Rep. Cantor Explicitly Rejects Bipartisan Compromise On Health Care
Since the beginning of the health care debate, Republican leaders have routinely called on President Obama and congressional Democrats to scrap their ideas and "start over" on a bipartisan basis. However, the same Republicans have offered little indication they're genuinely interested in ending the stalemate that has brought reform efforts to a halt. Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN), for example, was recently asked for one specific compromise Republicans would be willing to accept. His answer? "Well, you know, I was, uh, yeah, yeah, look, uh." Seriously.
Last night, President Obama announced his intention of holding a televised, bipartisan health care summit at the White House. The event would give both parties a chance to show a national audience that they're committed to working together to solve the nation's health care crisis. But, while some Republicans seem open to the idea, others are suddenly abandoning their calls for bipartisanship. For instance, Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA) issued the following statement (via Greg Sargent):
After going it alone on health care reform for nearly a year, President Obama has decided he wants to bring Republicans into the conversation. Here's the problem: unless the President and Speaker Pelosi are willing to scrap their government take over and hit the reset button, there's not much to talk about.
Republicans believe the status quo is unacceptable, but so is any health reform package that spends money we don't have or raises taxes on small businesses and working families in a recession. To that point, House Republicans have offered the only plan , that will lower health care costs, which is what the President said was the goal at the start of this debate.
The House Republican proposal would leave 52 million Americans uninsured while allowing profit-chasing insurance companies to continue their immoral practices, including discrimination based on pre-existing conditions. And, according to Cantor, it's the "the only plan" that will work.
More than ever, it's obvious that the conservative talk of bipartisanship is just empty rhetoric. Republicans are interested in handing Obama a political defeat, not working with him.
Update: Steve Benen points out that "as recently as September, Cantor said he agrees with '80%' of the Democratic reform plan. Now, he's willing to tolerate none of it." Asks Benen, "How, exactly, are responsible officials supposed to work with a rival who demands nothing short of 100% satisfaction, despite being part of a failed minority?"
