Face it, GOP doesn't really matter when it comes to health care
By David Lightman | McClatchy Newspapers
WASHINGTON — Do Republicans matter as Congress digs more deeply into the details of writing health care legislation?
Probably not.
The Senate Finance Committee will resume its deliberations Tuesday, when it's expected to consider whether the government should create a "public option" to compete with the private sector, as well as other issues.
The chances are good that the committee will approve key provisions with few, if any, Republican votes.
Nevertheless, Democratic leaders continue to talk about a yen for bipartisanship, if only because near-unanimous Republican opposition to a final health care bill could create political problems for Democrats next year.
So far, Democrats seem to be courting only one Republican on the committee, Olympia Snowe of Maine. Their leaders have offered her lavish praise.
"I especially applaud Olympia Snowe today for her, I think, brilliant statement. It was in keeping with how she legislates," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., told reporters after Snowe gave her opening statement.
However, it also may have been telling that Reid's tone changed dramatically a few minutes later when he discussed other Republicans.
"Despite all our efforts to reach across the aisle, Republicans have chosen not to be part of the discussion," he said. "They want, obviously, to maintain the status quo."
Translation: Reid would like Republican support, but he's prepared to proceed without it.
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