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GAME ON!!

By: Rep. Marsha Blackburn (Diary)  |  February 1st, 2010 at 02:46 PM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

On Friday, President Obama was invited to speak at our House Republican conference.  The invitation was extended by Republican leadership in an attempt to engage the President in an open dialogue about his policies.  I had the opportunity to ask him a question about health care reform.  I wanted to know three things: First,  had he reviewed Republican proposals for reform, second, what lessons had he taken from the failure of other public option plans like TennCare, and third, when and how did he anticipate sitting down with Republicans to go over our proposals?

The president took his time in answering my question.  He told me politely that he had reviewed our proposals and rejected them. The President completely avoided any discussion of TennCare, just as Secretary Kathleen Sebelius had earlier this summer.  The President also failed to respond to where and how Republicans might sit down and go over our proposals with him.

Unfortunately, it seems that our ideas are welcome, so long as they conform to his preconceived idea that the only path to better health care is through a government bureaucracy.  Tennesseans know that just won’t work.

My question was roundly criticized by liberal pundits.  In criticizing me for highlighting Republican proposals, they assumed that we had never advanced them when we held the majority.  They conveniently forgot that the House passed many of these free-market approaches to health care reform in 2005 and 2006.

The Wall Street Journal was on hand for my exchange with the President.  Despite the President’s evasive and incomplete answer to my question, they quote him as saying that he is “game” to sit down with Republicans and go over our proposals.  They quote me too, “GAME ON!”

Cross posted at Marsha Blackburn.com

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  • sharonmcp

    It seemed to me that the President appeared to be exasperated by your questions, especially when you mentioned TennCare.

    That’s when I knew you had touched a sore spot.

    Please keep applying the pressure, and know that a great many Americans support you in your efforts.

    • mdyou

      …anybody’s questions. Because he can’t. What’s he going to say?

      “Let me be clear. I’m a socialist, pathological liar. The Rubes are too dumb to figure that out, and my whores, the press won’t explain it to them. So go **** yourself.”

      Why in hell did the Republicans give him this forum?

      • tngal

        She is an incredbile legislator. She’s frequently on radio talk telling about the good, bad and ugly that’s coming out of Washington – not afraid to answer questions. I wish she had my district. I’m stuck in 4 with Lincoln Davis. And our Tenncare is horrible for the state. I’m constantly having to direct people from out of state to news articles outlining the failure of Tenncare
        (aka when-care).

        • sharonmcp

          First things first, Marsha Blackburn is not a Congressman, she’s a woman.

          Second, I didn’t read a word you wrote after He is. Writing in all caps is equivalent to shouting, and it makes your comment hard to read.

          • bobojake
          • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

            And second, that’s what the zoom feature on the compu ter is for. All-caps on line has no excuse.

          • bobojake
          • http://slcliberty.blogivists.com randy streu

            All caps mashed together like that is clearly not easier to read. Which is why if you ask anyone even remotely associated with design, they’ll say not to do it. Specifically because it’s harder to read.

            If it’s hard to see on the computer, you change the resolution so everything’s larger.

            If you’re too blind to do that, or if having someone else do it doesn’t help… I seriously doubt all caps will help.

          • Richard Mullins

            On Mozilla and Safari, it’s CTRL-+ or – to Zoom in or out. There is really not much of a reason for using all CAPS. I was having a hard time with an 10yo monitor of mine but now with a newer 19″ LCD is been much better. I also should say that I don’t have great eyesight either, but I’m not going blind yet.

          • bs
          • http://www.ssce.net/Web-Articles/Web-articles-indexed-authors.html#authors-l JLenardDetroit

            oh wait…. THEY AREN’T…. please don’t try and go down this road on this site that has so many folks that have spent their entire lives (and many others who spent much of it) within the I.T. field…. If you are giving someone such BAD ADVICE about what to do about a situation of bad eye-sight I suggest you STOP and send the people in question needing help to actual professionals that will want to earnestly help them to see Screen related print and/or other related small/detailed images.

          • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens
        • Praying

          Congressman Jimmy Duncan does a good job of being a fiscal conservative, so I’m grateful for him – but I really admire the courage and spunk of Rep. Marsha Blackburn! I listened to you many times on Let’s Talk Frank radio show (until Lee and Terry Frank were “forced” off the air). Too many of the old establishment GOP – even the conservative ones – don’t want to rock the boat, don’t want to question authority and ask the hard questions. Marsha Blackburn has the guts to take on the establishment – Way to Go!! As for the response of the POTUS, it was rude, condescending, and utterly lame. Not that we would expect anything different…

      • Vegas_Rick
      • Beasley Beesmeal

        5

      • http://www.ssce.net/Web-Articles/Web-articles-indexed-authors.html#authors-l JLenardDetroit

        I can see how some “thought” Obama would be his usual arrogant self and EXPOSE himself yet again as being the Radical Anti-American hack he is…. and he did, of course, to anyone that paid any attention to the actual details… However, and of course, the usual MSM SPIN-cycle and distortions and/or outright Lies (see: The “Pretend you’re a Liberal MSM reporter (and Spin the story)” Challenge (here)] is all in effect and the ObamaZombies just get their daily fix of it from CNN, MSNBC, NBC proper, etc… etc…. etc….

        Internet alternative media is the only place they will get that first hand, and Republicans need to make sure links to the FULL CONTEXT is out to any and all potential supporters (read: to TEApeaters — TEApeats (info) PLUS How to organize an UNOFFICIAL non-permit TEApeat).

      • paint_it_red

        It is time for post partisanship (= be liberal and do it my way. I will incorporate the good ideas (if your ideas are conservative, they are wrong), and you need to get serious (that is, liberal) so we get something (something liberal) done in this town.

        Maybe bipartisanship should be about compromise and including a few things conservatives believe in that liberals don’t. Maybe that’s why there are no conservatives who are supporting his bill.

      • http://www.ssce.net/Web-Articles/Web-articles-indexed-authors.html#authors-l JLenardDetroit

        as much as we dislike and disdain Liberals playing Games like they are trying to continue to pull with their MSM allies over the Bi-Partisanship BS… WE (GOP/Conservatives) do have to respond in some form from time to time….

        Why? because of the equally frustrating to us middle-ground so-called “Independent” squishes that refuse to pay enough attention to anything to educate themselves to make an inform decision and take a stand — we cannot keep conceding all the arguments (which is what we do if we just don’t bother to ever engage) and set up these types of opportunities to show we have, and have always had, ideas and the Party of NO is all bs…. Yes, as already discussed, the MSM will spin it all, but we have to take these opportunities and then do whatever we can to get the TRUTH (live video does that trick) in front of those morons that refuse to take any principled stand. Especially, with this being the day/age of the TEApeats – we must keep demonstrating to those FINALLY paying some attention the whatfor!!!!!

        We knew exactly what was going to happen when Oblahblah was going to PREACH at Conservatives an expose himself as a complete RADICAL IDEALOGUE despite his hilarious protestations to the opposite. We have to have him expose himself (just as Joe the Plumber did, just as Rev. Wright and Bill Ayers DOES demostrat exactly what/who he is, etc…) to those whose attention is finally peaked.

        • http://www.redstate.com/tnjim TNJim

          Marsha Blackburn challenge Lamar Alexander for his Senate seat. She clearly is not afraid to bring up the issues that makes the Dems, including the President, squirm. Thank you, Mrs. Blackburn, for showing the fire he is afraid to.

          • nessa
  • http://www.FranBaker.com frankieb

    That was a good try by the Republicans, but BO doesn’t have a bi-partisan bone in his body. So the sooner the Rs start bypassing the lamestreamers and taking their message directly to their constituents via letters, emails, blogs, twitters and town hall meetings the better.

    • aesthete
      • http://pocketchangeproductions.net/ anotherindyfilmguy

        Just beautiful in every sense.

        • rick554

          Bi-partisanship!

      • rick554

        but dont expect any “bi-oartisanship” from this Obama dude. He will drive the bus over the entire Country if he gets the chance. Barack is dangerous and most likely a security threat. We are in for a rough period here, Madam Congresswoman, but we have your back. Fight on !! Hey Barack…. we’ll see YOU at los barricados!!

