Morning Open Thread

Good morning.

President Barack Obama talks with California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger before an event at Solyndra, Inc., in Fremont, Calif., May 26, 2010. Photo by Pete Souza.

 

 

Good morning.

President Barack Obama meets with Prime Minister Saad Hariri of Lebanon, in the Oval Office, May 24, 2010. Photo by Pete Souza.

 

Good morning.

President Barack Obama signs H.R. 4691, Temporary Extension Act of 2010, in his private office in the residence of the White House, March 2, 2010. Photo by Pete Souza

"A final vote on health reform"

Shortly after delivering his remarks on health reform, President Obama sent the following email to Organizing for America supporters:

Last Thursday's first-of-its-kind summit capped off a debate that has lasted nearly a year. Every idea has now been put on the table. Every argument has been made. Both parties agree that the status quo is unacceptable and gets more dire each day. Today, I want to state as clearly and forcefully as I know how: Now is the time to make a decision about the future of health care in America.

The final proposal I've put forward draws on the best ideas from all sides, including several put forward by Republicans at last week's summit. It will put Americans in charge of their own health care, ensuring that neither government nor insurance company bureaucrats can ration, deny, or put out of financial reach the care our families need and deserve. I strongly believe that Congress now owes the American people a final vote on health care reform. Reform has already passed the House with bipartisan support and the Senate with a super-majority of sixty votes. Now it deserves the same kind of up-or-down vote that has been routinely used and has passed such landmark measures as welfare reform and both Bush tax cuts.

Earlier today, I asked leaders in both houses of Congress to finish their work and schedule a vote in the next few weeks. From now until then, I will do everything in my power to make the case for reform. And now, I'm asking you, the members of the Organizing for America community, to raise your voice and do the same.

The final march for reform has begun, and your participation is crucial. Please commit to join with me to take reform across the finish line.

Essentially, my proposal would change three things about the current health care system:

First, it would protect all Americans from the worst practices of insurance companies. Never again will the mother with breast cancer have her coverage revoked, see her premiums arbitrarily raised, or be forced to live in fear that a pre-existing condition will bar her from future coverage.

Second, my proposal would give individuals and small businesses the same choice of private health insurance that members of Congress get for themselves. And my proposal says that if you still can't afford the insurance in this new marketplace, we will offer you tax credits based on your income -- tax credits that add up to the largest middle class tax cut for health care in history.

Finally, my proposal would bring down the cost of health care for everyone -- families, businesses, and the federal government -- and bring down our deficit by as much as $1 trillion over the next two decades. These savings mean businesses small and large will finally be freed up to create jobs and increase wages. With costs currently skyrocketing, reform is vital to remaining economically strong in the years and decades to come.

In the few crucial weeks ahead, you can help make sure this proposal becomes law. Please sign up to join the Organizing for America campaign in the final march for reform:

When I talked about change on the campaign, this is what I was talking about: coming together to solve a huge problem that has been troubling America for 100 years and standing up to the special interests to deliver a brighter, smarter future for generations to come.

I look forward to signing this historic reform into law. And when I do, it will be because your organizing played an essential role in making change possible.

Thank you,

President Barack Obama

President Obama: "Congress owes the American people a final vote on health care reform"

"I have therefore asked leaders in both of Houses of Congress to finish their work and schedule a vote in the next few weeks. From now until then, I will do everything in my power to make the case for reform. And I urge every American who wants this reform to make their voice heard as well." -- President Obama

After a nearly one year of debate, we are now down to the final push for health reform. In an announcement made just moments ago, President Obama presented his final plan, and called on Congress to move forward and schedule a vote on health insurance reform in the next few weeks.

The President outlined why we can't afford inaction on health reform:

Where both sides say they agree is that the status quo is not working for the American people. Health insurance is becoming more expensive by the day. Families can’t afford it. Businesses can’t afford it. The federal government can’t afford it. Smaller businesses and individuals who don’t get coverage at work are squeezed especially hard. And insurance companies freely ration health care based on who’s sick and who’s healthy; who can pay and who can’t.

