Democrats, Jewish Groups Strive to Bring Health Care Reform

David Streeter — February 26, 2010 – 11:05 am | Barack Obama | Democrats | Domestic Policy | Health Care | Republicans Comments (2) Add a comment

This week Democrats and Jewish groups worked tirelessly to help promote health care reform for our country:

• President Barack Obama convened a bipartisan health care summit during which he displayed his extensive knowledge of the subject and his commitment to achieving reform. Daily Kos compiled a highlight reel of memorable speeches by Democrats including Representative Louise Slaughter’s (D-NY) impassioned advocacy for women’s health care.
• Representative Henry Waxman (D-CA) praised Obama and declared that his command of the summit paved the way for Democrats to begin passing health care reform through reconciliation.
• David A. Harris, President of the National Jewish Democratic Council (NJDC), published an op-ed in Politico’s Arena that proclaimed reconciliation as the “common-sense” option for Democrats who want reform.
• NJDC posted a background segment on reconciliation from National Public Radio on its blog so that readers could hear the positive history of reconciliation vis-a-vis health care reform.
• The Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism issued a statement on behalf of the entire Reform movement in support of Obama’s health care reform plan.
• Representative Anthony Weiner (D-NY) criticized Republicans in a colorful speech on the House floor for their associations with health insurance companies.
• NJDC’s CEO Ira N. Forman called out Republicans in Politico’s Arena for their strategy of obstructing health care reform.

But despite the Democrats’ best efforts, it appears that the Republicans will not budge on their opposition to health care reform. During the summit, Media Matters assembled clips of Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck giving their marching orders to the GOP: filibuster and obstruct. Unfortunately it appears that the GOP is following them with their campaign to “start over” on health care reform—insisting that we throw out a year of legislative work and debate in the process.  

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