  • http://slcliberty.blogivists.com randy streu

    Keep plugging away. We need people like you to highlight the petty partisanship on display by our President and the other Democrats in DC.

  • bobojake

    The only one demonizing obama is obama himself.

    I am not a crook.–Richard nixon
    I am not a demon.- obama
    both LIARS

    • wbb1950

      Moving to the middle? Obama????? Well, now at least Congressman Marsha Blackburn gets it. . . . He is NOT A LIBERAL

    • http://stixblog.com Black River Wolf

      for actually asking the President a question that made him think and squirm. Where is are so-called media asking these kind of questions.

      I did not expect him to answer a question that was not a softball tossed by the MSM

  • throwback59

    But thank you, Rep. Blackburn, for at least trying to get the President to play by the rules.

  • http://www.ssce.net/Web-Articles/Web-articles-indexed-authors.html#authors-l JLenardDetroit

    aside from the whole Budget Freeze gimmick as just a lame excuse to FORCE the Bush Tax Cuts to expire without being paid for (you don’t have to PAY for somehting that costs the Govt. $0, and in fact actually brings more into the Treasury, but that whole thing is another story) and to force what we’ve known all along would be the excuse for PAYGO dodge, scam, distortion, distraction, etc….

    The next Stimulus (read: Dem. Money Laundering (PC excuses to $pend) plus “extent possible” language) package that they are already lying about as some “Jobs, jobs, jobs….” creation package, when it is a jobs killer, but what I want to focus on in this comment is the $3,000 Credit for Job Creation specifically. This will, of course, be the next new FRAUD to be committed by the Administration and Democrat business owners – as they will create a NEW JOB TITLE (declared as a new job), HIRE AN ALREADY EXISTING EMPLOYEE for the job while not refilling the job they left, IN ORDER TO STEAL THE CREDIT AND FALSELY ALLOW OBAMA TO CLAIM A SUPPOSED JOB that wasn’t really created. Meanwhile, of course, uncertainty over any/all other Taxes cause REAL Business owners to hold off on hiring, or worse needing to reduce Payroll, because costs continue to rise for them while sales lag (again, due to Consumer uncertainty over Personal Taxes to be waged AGAINST THEM by Obama going forth) and they have to downsize.

    All this leading to GREATER unemployement, not less…. Obama insisting on FAILed policies to be continued to be piled upon each other causing a greater slow-down than would otherwise have existed and prolonging the worsened situation they create, must be STOPPED DEAD!!!! The GOP, PARTY OF KNOW, must be loud and proud THE PARTY OF HELL NO!!!! – Republicans must be the Party of HELL NO [to Bigger Govt.] not the Party of SLOW[er Liberal Incremental-ism]

  • msfitz

    Keep the pressure on high!

    • rbdwiggins

      There can be no common ground with the current administration as long as President Obama persists in pursuing his tax-and-borrow-and-spend redistributionist scheme, healthscare and cap-and-tax, treating Islamic terrorism as a law enforcement matter, granting US Constitutional rights to enemy combatants or sitting on the side-lines while Iran develops nuclear weapons.

      There’s really very little left to do except stop his radical agenda and defeat the Democrats at the ballot box in order to save our Republic.

  • wendy

    Why was there a mandate on insurance companies to provide coverage for pre-existing conditions and a mandate to provide re-insurance? And why does it prohibit insurance companies from “discriminating” on the basis of medical conditions? There are only so many ways to destroy the health insurance industry, and the GOP managed to propose one of them. Charles Krauthammer has even pointed out that this was the most dangerous property of the Senate bill. What made Republicans think it was acceptable to violate the rights of businessmen and their other customers in such a blatant fashion? Or that things would be fine if Republicans implemented this statist scheme, while things would go to hell in a handbasket if this same scheme was put in place by Democrats? The minute this thing was proposed, there should have been dozens of Republicans jumping down Boehner’s throat for allowing that garbage to go in there.

    You can play PR games with Obama all you want, and that is all well and good. He earned it. But in the end, if Republicans implement Democrat schemes, then we can replay the 2004-2006 elections, and we will, and don’t count on grandstanding over superficialities to save you.