Democrats and Republicans agree that this is a serious problem for America. And we agree that if we do nothing – if we throw up our hands and walk away – it’s a problem that will only grow worse. More Americans will lose their family’s health insurance if they switch jobs or lose their job. More small businesses will be forced to choose between health care and hiring. More insurance companies will deny people coverage who have preexisting conditions, or drop people’s coverage when they get sick and need it most. And the rising cost of Medicare and Medicaid will sink our government deeper and deeper into debt. On all of this we agree.

So the question is, what do we do about it?

President Obama then highlighted the three major changes under his proposal, which includes the best ideas from both parties:

First, it would end the worst practices of insurance companies. No longer would they be able to deny your coverage because of a pre-existing condition.

...Second, my proposal would give uninsured individuals and small business owners the same kind of choice of private health insurance that Members of Congress get for themselves. Because if it’s good enough for Members of Congress, it’s good enough for the people who pay their salaries.

...Finally, my proposal would bring down the cost of health care for millions – families, businesses, and the federal government. We have now incorporated most of the serious ideas from across the political spectrum about how to contain the rising cost of health care – ideas that go after the waste and abuse in our system, especially in programs like Medicare. But we do this while protecting Medicare benefits, and extending the financial stability of the program by nearly a decade.

After outlining different approaches and why we can't start over, the President called on Congress to schedule a vote shortly, and urged every American who wants this passed to get involved now:

No matter which approach you favor, I believe the United States Congress owes the American people a final vote on health care reform. We have debated this issue thoroughly, not just for a year, but for decades. Reform has already passed the House with a majority. It has already passed the Senate with a supermajority of sixty votes. And now it deserves the same kind of up-or-down vote that was cast on welfare reform, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, COBRA health coverage for the unemployed, and both Bush tax cuts – all of which had to pass Congress with nothing more than a simple majority.

I have therefore asked leaders in both of Houses of Congress to finish their work and schedule a vote in the next few weeks. From now until then, I will do everything in my power to make the case for reform. And I urge every American who wants this reform to make their voice heard as well – every family, every business owner, every patient, every doctor, every nurse.

The President closed by reaffirming his determination to solve this problem that has plagued our country for generations, and finally pass health insurance reform:

We can’t just give up because the politics are hard. I know there’s a fascination, bordering on obsession, in the media and in this town about what passing health insurance reform would mean for the next election and the one after that. Well, I’ll leave others to sift through the politics. Because that’s not what this is about.

...At stake right now is not just our ability to solve this problem, but our ability to solve any problem. The American people want to know if it’s still possible for Washington to look out for their interests and their future. They are waiting for us to act. They are waiting for us to lead. And as long as I hold this office, I intend to provide that leadership. I don’t know how this plays politically, but I know it’s right. And so I ask Congress to finish its work, and I look forward to signing this reform into law.

 

Watch Live This Afternoon: President Obama on Moving Forward with Health Reform

At 1:45 p.m. Eastern Time today, President Obama will present his final plan for health reform and call on Congress to move forward swiftly with a vote on health insurance reform legislation.

The President will speak about why reform is so crucial, and why a comprehensive approach to reform is necessary to truly reduce premiums and end discrimination against people with pre-existing conditions.

Stay tuned for more on the President's announcement throughout the day.

Morning Open Thread

Good morning.

President Barack Obama laughs during a meeting with, from left, Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Mona Sutphen, White House Counsel Bob Bauer, and Director of the Office of Health Reform Nancy-Ann DeParle in the Oval Office, Feb. 12, 2010. Photo by Pete Souza.

Are you represented by a Highway Hypocrite?

From DNC Executive Director Jen O'Malley Dillon:

Are you represented in Congress by a Highway Hypocrite?

Highway Hypocrites voted against the Recovery Act and spent the last year attacking it -- while praising it in letters requesting funds and press releases touting projects in their districts.

We've identified 118 Republican senators and representatives guilty of highway hypocrisy. But we know there are more.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office says the Recovery Act created as many as 3.9 million jobs. But Highway Hypocrites already knew the Recovery Act was putting Americans to work across the country, they were simply attacking it to score political points.

We've identified just over half of all Republicans in Congress as Highway Hypocrites -- but we're on a campaign to expose them all. So we've got one question for every Republican who voted against the Recovery Act: How much Recovery Act money have you requested for your district?

Find out where your representatives stand on the Recovery Act now. If you are represented by a Republican who voted against the Recovery Act, use our easy online tool to write them a letter asking how much money they have requested.

