-
President Barack Obama - Source: Reuters -
Related
US President Barack Obama found common ground with Republicans
over his top priorities of job creation and deficit reduction but
drew a rebuke on healthcare reform.
A Democrat, Obama has been promoting a retooled strategy since an
election in Massachusetts last month deprived his party of a super
majority in the US Senate and forced him to work more closely with
rival Republicans.
After a roughly 90-minute White House meeting with congressional
leaders from both parties, Obama indicated he would accept
incremental steps rather than more sweeping measures to create
jobs, his top domestic priority.
"(It's) realistic for us to get a package moving quickly that may
not include all of the things I think need to be done," Obama said
during an impromptu news conference.
"It may be that that first package builds some trust and confidence
that Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill can work together,"
he said.
Eyeing November elections that could further change the balance of
power in the Democratic-led Congress, the president sought to
engage the opposition on shared priorities while accusing them of
sometimes putting politics ahead of policy.
Republican leaders said after the meeting they saw a basis for
support from both parties on expanding trade, nuclear power and
offshore drilling -- all to help create jobs.
"These are areas where I think there could be pretty broad
bipartisan support to go forward on a collaborative basis," Senate
Republican leader Mitch McConnell told reporters.
But Republican leaders gave no ground on healthcare, saying broad
Democratic-backed legislation in its current form should be
scrapped.
Obama's first year in office was characterized by sweeping - not
incremental - proposals on healthcare, climate change and financial
reform all still pending in Congress.
Though improving, the economy is still a top concern for U.S.
voters.
The economy grew by a brisk 5.7% year-on-year in the fourth quarter
of 2009 and unemployment dipped to 9.7% in January.
But the jobless rate remains historically high and the White House wants additional stimulus on top of a $US787 billion emergency spending package Obama signed last year.
Jobs, jobs, jobs
Obama said the business world was anxious for certainty in policy
areas such as financial reform and healthcare.
"The sooner the business community has a sense that we've got our
act together here in Washington and can move forward on big,
serious issues in a substantive way without a lot of posturing and
partisan wrangling, I think the better off the entire country is
going to be," he said.
Obama repeated that he was willing to listen to Republican ideas on
healthcare but rejected calls for a complete overhaul.
He said an energy package should include a mix of measures to boost
nuclear, oil and gas production - areas that appeal to Republicans
- along with new technology to boost renewable fuels such as wind
and solar.
On jobs, Obama said both parties could agree to eliminate capital gains taxes for small businesses.
He said he hoped all would support a way to get more capital to
community banks lending to small businesses.
The House of Representatives passed a $US155 billion jobs bill in
December while the Senate has yet to act.
Senate Democratic leaders unveiled a set of job-creating ideas last
week and said they would solicit Republican input before moving
ahead with legislation.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid hoped to introduce a bill on
Monday and pass it by the end of the week, but he has been delayed
by snowstorms that have kept many lawmakers from getting to
work.
A jobs bill that could go through the Senate would extend
soon-to-expire jobless payments, healthcare subsidies for the
unemployed and highway-funding programs, according to the text of
the bill obtained by Reuters.
"Frankly, it is not ready yet," McConnell, the Senate Republican
leader, said, referring to a jobs bill.
"Most of my members have not seen it yet. We're certainly open
to it and ... there is a chance we can move this forward on a
bipartisan basis."
In a potential sign of conciliation, House Republican leader John
Boehner said the party was mulling appointing members to Obama's
proposed bipartisan deficit commission.
Obama plans to issue an executive order to set up the commission to
study options on spending and taxes after lawmakers failed to
create a congressional panel on the issue.
