President Obama on Tuesday met with Democrats from the House Energy and Commerce Committee to discuss a climate change bill and health care, the Washington Times reports.
Committee Chair Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) said, "The president said to us, 'Success breeds success. And let's move on this bill and then on to health care.'" White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said the meeting indicated Obama's desire to move on his priorities. Gibbs said, "You've heard the president on a number of occasions mention that his three most important priorities are health care, energy independence and education, that those three present an important foundation for creating long-term economic growth."
According to the Times, Obama is "taking flak from his party's left for not going far enough on health care." Some advocates are pushing for a health care overhaul that would allow U.S. residents to either remain on their current private insurance while getting government subsidies for the cost of the premiums or enroll in a new "Medicare-style" public option, the Times reports.
Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean (D) in a Monday phone call with MoveOn.org said, "If we can't deliver a real choice to the American people and real reform, I think we lose seats in the midterm election. I think we're going to have a hard time getting the president re-elected." He added, "As long as he sticks with us, and we stick with him, I think we're ultimately going to win this." He also spoke about the possibility of congressional Democrats agreeing to scrap a public plan in exchange for Republican support of overhaul legislation. "We have a Democratic president, Democratic Senate, Democratic House. There's no reason to trade it away," Dean said. He also said that Democrats should not fear being criticized for promoting socialized medicine. According to MoveOn.org, the Congressional Progressive Caucus has signed a petition written by Dean stating that a public option must be included in health reform legislation (LoBianco/Bellantoni, Washington Times, 5/6).
Sebelius
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on Tuesday said the Obama administration's effort to overhaul the health care system is "not political, and it is not optional." Sebelius made the comments at the annual conference of the Council on Foundations, a national association representing 2,000 grant-making foundations and corporations. She said, "President Obama has committed to making health care reform an open, transparent process that brings all parties to the table. No voices will be excluded, and yours must be heard." She also said, "Our current system is unacceptable and unsustainable," and if "we work together, we will make health reform a reality" (Allen, Politico, 5/6).
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