Cantor On The Summit: We’ll Be There!
It’s on! Eric Cantor, on Fox News just now, made it official: Count Republicans in.
Cantor had written a letter with John Boehner yesterday to the White House, apparently laying down some preconditions for attending the White House’s health care summit. But on Fox, Cantor said Republicans would “absolutely” be showing up:
As Think Progress notes, the Boehner/Cantor letter had attracted some derision from conservatives, with at least one warning that it would be “politically dangerous” not to attend. But the GOP leadership’s letter did leave plenty of wiggle room, saying only that Republicans would be “reluctant to participate” if Dems didn’t scrap their health plan.
The fact is that it was never a realistic possibility that Republicans would pull out. As I noted below, some Republicans privately acknowledge that refusing to attend would only play into the White House’s hands. It would make the story all about GOP intransigence, rather than about Obama’s course correction.
At any rate, it’s definitely on.
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Obama: “Checkmate”
I can picture it now.
Cantor: Mr. President, your plan is just a Govn’t takeover of our healthcare system.
Obama: How so?
Cantor: Well,(looks at palm), because its socialism, prohibits freedom, and violates the 10th Amendment. Oh, and it’s all about jobs, its a job killer Mr. President.
Obama is probably right now hitting the heavy bag in the WH basement, getting prepared to go crazy on the first Republican who provokes him.
Come on Barack, you gotta get that rep back. Enough Mr. Nice Guy. Say it to yourself: “They call me MR. TIBBS!”
Or, to rephrase: as I often ask myself: What Would Sidney Poitier Do?
BG – LOL!
And I thought it was Samuel L Jackson you asked yourself about…
Knowing Obama, he’ll kick their *** while being the nice guy. “Now look guys [love when he says that], you know that isn’t true because… [see example of line by line costs for last 10 years of deficit spending during question time, on the fly]“
Good follow-up work, Greg.
And isn’t Cantor doing a little bit of the flip-flop here? Yesterday they were reluctant to attend if certain conditions weren’t meant. Today the WH essentially said “Go to hell with your conditions”, and this afternoon Cantor says “We’re absolutely going”? Hmmmm.
mikefromArlington – Sarah’s iPalm made it into the BBC world news headlines.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8505701.stm
@Greg
I missed the press briefing when Pres. Obama took questions. Any chance you can get your hands on the video?
@Tena
“Sarah’s iPalm made it into the BBC world news headlines.”
It’s dissapointing, because outsiders looking in on our political process likely see the multitude of coverage Palin gets, but doesn’t understand how big of a joke most of us think she is.
CT, I agree on both points. Great work Greg and Cantor was totally, visibly, publicly ROLLED. Suh-weet.
A new Washington Post/ABC News poll finds that nearly six in 10 Americans say the Republicans aren’t doing enough to forge compromise with President Obama on important issues; more than four in 10 see Obama as doing too little to get GOP support.
In addition, nearly two-thirds of Americans say they want Congress to keep working to pass comprehensive health-care reform.
http://politicalwire.com/archives/2010/02/09/most_see_republicans_as_unwilling_to_compromise.html
~66% want to pass comprehensive HCR. Sez it all.
“It’s dissapointing, because outsiders looking in on our political process likely see the multitude of coverage Palin gets, but doesn’t understand how big of a joke most of us think she is.”
You know, if you read it you find it’s about her hypocrisy and the fact that it’s her critics here who have made it the story there.
Don’t underestimate the sophistication of Europeans – they can tell the difference between the people and the politicians – theirs aren’t any prizes, either.
Ethan – Yes, a majority wants what the obnoxious minority around here keeps telling us they don’t want.
Kind of like they don’t want the president a nice fat popular majority elected.
Ethan, as I mentioned on this morning’s Plum, via Ezra: the Prez doesn’t need to be completely bipartisan, he just needs to be more bipartisan than the GOP. If he keeps that, he can afford to show them up for obstructing the things that are polling so well.
ruk:
My response from this morning:
http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/terrorism/the-morning-plum-66/comment-page-3/#comment-177932
But Ethan, everyone knows that everyone hates the bill. I’ve been told, over and over by those who will remain unnamed that everyone hates this.
Facts really are stupid things, aren’t they?
Just like Bilge and Baby Hugo (wait that’s redundant) are down on the lower thread claiming Obama hasn’t cut spending, even in the face of evidence that says O yes he has.
You can’t argue with trolls – they will say ANYTHING. And I’m just as guilty of feeding them as anyone else.
Obama pushed the Republicans into a corner, because he knew the media would leap at the idea of an open HCR conference and wouldn’t let the Republicans off the hook.
Obama and the facts can win in the conference, but we need to prepare against any outside battles waged by the corporate-organized teabaggers. HCR supporters need to become visual in our support and stop allowing the teabaggers’ voice to dominate in media coverage.
