The White House Bipartisan Healtcare Meeting | An Independent Voters View
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Bipartisan Health Reform Meeting
As a community Service I have accepted the invitation from the White House to share the live Video Feed of the Bipartisan Healthcare Reform Meeting on my Blog Hammerjammer U.com. It will begin at 10:00 Am EST on 25 February 2010. I also included the link to the White House site that outlines the basic proposal and I encourage you to spend the time to review The White House proposals and the Republican proposals as there are links included on the White house site as well.. I will post comments after the meeting, I encourage you to submit yours here or at my Blog as well. Thanks
Initial Commentary Pre Meeting-
My initial thoughts on this meeting are mixed, and even more so after reading the White House Proposals. While it does include the idea of insurance exchanges like the Federal Employees Health Benefit Plan, it does not include a national exchange or portability. There is not enough detail for the Congressional Budget Office to score it yet, (as of Tues 23 Feb).
It also still includes the insurance mandate, and proposes to close the Medicare Prescription Drug doughnut hole, without mentioning the costs to do so, or where the money will come from. Initial estimates I have read or heard so far indicate that it will add over 150 Billion to the costs initially and may as much as double them over a ten year period; taking it from 1 Trillion dollars as proposes to over 2 Trillion within 10 years.
Some of the initiatives are easily agreed upon and do really provide a place to start, such as no exclusions for pre-existing conditions, and medical record technology improvements. But there is only minor lip service played to Malpractice Litigation reform.
So my conclusions at this point are that I think the Republicans may still have much to contribute if in fact this meeting is meant to be truly bipartisan. If instead it is meant to be a stall and/or a set up as some seem to think, than I think it will become transparent during the course of the meeting. There is plenty of room for improvement and with the OMB and CBO in attendance the truth of the matters may come to the fore. It is up to us to watch this unfold and let our reps know what we think, use the tools below and continue to make our democracy work!
- Live online The White House Bipartisan Healthcare Meeting HmrJmr1 Blog
The live Video Feed of the Bipartisan Healthcare Reform Meeting. It will begin at 10:00 Am EST on 25 February 2010. Also included are two of the White house links The Second link is a page that includes links to the Republican ideas from both the Hou - A Bipartisan Meeting on Health Reform | The White House
WhiteHouse.gov is the official web site for the White House and President Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States. This site is a source for information about the President, White House news and policies, White House history, and the fe
Attendees
The Invitees are included below the invitation also asked each of the four Congressional Leaders to bring four additional members of expertise or interest.
Bipartisan Health Reform Meeting
Blair House
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Members of Congress Invitation List:
Senator Harry Reid, D-NV, Majority Leader
Senator Mitch McConnell, R-KY, Republican Leader
Senator Richard Durbin, D-IL, Majority Whip
Senator Jon Kyl, R-AZ, Republican Whip
Senator Max Baucus, D-MT, Chairman of the Finance Committee
Senator Chuck Grassley, R-IA, Ranking Member of the Finance Committee
Senator Tom Harkin, D-IA, Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee
Senator Mike Enzi, R-WY, Ranking Member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee
Senator Christopher Dodd, D-CT, Member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee
Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-CA
Representative Steny Hoyer, D-MD, Majority Leader
Representative John Boehner, R-OH, Republican Leader
Representative James Clyburn, D-SC, Majority Whip
Representative Eric Cantor, R-VA, Republican Whip
Representative Charles Rangel, D-NY, Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee
Representative Dave Camp, R-MI, Ranking Member of the Ways and Means Committee
Representative Henry Waxman, D-CA, Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee
Representative Joe Barton, R-TX, Ranking Member of the Energy and Commerce Committee
Representative George Miller, D-CA, Chairman of the Education and Labor Committee
Representative John Kline, R-MN, Ranking Member of the Education and Labor Committee
Representative John Dingell, D-MI, Chair Emeritus of the Energy and Commerce Committee
CommentsLoading...
