Obama Spars With GOP

(NEWSER) - Charles Boustany, who was upstaged last night by the impromptu opposition from his colleague, Joe Wilson, delivered the official response to Obama's speech, opening with his "disappointment" that Obama hadn't announced a do-over in the effort to reform health insurance. “Most Americans, the Louisiana congressman said, wanted to hear the president say "it’s time to start over on a common-sense, bipartisan plan focused on lowering the cost of health care while improving quality.” More»

May force partisan standoff

(NEWSER) - The GOP may not have the votes to repeal health care reform, but they're still setting their sights on it. Incoming Republicans say they plan to curtail the controversial law by finding creative ways to hobble it, finds the New York Times . They may, for instance, cut funding and personnel at the IRS to slow the implementation of new health insurance requirements, or use spending bills to block federal insurance regulations they oppose. More»

He wouldn't have focused on stimulus, health care

(NEWSER) - Democrats appear headed for a big November defeat, but it didn’t have to be this way. In today’s New York Times , David Brooks imagines an alternate history, in which Obama took a wiser path. In December 2008, as his staff was clamoring to recreate the New Deal, “Obama, in this fanciful version, held up his hand. He told his aides to put away the history books.” This was not 1932. Today’s America didn’t trust the government. More»

He's 3 for 3 on stimulus, health care, financial reform

(NEWSER) - President Obama completed a legislative hat trick yesterday, as he passed a landmark financial reform bill, to go alongside his landmark health care bill, and his mammoth stimulus bill. These victories essentially line up with his campaign promises, but they’ve come at a political cost, giving plenty of ammunition to conservatives who argue that the government is overspending and overreaching, writes Sheryl Gay Stolberg of the New York Times . The White House particularly lost the message war on the stimulus and health care. More»

Health care reform law opposition becomes Republican litmus test

(NEWSER) - The push to repeal health care reform has become a rallying cry for GOP candidates pushing for big congressional victories this year and eager to show their willingness to take on the Democratic agenda. In Florida, Gov. Charlie Crist and conservative upstart Marco Rubio agreed on little else in a weekend debate, during which Crist used the issue to appear just as ready as Rubio to fight President Obama. John McCain and Sarah Palin delivered a similar message while stumping for his re-election. More»