“HCR supporters need to become visual in our support and stop allowing the teabaggers’ voice to dominate in media coverage.”
Aren’t there some marches planned? lmsinca was talking about that the other day.
CT I hear ya. I’m starting to hate the bill too. Because I base all of my opinions on anonymous posts on blogs. And besides, if EVERYONE hates it…
Who is televising it?
http://www.c-span.org
?
It will be interesting to see who signs up to attend as well.
Back to health care reform.
Spread the word; Keep on repeating this, day and night.
All We Are Asking For Is A Straight Up Or Down Vote. The American People Deserve That.
Raise up your voices. Let me hear you: What do we want?
All We Are Asking For Is A Straight Up Or Down Vote. The American People Deserve That.
Shout it from the rooftops. Let me hear you.
All We Are Asking For Is A Straight Up Or Down Vote. The American People Deserve That.
It’s a serious mistake to oversell a future victory.
Do NOT underestimate the Republicans.
Expect the Republicans to “bring their A Game” and don’t oversell what the Dems can do in this.
Tena
There are big rallies next week on the 17th. We’re working the phone banks right now, this week. Anyone interested go to healthcareforamericanow.org for info.
BG and Bernie thanks for the links on the previous thread, both were really informative. As always, we know who our enemies are but sometimes our friends are a little more difficult to define.
“Expect the Republicans to “bring their A Game” and don’t oversell what the Dems can do in this.”
I agree.
Tena – We need to push for pro-reform rallies to be held during the conference.
The Republicans will undoubtedly try to use loud, corporate-organized protests to drown out the logic and facts presented in the conference. Faux News is probably already on it.
Debra – basically I think any shows of support are a good thing.
I don’t
Sh*t – I don’t quite know how to push for rallies.
Thanks for the update lmsinca, keep us posted.
I think those in Washington don’t understand the anger out here. I see it in the Midwest. People pissed and ready to vote against every incumbent regardless of political stripes. They want Congress and Washington DC scared- they want to send a message. They will vote for Indy candidates wherever possible. The only alternative is to get something done in Washington DC that helps average working people and prove them wrong. Fat chance, I think.
Rallies are great, but I suggest that people start flooding the phone lines and emails of all Senators to demand;
A Straight Up Or Down Vote On Health care. The American People deserve it.
Urge all your friends to flood the Senate offices with demands for A Straight Up And Down Vote Now.
One day rallies are forgotten by the next day. Out of sight, out of mind.
Fire up The Fierce Urgency Of Now. Flood them with calls, day after day. Hit the Blue Dogs, and the likes of Collins, Snowe, Brown, and Voinovich really hard, day after day.
Apply constant vocal pressure.
All We Are Asking For Is A Straight Up Or Down Vote Now.
Tena:
“ust like Bilge and Baby Hugo (wait that’s redundant) are down on the lower thread claiming Obama hasn’t cut spending, even in the face of evidence that says O yes he has.”
Laughable. He’s cut spending so much that he’s broken the budget deficit record and has “forced” the Congress to raise the nation’s debt ceiling.
Now here’s a graphic for YOU: Obama’s 2011 >3 trillion dollar Budget proposal.
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/02/01/us/budget.html
Sure looks a lot more green than red to me.
(And what’s with the Medical Services Spending “PAYGO”? An increase in funding of %167,200 over 2010!
Does Obama’s brothers-in-law work in that biz?)
Again, if progressive Dems are smart they’ll respond to every request by Republicans to “start over” as an opportunity to demand MEDICARE FOR ALL or a robust Public Option.
“Start over”?-: Remove the toxic Corporate mandate, remove the regressive taxes, remove the restrictions on women’s freedoms!
There are a long string of right wing proposals that have been adopted in this
sausagelegislation and a long, long string of left-wing proposals that have been repeatedly rejected.A “serious” “start over” would put MEDICARE FOR ALL or a robust Public Option back on the table.
Dems would be in a better negotiating position if that is repeatedly and LOUDLY highlighted.
Obamabots keep making the mistake of throwing punches to their left.
Obamabots need to WAKE UP to the fact that the progressives on their left (even ones they don’t like) are allies that give them stronger negotiating positions when face-to-face with the Republicans.
Of course, that assumes that Obamabot-Dems want to have strong negotiating positions against Republicans.
After watching the media coverage of the teabaggers convention, I think we need to admit that we can’t win this battle by just placing calls to Congress. We have to be heard in the media as well. We have been outflanked by the organization of the opposition.
They sure are obsessed with “pre-conditions”, aren’t they?
Obama: Bet
Cantorboner: Raise
Obama: Re-raise
Cantorboner: Hollywoods for three minutes before mucking deuce-seven offsuit.
josephcast – WHAT indy candidates?
