On Public Option, It’s Up to Obama
19 October 2009 8:45 am by Taylor Marsh
–updated–
Senate Republicans, acknowledging they lack the votes to block a health care reform bill outright, have implemented a comprehensive political strategy to delay, define and derail. … – Roll Call
And it always has been. After all, he’s got a majority in Congress and the presidency. You can’t get more power at your disposal than that.
Yesterday, before the White House had the chance to send their people to the Sunday shows to dismiss the public option and its importance, I was purposefully pitching it on Washington Journal, saying simply that if Pres. Obama wants it all he has to do is have Harry Reid put it in the final bill. That he’s decided to abdicate his leadership role is becoming apparent:
Late last night the New York Times filed the report saying Obama’s decided to side with insurance companies over what a majority of the American people want.
The White House will not commit to health care legislation that would cap insurance premiums or tax benefits, taking a wait-and-see approach as congressional negotiators seek a deal, advisers said Sunday.
President Barack Obama will not demand that a final bill include a government-run plan as a way of driving down costs through competition, though that’s his preference, they said. …
Well, at least Republicans will be happy. Mr. Obama’s ode to bipartisanship, no doubt.
”It’s not the defining piece of health care. It’s whether we achieve both cost control, coverage, as well as the choice,” Emanuel said. – Adviser: Obama Awaiting Finished Health Care Bill
As I’ve been saying and writing since the primaries, Barack Obama is not an ideologue, so he never had any intention of fighting for policy principles from the Democratic standpoint that we have the answers on how government should run to the benefit of the people. He is a consensus builder, taking ideas from both sides and crafting compromises. The President of Cool simply prefers kumbaya.
The problem is that when you’ve been given a majority it’s your job to lead, not cut deals when you don’t have to because you’re afraid of putting down your marker. But then again, when you don’t have an ideological core, compromise also becomes the easier and sometimes is the only guide.
