Obama gave a cryptic response when asked about what the health care reform plan is going forward when addressing "Organizing for America". According to Politico it appears that Obama is going to put the Republicans on the spot on reforming health care.
http://www.politico.com/...
It appears that Obama's strategy is to shine a spotlight on Republican obstruction on health care reform.
Obama was asked in the Q & A section at OFA what is the plan going forward on passing health care reform. His answer:
Obama told supporters at a Democratic National Committee fundraiser that he wants to have a meeting with Republicans, Democrats and health care experts to go through the bills "in a methodical way."
"And then, I think that we've got to go ahead and move forward on a vote," he said.
It appears that Obama wants to spotlight the bill itself openly (perhaps on C-span) to show that it isn't scary (doesn't have death panels, isn't a big government takeover) and has worthwhile things (getting rid of pre-existing conditions, cuts costs, covers 30 million more people, etc) in front of health care experts with both Republicans and Democrats.
Once that happens and the Republicans don't want to negotiate to create a compromised bill (which they won't), that will give the Democrats license to go ahead and pass the bill with a reconciliation sidecar.
The president's suggestion to go back to the negotiating table with Republicans, even for a day, conflicts with the partisan path that congressional Democratic leaders have been developing for the last two weeks to pass a bill. It is also likely to prove fruitless: House and Senate Republicans say the bill just needs to be scrapped.
Obama appeared to be sketching out a strategy that involves putting Republicans on the spot, and if they decline to take a meaningful role, Democrats will push ahead with a vote regardless. White House officials have been hinting at this kind of approach since losing the Senate’s filibuster-proof majority last month, arguing that Republicans need to take a bigger role in governing or suffer the consequences.
Another thing that Obama said that was cryptic was this:
"It may be that if Congress decides ... we're not gonna do it, even after all the facts are laid out, all the options are clear, then the American people can make a judgment as to whether this Congress has done the right thing for them or not," Obama said at the fundraiser. "That's how democracy works, and there are elections coming up."
Some people interpretted this as Obama giving up on health care reform. That's not how I interpretted it. I interpretted this as a warning to Democratic lawmakers that if they don't pass health care reform, there will be consequences in the 2010 midterm elections similar to what happened in 1994 which is loyal Democratic voters just won't show up to vote. It is also to push loyal Democrats to push the Democratic Congress to act.
He made the remarks to the party's loyal base, perhaps to motivate them to exert pressure on Democratic lawmakers, some of whom need as much convincing as Republicans these days to continue pursuing health care reform.