Excellent summation of things up to this point. I am one of those who is suspicious of this sudden attempt at bi-partisanship. I suppose all our questions will be answered shortly. This legislation is so expensive, that it may be the final push Obama needs to bring us down. Where will this money come from? From people who are already struggling, that's where. Punishing businesses that can't afford insurance is horrifying. There are solutions, but finding them will take time and we have the time to do it right!
SimeyC - That's why we have to watch, if it turns in to what you say then we know what to do in November don't we? Thanks for Commenting my friend!
POP - Much Thanks we watch and wait to see how it goes...appreciate all you're doing in this arena as well. JHE
As stated above a good summation as well as it boils down to a point scoring for elections to come. If all the time spent on arguing about it was in fact spent as a bipartisan effort for a solution we would probably have moved a couple of mountains, I'll wait and see how it plays out on the 25th.
50 cal - Thanks for stopping by my friend hope I've made it easier for ya to do so, We need more like ya!
Hmrjmr1, I'm sure it will be another dog and pony show.
Good reason to see who turns out to be the dog and who is the pony eh?
Hmrjmr1,
I just published a disturbing hub about President Obama having OCD over health care.
Despite the potential horror show, I see this as a great opportunity.
All the best, Hmrjmr!
Tom- Could Be but we'll see more and clearer on Thursday I think!
Lorlie - Let's hope it turns out that way! (opportunity)
Thanks Tom and Lorlie!
Hmrjmr, I don't expect anything good to happen but I appreciate your summary and at least we are better informed. Good hub.
The health care is so out of line. The republicans need to stay away from it. It is a political agenda to try to trap the republicans. They need to take the no stance. We the people have spoke, and we said NO!
Keep on hubbing!
Pam - Keep your expectations low and look for those who fail to meet them. Thanks for stopping by!
eovery - Repubs (and for that matter everyone else)know whats going down, so it will be interesting to see how they handle it. Thanks for stopping by!
Hey I am definitely going to watch tomorrow. I am really interested in what they have to say. I think it's really fantastic that you were invited to do this. Great hub.
Tammy - Thanks for stopping by! Watch and learn, see who is looking out for our interests or trying to score points we know the difference!
I see you have your corporate sponsors at the top; you know, those crooks who deny health coverage and jack up the premiums just because they can. Their CEOs take home millions they make by throwing people off of their insurance, denying life-saving procedures, and keeping only healthy people on their rolls. They and you who defend them are true sociopaths. I'm with Anthony Weiner; you conservos and GOPs are bought and paid for by the murderous health care corporations. Obama should have treated you like Bush did the Dems: ignore you. You want biparatisanship? Not really. You are not the majority who gets to dictate policy like you did for 8 long miserable years. It's a trap, alright. If you dare show up, people will see what a bunch of hypocrits you all are. You would throw your own mother's under the bus. Republican answer to the medical problems of this nation: dump the old people off of Social Security and Medicare and privatize their health care to the same crooks who already sucked up their pensions, despite the fact they have paid their working careers into the program (as have their employers, and despite the fact that they pay premiums. You people are shameless and disgusting.
chasingcars
Where are you getting your facts and information? Do you really live in the real world?
If you understood what is going on you would know that it's our government who dropped the ball and is the problem.
When the Dem's took over congress in Jan of 2007, unemployment was 4.6 % and senator Obama was a member of congress.Check out his voting record in the 180 days that he was in congress.Bush served 8 years but note the last 2 years is when our economy went in the dumps when the other party was in control. Think about it,were you better off in 2006 than you are today? Please take some time and get the truth instead of QUOTING the democratic talking points.
Chasingcars - Once again the far left has got it wrong and you reduce yourself to name calling as the facts are not on your side. First of all I don;t control the ads at the top being a Hub member you should know that.
Second - as all spending must be initiated and approved by Congress you should be well aware of the Items mentioned by Jon above.Further in that vein we have had a Democrat controlled congress for most of my lifetime. The spending of the Social Security Trust fund to fund current items, began in the seventies under a Congress controlled by Tip Oniel (D) Mass. Was saved by President Reagan when he signed off on increases of the Social Sec and Medicare taxes in the early 80's. And the last time things were in balance where under a Dem President Clinton and Repub Congress Gingrich. Why? Because even with many and large differences they found ways to work together to get things done.
