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Dems Look to Move on Health Bill Sans GOP

By Jane Yager, Newser Staff

Posted Aug 19, 2009 7:31 AM CDT

(Newser) – With the GOP line against President Obama's health care plan hardening, Dems see little hope of cooperation and are now poised to set out on their own, drawing a final plan solely from within their own party, the New York Times reports. The White House will still face the challenge of wooing conservative Dems, but the bill could move more quickly without negotiations across the aisle.

The White House has taken recent attacks by Jon Kyl, Chuck Grassley, and others on the co-op option as evidence that Republicans aren't serious about negotiating. Says Rahm Emanuel, the GOP has made a political calculation that "defeating President Obama's health care proposal is more important for their political goals than solving the health insurance problems that Americans face every day."

[Images (6)]

[Quotes (3)]

President Barack Obama listens to a question from a member of the audience during a town hall meeting on health care reform in Belgrade, Mont., Friday, Aug. 14, 2009. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

A supporter of health care reform leans on her sign during rally at Gallatin Field Airport as President Obama for a town hall meeting on health care, in Belgrade, Mont., on Friday, Aug. 14, 2009. (AP Photo/Mike Albans)

Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, answers a question from Sheryl Prather during a town meeting on health care reform Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2009 in Adel, Iowa. (AP Photo/Steve Pope)

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) addresses a crowd during a "Health Insurance Reform: What's In It for You?" forum Wednesday, Aug,12, 2009, at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Terry Gilliam)

Holding a US flag, Kay Hohler of West Des Moines, Iowa, reacts to a question directed toward Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, during a town meeting on health care reform Aug. 12, 2009 in Adel, Iowa. (AP Photo/Steve Pope)

People holds signs as President Barack Obama's motorcade drives by en route to a town hall on health care reform, Wednesday, July 29, 2009, at Broughton High School in Raleigh, N.C. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)

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Only a handful [of Republicans] seem interested in the type of comprehensive reform that so many people believe is necessary to ensure the principles and the goals that the president has laid out. - Robert Gibbs

The Republican leadership has made a strategic decision that defeating President Obama's health care proposal is more important for their political goals than solving the health insurance problems that Americans face every day. - Rahm Emanuel

I think it is safe to say there are a huge number of big issues that people have. There is no way that Republicans are going to support a trillion-dollar-plus bill. - Jon Kyl

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