
 |
|
May 13, 2013
David G. Savage: Church-state, literally? Supreme Court weighing public school graduation in a church
May 10, 2013
Rabbi Berel Wein: Be all that you should be
May 8, 2013
Peter Ford: Why China is welcoming both Israel's Netanyahu and Palestinians' Abbas
Warren Richey: Obama administration quietly backs out of appeal over new contraceptive mandate
Fred Weir: At Kerry-Putin meeting, US-Russia relations thaw --- a tad
The Kosher Gourmet by Leela Cyd Ross : Almost too pretty to eat, this colorful salad with Sicilian inspiration will tickle the taste buds and delight your visual sensibility
May 6, 2013
May 3, 2013
Kids, kittens the Same? With employee perks at struggling Internet pioneer Yahoo! it's hard to tell
Sandy Kleffman: Artificial kidney offers hope to patients tethered to a dialysis machine
April 29, 2013
Roy Gutman: Poland's new Jewish museum celebrates life, doesn't revisit Holocaust
Mark Clayton: Terrorism in America: Is US missing a chance to learn from failed plots?
Kim Murphy: Boston Bomber's 'Svengali' Revealed
Pete Spotts: Tiny satellites + cellphones = cheaper 'eyes in the sky' for NASA
April 26, 2013
Clifford D. May: Defense in the Age of Jihadist Terrorism
Sharon Palmer, R.D.: How to feel your best -- with plenty of energy, a healthy weight and optimal mental and physical function -- without driving yourself batty
April 24, 2013
|
| |
Jewish World Review
February 11, 2010
/ 27 Shevat 5770
You've Got to Give … a Little
By
Cal Thomas
| 
|
|
|
| |
|
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
At first it seemed like a great idea. President Obama, fresh from good reviews for his appearance at the House Republican retreat two weeks ago, invited Republican leaders to Blair House in Washington for negotiations on a health insurance reform bill. But the essence of negotiation is in its definition "to deal or bargain with another or others." Or, to quote an old song lyric: "You've got to give a little, take a little, and let your poor heart break a little." We know what the president is willing to take, but what is he prepared to give?
The glory of love (the title of the song from which the above lyric is taken) is in giving and taking, so why isn't the story the same for political negotiations? For one brief shining moment it appeared politicians might actually do something that benefits the country. Polls show a majority of the public reject "Obamacare," which is actually Reid-Pelosi-care. The president has submitted no bill. After raising hopes that a compromise might be had, the president on Tuesday met with Republican leaders for two hours and told them his core concerns remain nonnegotiable. So what's to negotiate?
In the White House briefing room, the president said, "Bipartisanship can't be that I agree to all of the things that (Republican leaders) believe in or want, and they agree to none of the things I believe in or want." OK, but since the president and his party control all three branches of government it is fair to ask them to go first.
Some of the president's goals closely resemble Republican objectives: lowering health-case costs and expanding coverage to the uninsured. The problem is the president and the congressional Democratic leadership wants to expand government controls and raise taxes, while Republicans favor an approach tilted toward the free enterprise system.
House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) and GOP Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA) sent a letter to White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel. In it they noted that legislation to "opt out" of Obamacare has been introduced in 36 states. Boehner and Cantor want the nation's governors and state legislators to be invited to the president's Feb. 25 health care "summit." Even the Virginia State Senate, which is controlled by Democrats, has passed a measure protecting individuals from being compelled to purchase health insurance.
| FREE SUBSCRIPTION TO INFLUENTIAL NEWSLETTER |
| Every weekday NewsAndOpinion.com publishes what many in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". HUNDREDS of columnists and cartoonists regularly appear. Sign up for the daily update. It's free. Just click here. |
|
Republicans have the political advantage, not only on health care, but also on national security, which has in recent years been the party's strongest issue. Republicans delivered a rapid response to a USA Today editorial by John Brennan, assistant to the president and deputy national security adviser for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism. Brennan said that "unfounded fear-mongering only serve(s) the goals of al-Qaida." What about founded fear-mongering, or just plain legitimate fear about the way the administration is handling terrorists and Iran? (The president has called for more sanctions, which are as useful as a U.N. resolution.)
The country's top intelligence officers predict another attempted terrorist attack within the next three to six months. Are they "fear-mongering"? If the attack succeeds, what will the administration do? Issue strong denunciations? Call for a U.N. resolution? Appease our enemies again?
Republican candidates for the House and Senate are ahead in polls in many states. GOP optimists believe they could take back Congress. The question is: what will they do then? First, they should promise to stop Obama's progressive-liberal-socialist (take your pick) agenda. Second, they must find a strong presidential candidate who will bring experience and a realistic worldview to the problems that confront us abroad and at home.
The stage is being prepared. There is room in the wings. Who will it be? Whoever it is, he (or she) had better be ready to take over from what appears to be a failing presidency. The country can't afford eight full years of Barack Obama. We'll be fortunate to survive the next three.
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
| BUY THE BOOK |
| Click HERE to purchase it at a discount. (Sales help fund JWR.). |
|
Cal Thomas Archives JWR contributor Cal Thomas is co-author with Bob Beckel, a liberal Democratic Party strategist, of "Common Ground: How to Stop the Partisan War That is Destroying America". Comment by clicking here.
© 2006, Tribune Media Services, Inc.
|
|