People who vote cause they are mad invariably make a big mistake. They usually put some unknown “outsider” in office and that person can’t do dookie,
The Democrats have already helped working people, Josephcast. They increased the time people can draw unemployment, raised the minimum wage, the jobs that were in the stimulus bill put hundreds of people to work on the highway in New Mexico last summer and every one of those workers brought business to the surrounding towns.
The economy is not shedding jobs at the rate it did under the Republicans – Obama reversed the trend.
See, it’s this purblind attitude of some Progressives that get people like me, mad at the far left. And I don’t want to be mad – we are working for the same things. But if y’all will not see what Obama and the Democrats have done already you’re as bad as the rightwing trolls.
IT’s frakking beyond frustrating for anyone who is pragmatic. Caught in a squeeze between two groups of ideologues who want to argue over ideas instead of getting what can get done done.
Now I’m in for it = but I’m honestly beyond weary with trying to get people on the left to see facts they don’t acknowledge at the same time I’m trying to get people on the right to see facts THEY won’t acknowledge.
Debra, agreed. Ethan has been saying this here for months: gotta score on the message front. Time to throw out our elbows and stop playing nice.
Steve, good analogy: GOP loves to play with other people’s money….badly!
This is quite a premature celebration party.
Republicans have called Obama’s bluff. We’ll see whether they have the courage to see it through, and are able take him on effectively in that arena. He is willing to and regularly does say anything and everything, regardless of the truth, and they can’t let him get away with it.
They should not allow him to dictate ground rules and should insist upon the ones they already outlined, which he cannot reject in good faith and without looking like this is a sham. He isn’t king, after all, and has not greater standing they they do. In fact, liberals have been telling us for some years now that the President is supposed to be subject to Congress.
GOP loves to play with other people’s money….badly!
Irony award for the week.
Dems like to play with other people’s money for real, not just by analogy.
News Ref:
Do you not see how your casual use of the extremely derisive term “Obamabots” evinces how you, and your friends on the left share at least some of the responsibility for any punching that’s been going on? It is at least as offensive as the Repulbican use of “Democrat” rather than “Democratic,” and indeed more so because it’s personal, implying, as it does complete mindlessness.
Is it that your punching somehow more rightous than ours such that any punching back is wrong? Or are you just aching to get into an endless and ultimately futile pissing match about who started punching first? Or could it simply be that you’re incapble of seeing that you have, in fact, been punching? Unwilling even to consider the possibility that, justified or not, rightous or not, the left’s unrelenting attacks on Obama, attacks which began before he was even sworn in, have had consequences in terms of the public’s perception which are ultimately going to do harm to their own agenda?
When a Republican is president, what the public hears:
From the Right: “the president is great!”
From the Left: “the president sucks!”
When a Democrat is president, they hear this:
From the right: “the president sucks!”
From the left: “the president sucks!”
Then, when we the public, hearing about how bad the Democratic president sucks from both sides, hands us our asses in the next midterms, turning the entire country sharply right, does the left take any responsibility for creating the atmosphere that caused the reversals? Noooooo! It’s all the president’s fault for not doing exactly what they wanted, when they wanted, how they wanted, and “forcing” them to scream about how bad he sucked.
When you guys start accepting responsibility for the actual, real-world consequences of your incessent, and, yes, reflexive dissent, when you say, “yeah, we realized that could happen, but we were willing to pay that price to get our message out,” this Obamabot, will stop punching back.
Tena:
“People who vote cause they are mad invariably make a big mistake. They usually put some unknown “outsider” in office and that person can’t do dookie,”
No…REALLY?
Thanks for another chuckle.
blah, blah, blah – NOBODY reads this stuff
Heh, I really don’t think it is going to make much of a difference whether or not the Republicans show up. Do you actually think this little stunt is going to do much to change opinion? You really overestimate the number of people who will actually tune into this little photo op.
At any rate, it’s definitely on.
Don’t say that until they show. They always seem to be able to find some way to avoid taking responsibility for their words and actions, and although I hope that things are different this time, I need to see them show up first.
‘IF’ Obama wants to get anything ‘passed’, he now needs to have Bi-Partisanship .. and quit playing his GAMES… Obama knows that American’s do not want this ‘Government Takeover’ of Healthcare .. so why is he insisting that he isn’t going to ‘Start Over’?? It’s because he’s ‘hell-bent’ that he’s RIGHT, and Americans are STUPID!! The ‘Party of No’, who are really the ‘Party of KNOW’.. The Repubs KNOW that Obama just wants to show America that he’s bi-partisan, rarely!! It’s just another ‘photo-op’ and of course he’ll be the ‘moderator’ of this meeting, with no patience for the Republicans … Watch & see, he’ll try to convince Americans for the 201st time that his ’socialist’ plan is best for America .. and to just DISMISS what the American people WANT… Do Not ‘misjudge’ the Republicans, they will come ‘armed’ with all the facts and make Obama look like the blathering ‘idiot’ he is …