GOP STANDS TALL AND HANDS OBAMA THE FINAL NAIL IN THE HEALTH CARE COFFIN

It was called a Health Care Summit, but it turned into what may well be the final nail in the coffin of dead health care legislation. Barack Obama came to this summit obviously expecting Republicans to cave in and be lectured acting like whipped puppies while Democrats used the summit as a forum to once again deceive the public about their government run health care plans.

But Republicans came well prepared with guns a blazing. While Democrats and especially Obama had a two to one advantage in time expressing their views, when the GOP spoke they handed Obama his tail over the issue of health care. Many times Obama interrupted Republicans obviously angered as Republicans Lemar Alexander, Eric Cantor and John McCain among others used the two versions of the bill as evidence of just how bad it is as well as using Obama's own words against him to tell the public the truth about these bad bills and what they contain.

Additionally the American people saw Republicans with strong and detailed ideas on how to fix the high cost of health care without government involvement while watching Democrats seething in anger and sharing sob stories without any substance other than reciting liberal talking points which have already turned the majority of Americans against any passage of health care.

In one heated exchange Lemar Alexander stated that the possibility of reconciliation be taken off the table and was responded to by an obviously agitated Harry Reid who whined and totally lied about the process which he had only two days before stated emphatically that it was not only being considered but likely to be used. In fact Democrat sources leaked that before the summit even began Democrats were planning to start the reconciliation process on Monday.

After the summit ended Obama stated that he would move ahead with health care with or without Republicans which implies that he is fully behind the move to use reconciliation. This summit was nothing more than a set up by Obama to blame the GOP for non-cooperation and claim the reconciliation was the only means that Democrats could overcome GOP obstruction.

But this has now totally back fired because of the strong showing by the GOP during the summit and the obvious complete lack of discussion of any Republican ideas. In fact when Republican detailed plans were presented Obama cut them off and stated that they were nothing more than talking points and he expected the only discussion to be acceptance of his plan and his ideas.

The strong showing by the GOP during the summit combined with the many times angered and lack of substance displayed by Democrats likely makes passage of health care nearly impossible. Using reconciliation in this hotly contested election year where most Democrats are in danger of losing their seats in both the House and Senate is not likely to bring passage as the House has already suggested that the votes are not available for this controversial process.

What was being advertised by Obama as a bipartisan move to get health care passed became what will likely be the death of health care and tremendous damage to Obama's domestic agenda which has not only centered around health care but only one year into his Presidency Obama placed all of his political capital on passage. Health care failure with all that Obama has invested will be the swan song for his Presidency and the defeat of a Democrat majority in November.

Ken Taylor