Arnold Ahlert
Mitch Albom
Jay Ambrose
Michael Barone
Barrywood
Lori Borgman
Stratfor Briefing
Mona Charen
Linda Chavez
Richard Z. Chesnoff
Ann Coulter
Greg Crosby
Larry Elder
Suzanne Fields
Christine Flowers
Frank J. Gaffney
Bernie Goldberg
Jonah Goldberg
Julia Gorin
Jonathan Gurwitz
Paul Greenberg
Argus Hamilton
Victor Davis Hanson
Betsy Hart
Ron Hart
Nat Hentoff
A. Barton Hinkle
Jeff Jacoby
Paul Johnson
Jack Kelly
Ch. Krauthammer
David Limbaugh
Kathryn Lopez
Rich Lowry
Michelle Malkin
Jackie Mason
Ann McFeatters
Dale McFeatters
Dana Milbank
Jeanne Moos
Dick Morris
Jim Mullen
Deroy Murdock
Judge A. Napolitano
Bill O'Reilly
Clarence Page
Kathleen Parker
Star Parker
Dennis Prager
Wesley Pruden
Tom Purcell
Sharon Randall
Robert Robb
Cokie & Steve Roberts
Heather Robinson
Debra J. Saunders
Martin Schram
Greg Schwem
Culture Shlock
David Shribman
Roger Simon
Lenore Skenazy
Michael Smerconish
Thomas Sowell
Ben Stein
Mark Steyn
John Stossel
Cal Thomas
Dan Thomasson
Bob Tyrrell
Diana West
Dave Weinbaum
George Will
Walter Williams
Byron York
ZeitGeist
Mort Zuckerman

Robert Arial
Chuck Asay
Baloo
Lisa Benson
Chip Bok
Dry Bones
John Branch
John Cole
J. D. Crowe
Matt Davies
John Deering
Brian Duffy
Everything's Relative
Mallard Fillmore
Glenn Foden
Jake Fuller
Bob Gorrel
Walt Handelsman
Joe Heller
David Hitch
Jerry Holbert
David Horsey
Lee Judge
Steve Kelley
Jeff Koterba
Dick Locher
Chan Lowe
Jimmy Margulies
Jack Ohman
Michael Ramirez
Rob Rogers
Drew Sheneman
Kevin Siers
Jeff Stahler
Scott Stantis
Danna Summers
Gary Varvel
Kirk Walters
Dan Wasserman

Tech Q&A
Mr. Know-It-All
Ask Doctor K
Richard Lederer
Frugal Living
On Nutrition
Bookmark These
Bruce Williams
|