    I need you and your colleagues to understand that free market populism is not going away, and we are only going to get more serious about it, not less. Understand that at its core, this is an ideological movement, not a mass spontaneous temper tantrum. We consider freedom to be moral, practical, and non-negotiable. That means you guys all have to move hard right to match us. If your colleagues are waiting for the Tea Party movement to become sated and blow over so they can get back to routine big government compassionateering, then they are in serious denial. Things are different now. With modern technology, citizens are orders of magnitude better informed than we were even three years ago, and correspondingly angrier. That means Republicans will have to fundamentally change the way they think about governing. Natural selection and evolution is coming to the GOP, and the ones who continue to pull statist stunts like this and then blow free market smoke in our faces are going to die out. There is nothing for any of you to gain by proposing any statist measures, no matter how “compassionate.” There is only punishment.

    We have a vision: The rollback of statism, the breaking of the chains around the individual, a return to economic and cultural dynamism propelled by individualism, and the re-flourishing of the country as the world’s greatest free market superpower. To make this happen, the list of things in our crosshairs is large and growing, and things that were once inconceivable are now seen as very possible. Half-measures, once acceptable, are now starting to offend us with their timidity. We do not believe that continued statism and hardship are necessary, natural, or inevitable. We see a thriving Republic as our birthright, and we believe it so strongly that we will go to bloody political war for it and spend every last waking breath fighting for it until the stars burn out if we have to. We want the GOP working with us in achieving this vision. But we intend to stop at nothing, because we know our cause is right, and unlike other movements, our ideas are based on reality. They *work.*

    Believe it, then tell your colleagues. If any of them has a problem with this kind of change, then they should be advised to exit stage and open their seat to someone who is on board. There is no turning back now for any of us.

  • erice008

    The congresswoman was owned in that exchange. Obama handed the republicans their hat at their own function. I am very sure that many of you realized it, but continue to insist that republicans were not humiliated to be chatised by Obama. so thoroughly. Do you think W would have had the intellectual capacity, or even the gall to present himself at a function like that? He took questions from the press like 4 x a year. No way he would let the democrats challenge him.
    He clearly stated why bi-partisanship does not work in the exchange. it is not because he does not reach out. it is because the right has cast him as so radical that they cannot even agree to the parts of his plan that they agree with. On top of that, he also has to deal with the perpetual blocking of any and everything they do not support 100%, just to try to bring him down. You people should watch this echange again on youtube. it is really very interesting and insightful.
    And for those people calling Obama arrogant, look people, he is the president. he is not arrogant. he is confident. He is the most powerful person in the world. That should allow some swagger, right? The president answered all of the questions. because he did not fire back a boilerplate response to questions that required real consideration does not make what he was doing to sqirm. He did not squirm. He did not react. he defended his process, which was based on the research, the numbers and the evidence. I bet that the right won’t seek to televise one of these again. And that is the real indication of who was the weaker in this exchange-thanks people. Happy groundhog day

    • gekster
    • hickorystick

      and if you watched it so carefully, how could you not have picked up that Republicans were laying most of the blame on the Democrat members of Congress for not inviting them into drafting of bills or allowing amendments? How come all the bi-partisanship is Democrats voting with Republicans to save their Arse. How come each vote is engineered to allow the fewest dem’s to have vote yes on their own proposals (4-5 hour process)? Why is 25 year old James O’Keefe having to check mary Landrieu’s phones to make sure they are working? If Democrats have all the answers, why is the whole nation questioning them ? Instead of getting sucked into worshipping your dear leaders words, try living up to your own parties principles (stated principles, I would never suggest anyone live by Dem’s actual principles).

    • aesthete

      is very similar to the reason that there was barely partisanship in the pushing forward of this bill: it was unpopular and over-reaching. The constituencies that Republicans represent didn’t like the bill’s central components, and neither did most Americans, and changing it at the margins (by adding tort reform) wasn’t going to change that. Why Americans as a whole didn’t approve of you guys’ bill had very little to do with Republican criticism: support for it was already tanking by the time the “death panels” phrase was trotted out. If I were you, I’d spend more time figuring out why, despite a 60-vote supermajority, “” didn’t pass, and less time whining about “bi-partisanship”.

      Concerning W: so what? He’s not in office anymore.