Ohio Rep. Bob Latta says his constituents want to see job creation, not a huge expansion of government in the health care sector of the economy. Latta explains how the Democratic health plan would hurt the people in his district and strain state resources. He also explains why he thinks the latest ethical mess for Rep. Charlie Rangel makes him unfit to keep serving as chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee.
Minnesota Rep. John Kline, the top Republican on the House Education and Labor Committee, gives us his reflections on Thursday’s health care summit. Did this event accomplish anything or just showcase the various talking points? What were the key points the GOP wanted to convey? Why did the president dismiss all criticism of backroom deals and possible use of reconciliation? What happens next as President Obama imposes a six-week deadline to get this done?
Life has gotten even tougher for two embattled New York Democrats. Rep. Charlie Rangel is facing another round of alleged ethics violations – violations Rangel says were made by his staff and not by him. New York Gov. David Paterson is bowing out of his campaign to remain in office after allegations he tried to help a key staffer who reportedly battered his girlfriend. We discuss both stories and their fallout with Richard Benedetto, former White House Correspondent for USA TODAY. He also reported for Gannett in New York, including six years in the state capital of Albany.
The bipartisan health summit sucked all the oxygen out of official Washington on Thursday. Where were the flash points? What were the key policy debates? What were some of the more bizarre statements? And was anything accomplished? Listen here for a full recap.
Texas Rep. Kevin Brady says Republicans were right at Thursday’s summit to point out that the real assessment of the Democratic health plan shows huge deficits that only get larger over time. He also says reforming a complex system one step at a time is far better then one massive plan. He also explains why the government will determine your health plan, even without a public option.
Georgia Rep. Tom Price, also a practicing physician, says today’s health summit has only shown that Democrats want government to make key health care decisions and Republicans want to empower people with those decisions. He says more attention needs to be paid to the impact of government mandates on health coverage. He says that fundamental disagreement means the two parties are not as close as Democrats would like to suggest. And we get his thoughts on Democrats possibly using reconciliation to get the bill done.
Jim Hoagland, chairman of the Online Tax Revolt campaign, explains what tax message tens of thousands of Americans are sending to Washington. What about the current tax code has people outraged? What kind of changes do they want to see? And how can you join?
John Gizzi of Human Events discusses the bipartisan health summit and why he thinks it will do very little to help Democrats get the plan over the finish line. He also says the Democratic strategy of suggesting there are very few differences will fall flat. Gizzi also offers his opinion on Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown voting for the Democratic jobs bill and the latest news in the midterm elections.
Republicans and Democrats finding very little common ground heading into health care summit, more and more Senate Dems warming up to reconciliation, Senate easily passes $15 billion jobs bill and the chairman of Toyota promises safety improvements in Congressional testimony.
Attorney General Eric Holder says bringing terrorism suspects into civilian courts was vindicated by the guilty plea and cooperation this week by Najibullah Zazi. But Kyndra Rotunda disagrees. She is a former U.S. Army prosecutor at Guantanamo Bay. She says a guilty plea is not proof that a guilty verdict would have come. She also says the Bush administration was wrong to try Zacarias Moussaoui and Richard Reid in civilian courts. Rotunda also says the Obama administration was out of bounds in stopping the military tribunal against Khalid Sheikh Mohammed – and even removing the judge when he refused to halt the proceedings.