We're hoping to build pressure to make them come clean. After all, shouldn't Republican members of Congress be proud of fighting to create jobs in their districts?

Thanks,

Jen

Jen O'Malley Dillon
Executive Director
Democratic National Committee

Kaine to Republicans: I Dare You

Last night, DNC Chairman Tim Kaine appeared on The Rachel Maddow Show to talk about health reform, Republican obstruction, and the GOP’s chances in the November election. When asked by Maddow about a Republican claims that they would campaign on repealing health care reform once it passes, Kaine replied that he hoped Republicans would campaign on protecting insurance companies and their ability to discriminate against patients with pre-existing conditions, on re-imposing higher prescription drug costs on seniors and on kicking kids off their parent’s insurance at an earlier age.

Kaine dared the GOP to side with the special interests and insurance companies in opposing health insurance reform:

In the News: How Bunning's Obstruction is Hurting States Across the Country

Today, Republican Senator Jim Bunning again blocked a vote on legislation to extend unemployment benefits and COBRA health insurance coverage. As the day goes on, more information continues to come forward on how Bunning's obstruction is hurting Americans across the country:

Detroit News - Jobless benefits extension remains in deadlock

Jobless benefits suddenly ended for some laid-off workers, Medicare payments to doctors were delayed and 2,000 federal transportation workers were sent home Monday in a spending dispute tinged with election-year politics...

With the nation's highest unemployment rate at 14.6 percent in December, Michigan's jobless ranks far outstrip the nation, which has an average 9.7 percent jobless rate.

Liz Boyd, a spokeswoman for Gov. Jennifer Granholm, said about 135,000 unemployed workers in the state are expected to see their benefits expire in March.

The Hill - Empire State hit hardest by Bunning roadblock

New York State is the biggest loser if the Senate fails to renew unemployment benefits soon.

The Labor Department projects that 54,300 claimants in the empire state will lose their coverage if Congress fails to act on extending jobless benefits by Mar. 13.

Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) is demanding offsets for the $10 billion package that extends benefits before he removes his procedural roadblock from the bill. Roughly 4,300 unemployed workers in Bunning’s state are scheduled to lose coverage if the Senator does not release the bill.

If Emergency Unemployment Compensation and full federal funding for the Extended Benefit program are not extended, 400,000 Americans will lose unemployment benefits during the first weeks in March, according to the Labor Department.

Times Picayune - National Flood Insurance Program expires, slowing down sales of properties where flood policies are required

The National Flood Insurance Program expired Sunday night after Congress failed to pass a temporary extension of the program that is vital to protecting homes in the New Orleans area.

The lapse puts home sales at risk and could leave homeowners whose policies were scheduled to renew March 1 in jeopardy in the unlikely event that Monday's rains turned out to be heavy enough to cause flooding.

South Carolina Post and Courrier - Jobless Benefits stopped

Some stimulus-funded construction projects were immediately halted Monday and federal emergency payments to the long-term unemployed were suspended due to one Senator's filibuster of a bill to temporarily extend benefit programs.

"This means that over 23,000 South Carolinians will immediately lose their benefits, and if this bill is not extended, over the next six months 100,000 South Carolinians will lose their benefits," said House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, D-S.C.

The Department of Transportation said Kentucky Republican Sen. Jim Bunning's blockage of legislation designed to keep a host of federal programs operating forced the agency to furlough nearly 2,000 employees without pay, temporarily shut down highway reimbursements to states worth hundreds of millions of dollars and stalled multimillion-dollar construction projects across the country.

New weekly claims for federally funded emergency unemployment compensation are not being accepted, and regular unemployment checks will not get the extra $25 each week that has been added with federal money, unless the situation is resolved.

Morning Open Thread

Good morning.

President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden participate in a National Economic Council and Domestic Policy Council planning meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Feb. 11, 2010. Photo by Pete Souza.

The Cost of Republican Obstruction

The AP reported this morning that Republicans were filibustering legislation at a record pace. But, Republican obstructionism isn’t simply a legislative exercise, the effect of which is contained by the beltway. We were reminded today that the cost of Republican obstructionist tactics is very real and paid for by American families.

