans think they have, anyway, to be making demands?

I have no idea why the Dems don't just go ahead, "welcome their hatred," and do what's right for America without them.

[jefferson_dem]

4. Unbelievable. Guess they had to tailor their arrogance to fit their assholery.

n/t

[Jackpine Radical]

5. I guess I'm more pissed at the Dems than the Repubs.

Being mad at a Republican for general assholery is like being mad at a snake for being a snake.

Why can't MY side for once just kick 'em in the gonads & step over them to do what needs to be done?

[Make7]

6. Dem leaders: "We continue to explore every option to get comprehensive HCR for the American people."

"We certainly hope that Republicans have the same goal: doing what is best for the citizens they were elected to represent. We look forward to discussing the ideas from both sides on the 25th and working together to develop a practical solution. In the unlikely event that a compromise cannot be reached, we feel it is our duty as the representatives of the American people to determine a way to move forward with reform of Health Care that everyone, citizens and representatives, agrees is vitally important for our country and its people. It would be irresponsible for us, as the majority party, to not explore all contingencies in our efforts to succeed in getting a bill passed and on the President's desk."

"Also, fuck you Boehner."


Why couldn't they just say that?
 

[Rosa Luxemburg]

7. Dems can do without the GOP so what's stopping us?

[Clio the Leo]

8. Which means the Dems are planning to unveil a deal before the summit. NT

[zbdent]

9. "To ensure we can move forward in good faith" ...

and where is the evidence that you GOPers ever "moved forward in good faith", when it came to working with Obama?