Some of U.S. President Barack Obama’s past statements have gained relevance during the current health care debate. It’s time we step back and listen.
Five years ago, Obama gave his opinion about the “nuclear option.” A nuclear option is a strategy used by the majority in the Senate to end a filibuster. Senate bills require the approval of 60 senators before coming to a vote. However, a nuclear option nullifies the filibuster by requiring just a simple majority, or 51 votes.
In 2005, George W. Bush wanted to use the nuclear option for passing social security reform. Then-Senator Obama objected, saying the move would “change the character of the Senate forever” and added that it did not meet the Founding Fathers’ intentions.
Hillary Clinton said Bush needed to “restrain” himself. Harry Reid opposed the option because he wanted to preserve “limited government.”
Based on these comments, it is surprising that Obama and the Democrat-run Congress are now considering using the nuclear option to pass their health care reform bill.
Last week, Reid again commented on the topic. He said Republicans “should stop crying about reconciliation, as if it’s never been done before.” It appears that Reid is only interested in limiting government’s powers when the opposition is in charge.
Obama also said in 2005 that Bush should scrap his social security reform because only 35 percent of Americans approved. In other words, he told Bush to listen to and obey the wishes of the people.
Rasmussen Reports released a poll last week that said only 41 percent of people approve of Obama’s health care reform versus 56 percent who are opposed. By his own logic, he should scrap this bill and obey the wishes of the people.
More recently, Obama criticized Republican Rep. Eric Cantor for bringing a giant stack of paper to Thursday’s health care summit. The 2,400-page stack of paper was the health care bill. Obama called it the “type of political stunt that gets in the way of lawmakers having a serious conversation.”
Obama knows a political stunt when he sees one. During a health care town hall-style meeting in New Hampshire last year, a young girl stood up and asked the president a kindhearted question. It seemed odd that the curious girl read her “sincere” question from a note card. Shortly thereafter, The Boston Globe reported that the girl’s mother was the coordinator of a group called “Massachusetts Women for Obama.”
It is at least somewhat humorous that Obama viewed someone reading from the health care bill at the health care summit as “getting in the way.” Next time, Cantor should bring a young girl to the summit to ask the questions.
Judging by his countless television appearances, Obama loves the sound of his own voice. He usually repeats the same worn-out messages the teleprompter displayed a week earlier. But sometimes his words deserve a second listen.
