Eric Cantor - "It's time for a bipartisan health bill"

[TomCADem]

The irony, of course, was Eric Cantor's youtube response where he told attendees that the should resort to begging if they did not have enough money to pay their medical bills. Nonetheless, I expect DUers to embrace some of Eric Cantor's talking points, so lets review them so that we recognize them when DUers start to repeat them:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/OPINION/10/24/cantor.bipartisan.healthcare/index.html

It's time for a bipartisan health bill

(CNN) -- Given the heated rhetoric and sharp partisan divides that have characterized this year's debate, it's easy to forget that there are several key reforms in health care that Democrats and Republicans can agree on.

Unfortunately, congressional leaders in control of the legislative agenda seem to be making this very mistake. A bipartisan deal can still be salvaged, but only if Congress focuses on common-sense principles to keep health care costs in check, preserve the doctor patient relationship and give Americans more options for affordable, high quality health care.

Earlier this month I held a meeting with House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer to discuss the prospects for securing a bipartisan agreement. The meeting was constructive and the leader made clear his preference to work with Republicans wherever possible. Yet despite his good will, House Democrats remain intent on bringing forward a bill -- H.R. 3200 -- riddled with toxic and controversial provisions that alienate Republicans and moderate Democrats.

The most prominent poison pill is the government-run plan, which the majority has disingenuously sold to the public as a way to boost competition among insurers and give Americans more choices. In reality, it will do the opposite. Private insurance companies simply cannot compete against a government with the leverage to set the prices it pays to health care providers (the downside, of course, is that care the government is willing to pay for will be rationed and of lower quality).

But the public option is not the only reason the public has soured on Congress' health care efforts. This nearly $1 trillion legislation, much like the Finance Committee bill in the Senate, dishonestly resorts to a host of budget gimmicks to give the veneer of deficit neutrality over the next decade.

[bluestateguy]

1. ??? January called. It wants it's rhetoric back.

:rofl:

[DrToast]

3. LOL...so true. I thought I was browsing the archives for a second. (nt)

[Clio the Leo]

2. We get WAY too excited over the bipartisanship BS....

.... there's no point in stressing over it because it's not directed at us. It's directed at gaining or keeping moderate/independent votes.

When the President does it, he's selling himself as "the President of all the people." This is a GOOD thing unless you want the GOP to move back into the WH in 2013.

But when Cantor does it, on THIS particular issue .... it's a VERY good thing. It's the first sign that the GOP is conceding defeat on the matter. A health care bill will pass and they know it. Regardless of what form it takes and what WE think about it, one thing we can be sure about is that it's NOT what the GOP wants. So that in itself is a victory.

Six months ago, they wanted to make health care the President's Waterloo .... now they're trying to make sure it doesn't become THEIRS.

[Jim Sagle]

4. Bipartisanshit.

[Hekate]

5. >snrk< Did you just make that up?

:rofl:

[Jim Sagle]

6. Uhh,,,yes. Why do you ask?

It's not as if I'm claiming it's truly original. I'm sure many others have thought of it, in view of our current situation visa vis the Pugs. ;)

[SKKY]

7. I love how he says that the public has soured on the public option...

...last time I checked, it was still over 60% approval for a public option. What "public" is he talking about? Certainly not the one I'm a part of.

[dmr]

8. GOP's idea of bipartisanship is total acquiescence to their will

Bullshit to that.

They've had their chance a zillion times over.

Let's be honest ...

They now speak up because the Democrats didn't kill the Public Option. Now the GOP's out there pretending to care so they can water it down to both placate the insurance industry, and sabotage the Democrats.

[StarfarerBill]

13. You've struck the nail squarely upon its head!

The Republicans have tasted total power...and they like it. They'll be damned if they're ever going to give up trying to regain it, and too bad about all those trampled; they had the choice to get out of the way, you know...

[global1]

9. If The Repugs Come Over Now - It's Only Because They Know That .....

it is going to get passed and they don't want the Dems to take all the credit. If they have their way - they will make this legislation look like it was their idea. I can't wait to see the picture of the President signing this into law - with the likes of Boner, McConnell and Cantor standing behind with smiles on their faces.

We're going to get Health Care Reform. There will be a public option. It will be a big success for President Obama and the Dems - and the Repugs won't want to sit in the background letting them take all the credit.

They know that they are at the point that they have to jump on the bandwagon or be left behind.

[harry_pothead]

10. The Gop base is gonna looooooooooove that.

[Tippy]

14. You can say that again.......And we need to remind everyone

Repukes you are not fooling us...We will remind you at every turn about how you tried to kill off "grandma"..

[annabanana]

11. This guy never fails to crack me up.

"Water the thing down some more.. and THIS time we'll throw you a vote."

[Unsane]

12. Obama: sure, whatever you want

[and-justice-for-all]

15. Fuck you Cantor and that bipartisan bullshit!!

I know what Canto is saying and it is a smoke screen to just further delay reform.

Dems should just ignore anything coming from that side of the isle and get on with the voting and passing of a good public option bill.

[madamesilverspurs]

16. same ol same ol

Erik Cantorwont perpetuates his party's definition of 'bi-partisan' -- do it OUR way.

Idiots.

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