Because of Republican Senator Jim Bunning’s obstructionist ploy, and the tacit approval of Republican leadership, thousands of Americans will no longer be able to work at their jobs. Because of this particular case of Republican obstruction, important projects that are pouring needed dollars into local economies and providing local communities with good paying jobs are on hold. Because of Republican obstruction, across the country today, millions of Americans hit hardest by the economic collapse are waking up to find their safety net gone. Because of Republican obstruction, Americans who have already been dealt a blow when they lost their job are being denied health care today.

The really sad part - Republicans are proud of their tactics. Last week, Senator John Cornyn, Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, defended the GOP’s obstruction saying he “admire[d] the courage” of Kentucky Senator Jim Bunning who is leading the GOP’s efforts.

Unfortunately, this isn’t an isolated case of Republican obstruction. Because of a Republican hold on nominations of qualified Americans, critical military and homeland security positions were delayed for the sake of a French military contractor despite the fact that our country is in two wars and our forces battle terrorists every day. Just days ago, twenty-nine Republicans banded together to try to hold up a jobs bill despite the fact that we are recovering from the deepest recession in generations. And Republicans continue to threaten to obstruct legislation that would lower the cost of health care and end unfair insurance company practices for millions of Americans despite the fact that premiums continue to soar and further strangle families and small businesses.

The cost of Republican obstruction isn’t simply thwarting the will of the democratically elected majority. It’s also taking a real toll on American families and communities every day.

To make the cost of Republican obstruction more real, please find below a list of projects that are being held up by Senator Bunning’s obstruction that could bring needed funds and jobs to communities across the country:

Morning Open Thread

Good morning.

President Barack Obama, the First Family, Vice President Joe Biden and others in the audience applaud Joan Baez after her singing “We Shall Overcome” at the "In Performance At The White House: A Celebration Of Music From The Civil Rights Movement" concert in the East Room of the White House, Feb. 9, 2010. Photo by Pete Souza.

Weekend Open Thread

Hello Saturday.

After delivering remarks at the daily press briefing, President Barack Obama smiles as he walks past Press Assistant Priya Singh through the Lower Press Office of the White House en route to the Oval Office, Feb. 9, 2010. Photo by Pete Souza.

In the News: "The President is taking control of this important debate"

Following the bipartisan health reform meeting, news outlets and commentators are calling the meeting a success for the country and President Obama – and a clear step forward on reform.

CNN - “a lot to appreciate in yesterday's bipartisan White House health care summit”:

There was a lot to appreciate in yesterday's bipartisan White House health care summit between President Obama and members of Congress.  Obama deserves credit for convening the meeting. His opening remarks were good, especially when he talked about the rising costs of health insurance premiums, the "exploding costs of Medicare and Medicaid," and how he wanted to "make sure that this discussion is actually a discussion and not just us trading talking points."  It also did something else. It reminded the American people of who calls the shots in Washington. It's the party in power. Democrats control all the levers of government, at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue.  [CNN, 2/26/10]

New York Times - “Most of the credit goes to President Obama”:

Most of the credit goes to President Obama. The man really knows how to lead a discussion. He stuck to specifics and tried to rein in people who were flying off into generalities. He picked out the core point in any comment. He tried to keep things going in a coherent direction.  Moreover, he seemed to be trying to get a result. Republicans had their substantive criticism of the Democratic bills, but Obama kept pressing them for areas of agreement.  [NYT, 2/26/10]

MSNBC - “The Blair House Project”:

Still, yesterday's Blair House Project was a pretty extraordinary exercise. President Obama, who essentially served as moderator-in-chief, used the health-care summit to make the case that the Democratic health-care bills aren’t radical (if they don’t have a public option, how do they represent a government takeover?), and that they included a fair number of GOP ideas. Much like he did at his State of the Union, Obama also tried to elevate himself above the partisan fray, even if he engaged in it himself (example: his testy exchange with McCain).  [MSNBC First Read, 2/26/10]

The New Republic - “Why You Can't Discuss Health Care With The GOP”: 

Obama has spoken at enormous length today about why letting insurance companies sell policies across state lines would let insurers siphon out the healthy and leave the sick behind.  John Boehner, the House Majority Leader, simply repeated the GOP talking point about scrapping the 2,000 page bill and doing the easy popular stuff… It's not that he's provided an answer to Obama's arguments that I disagree with. He's just totally unable to acknowledge or engage at any level with the arguments presented. You're debating a brick wall.  [TNR, 2/26/10]

