Eyeing midterms, Democrats to push Republicans to go on record against key bills
By Scott Wilson
WashPost
Saturday, February 13, 2010
President Obama has reached out to Republicans in recent weeks, acknowledging that he needs bipartisan support to effectively govern the country. But the White House and congressional Democrats are also hedging their bets with a plan to make a campaign issue of what they say is Republican intransigence.
The emerging strategy seeks to take advantage of the partisan stalemate in Congress over Obama's nominees and major policy initiatives, and to turn the page on a year when the White House failed to secure passage of complicated health-care and energy legislation.
The idea is to make Republicans either vote for a series of more modest bills identified as popular with the public or explain to constituents this fall why they opposed them.
The decision by Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) to offer a pared-down jobs-creation bill and dare the GOP to oppose it is the most visible sign of the plan so far. White House officials and congressional staff members say it will be followed in coming weeks by a House vote to lift the antitrust exemption for insurance companies, measures to assist small businesses and extend unemployment benefits, and a proposal to levy fees on Wall Street banks that received bailout money.
(More here.)
WashPost
Saturday, February 13, 2010
President Obama has reached out to Republicans in recent weeks, acknowledging that he needs bipartisan support to effectively govern the country. But the White House and congressional Democrats are also hedging their bets with a plan to make a campaign issue of what they say is Republican intransigence.
The emerging strategy seeks to take advantage of the partisan stalemate in Congress over Obama's nominees and major policy initiatives, and to turn the page on a year when the White House failed to secure passage of complicated health-care and energy legislation.
The idea is to make Republicans either vote for a series of more modest bills identified as popular with the public or explain to constituents this fall why they opposed them.
The decision by Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) to offer a pared-down jobs-creation bill and dare the GOP to oppose it is the most visible sign of the plan so far. White House officials and congressional staff members say it will be followed in coming weeks by a House vote to lift the antitrust exemption for insurance companies, measures to assist small businesses and extend unemployment benefits, and a proposal to levy fees on Wall Street banks that received bailout money.
(More here.)
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1 Comments:
The one bill that I am watching is the Health Insurance Industry Fair Competition Act. If enacted, the health and medical malpractice insurance companies would lose an antitrust exemption they've enjoyed since 1945 allowing people to buy insurance across state lines. The bill is authored by two Democrats and is a simple, clean bill – no carve-outs or special deals. It was scheduled for a vote last week until the snowstorm shut down the House.
It’s the type of legislation that the Republicans have been hammering for … now will they vote for it ? Guess who’s against it … yep, the insurance industry.
BTW, why is it that sports that fans clamor to “fire the manager” yet where is the outrage calling for Harry Reid to be removed as Majority Leader. It’s time.
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