Redux

Obama has had numerous WH meetings (and a few on the Hill) where Republican leaders were invited to participate. It might even be fair to say that Republicans have been invited to WH meetings more in the first six months of the Obama administration than Democrats in eight years of the Bush administration (no, I dont have a link..just a gut assement).

It seems to me the health reform proposals have been subject to a quite of bit of debate in the various committees to-date...and numerous opportunities for the Republicans to offer amendments...and is likely to continue into the fall.

The Senate Health and Labor Committee took up every amendment offered by the Republicans...same is happening in the Finance Committee, along with a likely bi-partisan proposal to emerge from that committee....and on the House side, the rules will allow more amendments than the Republican-controlled House, under the Hastert rule, ever allowed the Democrats to offer. The best (or worst) example, if you really want to look back, was the Republican medicare prescription drugs legislation...where Tom Delay actually bribed a Republican House member right on the floor during the vote...after extending the voting time beyond the allowable time in order to ensure passage.

Just the facts