Snake

We witnessed a fairly unique political exchange in the experience of this summit. Has no one anything to say about it?

The president seemed to concede that some of the acquired votes he needs for the bill were ill-gotten, agreeing with Sen. McCain that Medicare recipients in FL shouldn’t be treated differently than those in AZ. But whenever discussion came up about redoing the bill, the canned response was a slap on the nose for political jockeying and moving off topic. Anything the president didn’t want to deal with was off topic! It is fair to guide the conversation when there’s limited time involved. But it also is too easily used as a dodge.

It seems to me the president has determined this bill in its current form is his program. He believes it will work, and doesn’t believe in the numbers of those who say it won’t. He also believes the American people, or at least the American people that count to him right now, want him to press ahead with his plan. What alarmed me most was his statement to Sen. McCain that he believes the American people are more interested in a vote than in how the vote is achieved.

Some of the people in that room set terrible examples for negotiative governments world-wide. Even the president couldn’t help smiling at that CBO run-around:

“The CBO was given inaccurate numbers to work with. Consequently, its conclusions are inaccurate.”
“Well! I just don’t see how we can proceed with colleagues who call into question the integrity of the distinguished Congressional Budget Office.”

Snake.

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