President Obama dropped a few hints about how he intends to lobby Congress on health care during a news conference Friday following the G8 summit in L'Aquila, Italy. And if we're parsing his remarks correctly, lawmakers can expect firm prodding through the August recess, flexible timetables on a final agreement and one barnburner of a House-Senate conference.
President Obama at press conference after G8 summit. (Getty)
Obama indicated he would continue to put cost on an equal footing with expanded coverage, by emphasizing that any health plan be budget neutral.
"Whatever bill is produced has to be paid for, and that creates some difficulties because people would like to get the good stuff without paying for it," Obama said.
Aides believe focusing on the dollars-and-cents aspect expands the health care debate beyond the approximately 48 million uninsured Americans, to those who have health coverage but are concerned about losing benefits during the economic downturn. The administration is wagering that economically stressed workers will appreciate a bottom-line approach that squeezes new efficiencies out of the health delivery system and doesn't reek of expensive social engineering.
Obama also hinted that he and top officials will continue to make campaign-style appearances around the country, linking any sustained economic recovery with a restructuring of health care.
"What I'm trying to keep focused on are the people out in states all across the country that are getting hammered by rising premiums," the president said. "They're losing their jobs and suddenly losing their health care. They are going into debt. Some are going into bankruptcy -- small businesses and large businesses that are feeling enormous pressure."
We'd expect more town-hall style meetings like the ones Obama held in Green Bay, Wisc. and Annandale, Va. that personalize failings of the health system and whet appetites for change. Organizing for America, the advocacy group that grew out of Obama's 2008 campaign, is augmenting the big events with door-to-door canvassing across the country, in which volunteers will be promoting the administration's heatlh care priorities. The neighborhood-level activism begins this weekend.
And if Congress thinks it can wrap up work on a messy issue by producing a watered-down compromise by September, think again. Asked whether it's do-or-die by the August recess, Obama responded, "I never believe anything is do-or-die. But I really want to get it done by the August recess."
Obama said he wants to continue to defer to Congress on forging many key aspects of a plan, but indicated he will get more hands-on as the summer progresses. Maybe even heavy-handed, when it comes to reconciling plans from the House and Senate.
"Our team is working with members of Congress every day on this issue, and it is my highest legislative priority over the next month," the president said. "We are having a whole series of constant negotiations. This is not simply a Democratic versus Republican issue. This is a House versus Senate issue. This is different committees that have different priorities. My job is to make sure that I've set some clear parameters in terms of what I want to achieve."
Obama, normally a non-confrontational type, isn't exactly relishing the fights to come, either. Asked by an Italian reporter whether it's easier to deal with sometimes fractious groups of world leaders or the Congress, the president quickly replied, "It's not even close. I mean, Congress is always tougher."
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