Washington Post - The Fix  “Winners and losers from the health care summit”:

What Obama did do was paint himself – for anyone who was watching – as someone genuinely interested in compromise and genuinely interested in engaging with his Republican colleagues… Obama also didn’t let Republicans run rough-shod over him either. He clashed with Sens. Lamar Alexander (Tenn.) and John McCain (Ariz.) – showing a feistiness (albeit a measured feistiness) that is likely to be well received by the party’s base. Obama’s performance saved, to our mind, what could have been a disastrous day for his party as he got relatively little help from his party’s representatives in Congress throughout the day.” [Washington Post, 2/25/10]

David Gergen on CNN: 

The president deserves enormous credit for putting this on  He was I thought extremely graceful and occasionally with an edge, but he was graceful and dominated much of the proceedings, and the democrats got stronger in afternoon than in the morning. [CNN, 2/25/10]

Jessica Yellin on CNN:

I actually thought it was a win for, it sounds cheesy, but for the country. [CNN, 2/25/10]

New York Times - “President Urges Focus on Common Ground”:

Mr. Obama, speaking to lawmakers from his seat at the table they shared, not from a podium or with a teleprompter, used his opening remarks to make the case that reforming the health care system is critical to the nation’s economy. He made no opening bids, but instead called on the two parties to abandon their talking points and engage in a real unscripted discussion, even as he conceded that it might not result in a bridging of the deep philosophical divide between them.  [NYT, 2/25/10]

Plum Line - “Obama To GOP: It’s Over”:

Whether Obama and Dems will succeed in passing reform on their own is anything but assured, to put it mildly. But there’s virtually no doubt anymore that they are going to try — starting as early as tomorrow.  That was the subtle but unmistakable message of Obama’s closing argument After hours of hearing Republicans repeat again and again that only an incremental approach to reform is acceptable to them, Obama rejected that out of hand.  [Plum Line, 2/25/10]

Dana Bash on CNN:

“But the other thing is that you are hearing a lot of the message from the Democrats talking about how Republicans have some ideas that they have adopted, and that is definitely true."

“The President is taking control of this important debate”

[CNN, 2/25/10]

Washington Post - “What the health-care summit taught us”:

Obama sent a very strong signal toward the end of the summit: He wants a bill even if the only way to get it is through the reconciliation route. “I don’t think that the American people are interested in the process inside the Senate,” Obama replied in response to Sen. John McCain’s criticism of the idea that the Senate might try to pass a bill with fewer than 60 Senate votes. Most Americans, Obama said, believe in “majority rule.” So they do. The president was telling members of his own party: Press on.  [Washington Post, 2/26/10]

“Tough S**t”: Republican Senator Blocks Help for Americans Who've Lost Their Jobs

Last night, Senate Republican Jim Bunning blocked a vote to extend key benefits, including health insurance, for Americans who have lost their jobs.

The Huffington Post reports:

Jim Bunning, a Republican from Kentucky, is single-handedly blocking Senate action needed to prevent an estimated 1.2 million American workers from prematurely losing their unemployment benefits next month. As Democratic senators asked again and again for unanimous consent for a vote on a 30-day extension Thursday night, Bunning refused to go along.

And when Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) begged him to drop his objection, Politico reports, Bunning replied: "Tough s**t."

In response to the news, DNC Communications Director Brad Woodhouse responded:

“American families may have thought they’d seen the worst that Republican obstructionism has to offer after the GOP’s attempts to thwart health insurance reform and a bill to create jobs, but last night we discovered just how far Republicans will go to stop the work of the American people for pure politics – even at the expense of our citizens’ health and economic security. Republican obstructionists are now training their sights on jobless Americans – those who were hit hardest by the economic crisis and still haven’t recovered - by holding up a bill that would extend key benefits, including health care, for the millions of Americans still seeking employment after eight years of failed Republican economics that left our economy reeling. These families have lost jobs and depleted savings accounts over the past year as they attempt to keep their homes and feed and clothe their children. And now, Senate Republicans - led by Jim Bunning - are playing politics with their access to federal COBRA benefits, unemployment insurance and other critical assistance.

Just when we thought they couldn’t sink any lower, Republican obstructionists are now using Americans who have lost their jobs to make a political point. Shameful.”