Health care ideas cause party dispute
David Espo- AP
Issue date: 5/8/09 Section: News
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Obama Administration's health care legislation doesn't exist yet, but Senate Republicans are already seeking and getting detailed advice on the best way to attack it.
Such as, "The plan put forward by the Democrats will deny people treatments they need and make them wait to get the treatments they are allowed to receive." Or, "a committee of Washington bureaucrats will establish the standard of care for all Americans."
The suggestions are contained in a 28-page presentation by Frank Luntz, who has long experience in advising Republicans on tailoring their speeches and phrase-making to achieve maximum political benefit.
Luntz reviewed his recommendations Wednesday with aides to conservative Republicans in a session organized by the Republican Policy Committee, headed by Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev. The Associated Press obtained a copy.
"The policy committee brings in all kinds of people. He presented us with ways to communicate better and we listened," said Rebecca Fisher, a spokeswoman for the group.
But Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, said, "Key Republicans prepare to fight a bill that doesn't even exist. The American people in November showed their strong support for putting progress before partisan politics. Instead of heeding this call, it appears some Republicans have chosen to take their just-say-no strategy to a new low," he said in a statement.
Democrats and the White House have pledged to work with Republicans on legislation, but have also said that if those efforts fail, they could pursue a partisan measure this fall.
Ironically, the session came on a day when Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, and Max Baucus, D-Mont., met at the White House with President Barack Obama to discuss efforts to draft bipartisan health care overhaul legislation. Baucus is chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and Grassley is the senior Republican on the panel.
Remaking the nation's health care system was a major pledge of Obama's presidential campaign, and he is working with Congress to cut costs while expanding access. Legislation, yet to be drafted, is expected on the floor of the House and Senate later this year.
Such as, "The plan put forward by the Democrats will deny people treatments they need and make them wait to get the treatments they are allowed to receive." Or, "a committee of Washington bureaucrats will establish the standard of care for all Americans."
The suggestions are contained in a 28-page presentation by Frank Luntz, who has long experience in advising Republicans on tailoring their speeches and phrase-making to achieve maximum political benefit.
Luntz reviewed his recommendations Wednesday with aides to conservative Republicans in a session organized by the Republican Policy Committee, headed by Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev. The Associated Press obtained a copy.
"The policy committee brings in all kinds of people. He presented us with ways to communicate better and we listened," said Rebecca Fisher, a spokeswoman for the group.
But Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, said, "Key Republicans prepare to fight a bill that doesn't even exist. The American people in November showed their strong support for putting progress before partisan politics. Instead of heeding this call, it appears some Republicans have chosen to take their just-say-no strategy to a new low," he said in a statement.
Democrats and the White House have pledged to work with Republicans on legislation, but have also said that if those efforts fail, they could pursue a partisan measure this fall.
Ironically, the session came on a day when Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, and Max Baucus, D-Mont., met at the White House with President Barack Obama to discuss efforts to draft bipartisan health care overhaul legislation. Baucus is chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and Grassley is the senior Republican on the panel.
Remaking the nation's health care system was a major pledge of Obama's presidential campaign, and he is working with Congress to cut costs while expanding access. Legislation, yet to be drafted, is expected on the floor of the House and Senate later this year.
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