The White House is promising to “wade in” to the healthcare debate, according to Rahm Emmanuel. This comes as healthcare has stalled in Congress with the August deadline looming. Neither the House nor Senate has a bill that will satisfy all the competing interests, but Democratic leaders are frantically trying to push something through. Obama may be able to force action, but any resulting compromise offers little time for the careful examination a bill that overhauls our healthcare system should receive.
Democratic Senators are telling CNN that they are “baffled” and “frustrated” by President Obama’s push for healthcare reform before recess. He is pressuring Congress to act but refuses to take any specific stances himself.
Even members of the House Democratic leadership are beginning to fret the bill is being pushed too quickly. Rep. Charlie Rangel said yesterday, “No one wants to tell the Speaker that she’s moving too fast and they damn sure don’t want to tell the president.”
Obama and Democrats have thrown together a bill that will be far more costly to Americans than the current system, putting the American taxpayer on the hook for $1.6 trillion over the next 10 years. To pay for their government-run healthcare scheme, they plan to backtrack on campaign promises and tax small businesses.
House Minority Whip Eric Cantor, in a new web ad today, argues this rush to pass reforms in an unstable economy is “reckless.” Republicans are willing to come to the table for bipartisan compromise, but Democrats have failed to offer a seat as they sprint to get a bill done this month.