Promises, promises

[garyrulez]

The Associated Press reported today that Democratic leaders from the House and the Senate will meet with the White House in closed-door meetings to hash out the differences in the two health care bills.

This method would bypass the conference committee process, in which lawmakers from both parties and both houses would meet in Congress to debate and finalize the bill.

Here's Obama during a debate with Hillary Clinton during the campaign, referring specifically to the health care debate:

"That's what I will do in bringing all parties together, not negotiating behind closed doors, but bringing all parties together, and broadcasting those negotiations on C-SPAN so that the American people can see what the choices are."

The head of CSPAN has sent a letter to both Congressional chambers and the White House calling on Obama to keep this promise. More importantly, don't we have a RIGHT as Americans to know what's being discussed here?

[Lacey]

Sounds good to me, maybe we'll finally end up with a bill more like the first ones with an actual public option hahaha

[garyrulez]

Let it be stated for the record that Lacey has joined the call to get President Obama to keep his campaign promise!

[Michelle in WI]

Yeah, closed door, non bi-partisan meetings? That's not cool.

And now I have that song stuck in my head, thanks to the thread title. Whyyy do I BE-LIEEEEEVE?

[Lacey]

Let it be stated for the record that Lacey has joined the call to get President Obama to keep his campaign promise!

Damn skippy! Public option or bust for me thank you

[kinch]

Not trying to stick my head into your country's domestic issues, but from what I have observed, Obama tried to keep his promise. A lot of Republicans acted childishly and spread misinformation.

Now, I do believe that Obama should try and make the process as transparent as possible but some senators/congress(wo)men have excluded themselves from the debate because of their stupid actions.

[Lacey]

Not trying to stick my head into your country's domestic issues, but from what I have observed, Obama tried to keep his promise. A lot of Republicans acted childishly and spread misinformation.

Now, I do believe that Obama should try and make the process as transparent as possible but some senators/congress(wo)men have excluded themselves from the debate because of their stupid actions.

I would have to agree with this. Though, honestly, at this point I don't care about "being transparent" because no matter what there's going to be people who vote it down even if it was 300 pages of nothing but "I love puppies" over and over. I still trust them to come up with a better bill than what it is now because I believe that's what they want.

[Amicustoall]

kinch just what "promises" made by Obama has he kept? Let's deal with the ones related to health care reform only so that your list is not too long!!

[Lacey]

check it out reading comprehension 101 duders! "tried to keep" does not equal "kept" groooooooooooooovy

[garyrulez]

Now, I do believe that Obama should try and make the process as transparent as possible but some senators/congress(wo)men have excluded themselves from the debate because of their stupid actions.

I'm not sure what stupid actions you're referring to, kinch, but on this one question, I'm gathering you agree that Obama should keep his promise to- in his words- televise the debate on CSPAN as opposed to doing the whole thing behind close doors with just the Dems?