Health Summit

Just this past week, the White House officially invited Republicans to attend a summit on healthcare scheduled for February 25. In what is being touted as a bipartisan event in which the president is supposedly seeking to “bridge the gap” between the two parties on healthcare, the media has also been invited in so that the event will be televised. According to the letter sent out, the event will be set up in a semi-debate style, with Obama giving opening remarks followed by a leader from each party. Then the president will moderate (hah!) as the two parties discuss healthcare related issues. While a part of me would find it highly entertaining if the GOP decided to forgo the event, basically and not-so-subtly telling the liberals to ‘suck it,’ the more logical and smarter parter of me realizes that this has the potential to be a fantastic opportunity for Republicans.

If the Republicans can stick together, grow spines, and refuse to allow Obama and the Democrats to get to them by using sob stories, accusatory language, and flat out lies, then the GOP could actually come out on top, drawing both acclaim from their constituents and more voters to their side. However, I am slightly worried about how the Grand Old Party is going to behave. What I really do not want to see is them kowtowing in any way whatsoever to President Obama and/or the liberals and their agenda. I believe that those Republicans at the summit should, for a few hours at the least, push aside their misgivings as being seen as the ‘party of no’ or coming off as uncompromising, and just lay all their problems with the healthcare bill out on the table, for everyone to see. I do not want to see the Republicans nodding in approval or standing up to applaud (as they did at the State of the Union on issues that did not deserve their applause) when the opposition makes yet another false promise or tells another fancy lie. I am so sick of seeing and hearing Republican leaders discuss compromises, allowing the liberals to get away with what they want, and meekly accepting an assurance from the president. Seriously, GOP officials – you have a spine, use it. Stand up for what you want and don’t take no for an answer and don’t settle for anything less.

What I do want to see is our elected officials challenging the president and his minions, standing up for conservative values, and not backing down when assaulted with liberal rhetoric. Over and over again, Obama has said that our party has nothing better to offer or has yet to come up with a plan of our own. This of course is an absolute lie. Our Republican leaders have come up with plenty, but the president refuses to hear or acknowledge it, instead pointing his finger at the GOP, accusing them and making them look bad. I want to see the Republicans call out Obama on that matter on TV, making him look foolish for repeatedly lying and misleading the public into thinking that the GOP is just sitting there shaking their heads with no ideas of their own. I want to see the Republicans bring up what it is they want, especially tort reform and interstate competition among insurance companies, and clearly outline why and how our agenda is better for everyone because there is no better way to shut up a liberal then to confront him with facts. I want to see the Republicans clearly tell the American people why it is that the Democratic healthcare bill is wrong for this country and why the conservatives in Congress are not going to let the liberals get away with it. The Republicans need to be strong and united, challenge everything the liberals throw at them, refuse to back down on important issues and conservative values, and be on the offensive, challenging and questioning the president and the Democrats, calling them out on misinformation and lies, present them with stone-cold facts, and show the American people, that it is the conservatives, not the liberals, who have their best interests (not just the interests of businesses and insurance companies) at heart.

The Republicans need to remember that the majority of people in this country are against the healthcare bill and have lost a lot of love for the President, and they should use this to their advantage. Instead of just sitting there and taking it when the liberals accuse them of letting millions of people die and using scare-tactics to turn people against the Democrats, the Republicans need to stay strong and turn the tables on them. If the GOP can stick together and be on the offensive, if the GOP can remain calm, steady, and articulate instead of stammering and backtracking, and if the GOP can stand firm on its beliefs and wants, then this summit has the potential to be what our party needs to finally push the liberal healthcare bill into its grave. If it can also enhance the view of the Republican party in some people’s minds, then that is just an extra bonus.

Lauren Falgout is a contributor to The Conservative Funhouse blog