Medicare is in trouble and at risk under the current proposed legislation, as much of the projected funding for it are based on reducing services and payments under the Medicare system. Don't see how that is going to help. Also the current proposals keep the anti trust exception intact for the health insurers which I find offensive. Part of the reason insurance companies do what they do is because they do not have to fairly compete in the market place and will have to do even less so under the dem proposals.
And while Independents are not in the majority, we are the largest voting block at 42% vs Dems 36% (and falling) and repubs 22%.
What I find shameless and disgusting is the obvious fact that you have read neither of the proposals and yet feel competent to comment here. When you know nothing of either of the proposals or me, or my mother.
Jon - Thank you for stopping by and commenting hope you take the time to watch Thursday!
Hmrjmr1
I watched ( on C-Span and Fox ) the first 3 hours and the last 1 hour of the 6 hour summit.Later on tonight I switched back and forth from Fox to CNN to get a prospective on how the cable news media commented on the summit.
The democrats commented for 4 hours (including Obama )and the republicans commented for 2 hours.I didn't think that Obama was fair in the time allotted to both sides,in addition he always got the final word on a subject.
It was evident that Obama didn't have an in depth knowledge of what's in the proposed bill.The democrats and Obama can't say now that the republicans have nothing to offer in finding a solution to health care reform.
Reconciliation is not a solution,should Obama and the democrats try to use reconciliation there will be an uprising.
The arrogance of the president and the democrat leadership will surely come to a head.The people will not tolerate the attacks on the constitution,enough is enough.
Without jobs there will be more people dropping off the insurance rolls which will force insurance companies to raise premiums in order to stay in business.The politicians don't understand the problems that unemployment is making the problem worst. For those buying insurance.
unemployment has a relation to rising insurance premiums, apparently congress has not recognized that fact.
A solution is that we need jobs in the private sector rather than what Obama is doing in the public sector.
jobs jobs jobs they don't get it !
Jon
Thanks for the comment I followed it as well and it seemed that every time the Repubs were about to sound productive they went into bullet point mode.
Dems never got that close.
Lot of talk no trousers...on both sides.
And the polls indicate the public wants them to start over get it right and do it together.
They pass this with reconciliation the public is not gonna forget.
A pox on them both for not using this chance to actually get some work done on it.
Keep Vigilant!!
Hmrjmri, I also watched the whole thing with a barf bag and a crying towel. What a circus and a waste of time. I was surprised to see Rangel there, shouldn't he be in jail or something?
jiberish - Concur what a waste!
I watched my paint dry it was far more interesting. I agree - waste of time - not sure if anyone is actually interested in bi-partisan results, or if it's just a game to gain political points - I watched a Republican spend 15 minutes explaining about how Joe Bloggs 900 yeears ago did that and this - same from the Dems.
Surely they could have got rid of the actual rhetoric bull crap and actually discussed Healthcare - out of six hours - probably 3 hours was spent quoting some one or another - obviously these past attempts didn't work so why are we still talking about them!
Take it out of the hands of politicians - get some experts on healthcare from all over the country to give us a solution...yeah right!
Simey Thanks for stopping by. Yep set your expectations low and they will still fail to meet them!
I'm obviously late in reading this, but I think you are right in reading into the former affairs that there was much on the table by the republicans that was simply being ignored. Not to mention the voice of the American people as well.
But here we are.
Springboard - Thanks for stopping by, Lets hope the Supreme Court sees it our way on the Bills Constitutionality.
Great points, I do wish there was true transparency on the Health bill. I'm not happy with all the waste of tax payer money and the increasing national debt. Thanks.
TFT - There were many ways this could have been better especially in controlling costs, we'll have to see how it rolls out now but it isn't looking good from that perspective..Thanks for stopping by!
SimeyC Level 5 Commenter 23 months ago
The only problem I see is that there really isn't any chance of bi-partisanship - both sides have their own political agendas, and I simply don't see a way where the politics will be put aside to produce a decent bill - both sides simply want to score political points so they can get into the white house next time...