With Health Reform In Legal Limbo, Dems Consider Their Options
The Hill reports: “Healthcare reform supporters have begun to seek alternatives to the unpopular individual mandate at the heart of Monday’s surprising decision overturning the entire law. Officially, the Obama administration dismissed Judge Roger Vinson’s decision as a fluke. Two judges have already ruled that the mandate is constitutional, and a third struck down the mandate but not the rest of the law…Yet lawmakers supportive of the law and healthcare activists are already actively contemplating various scenarios for moving forward without the mandate.”
Obama’s Day Ahead
President Obama and Vice President Biden will receive the presidential daily briefing at 9:30 a.m. ET. Obama will meet with senior advisers at 10 a.m. ET, and hold a Cabinet meeting at 10:30 am. ET. Obama and Biden will meet for lunch at 12:15 p.m. ET. Obama will meet at 1:30 p.m. ET with members of the Technology CEO Council. Obama and Biden will meet at 4:30 p.m. ET with Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.
Democrats, Republicans Form Chorus On Egypt
Politico reports: “It’s not often that Republicans take their cue from the Democratic president, but their desire to stay in lock step with the White House underscores the gravity of the uprising in Egypt and the sensitive political optics of undercutting the president’s carefully calibrated and multilayered message. It also reflects a significant behind-the-scenes effort by the nation’s top foreign policy officials to communicate with leaders of both parties and lawmakers who oversee international affairs and foreign aid.”
After Losing House, Democrats Will Try New Strategy: Bipartisanship
The Washington Post reports: “The Democratic wish list for the 112th Congress looks nothing like the bold liberal agenda the party pushed over the past two years. Democratic leaders say they could take up the cause of deficit reduction, urge a free-trade agreement with South Korea and advocate for an overhaul of the nation’s immigration laws. All of these issues have something in common: They will require support from lawmakers in both parties to have any hope of passing.
Obama’s Bid to End Oil Subsidies Revives Debate
The New York Times reports: “When he releases his new budget in two weeks, President Obama will propose doing away with roughly $4 billion a year in subsidies and tax breaks for oil companies, in his third effort to eliminate federal support for an industry that remains hugely profitable. Previous efforts have run up against bipartisan opposition in Congress and heavy lobbying from producers of oil, natural gas and coal. The head of the oil and gas lobby in Washington contends that the president has it backward — that the industry subsidizes the government, through billions of dollars in taxes and royalties, not the other way around.”
Republicans Can’t Keep Social Issues Off Agenda
Roll Call reports: “So much for House Republicans not taking up social issues this year. House GOP leaders may not have intended on pushing a social issues agenda — they basically ignored such thorny topics in their ‘Pledge to America’ majority-making document last year. But that isn’t stopping rank-and-file Members from looking for opportunities to advance measures dealing with red-meat subjects such as English as the national language, abortion funding and the practice of allowing ‘anchor babies’ citizenship.”
