AP Top News at 11:42 a.m. EST
GOP to Obama at summit: ‘We have a better idea’WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama argued Thursday that a sweeping overhaul of the nation’s broken health care system is imperative for the nation’s future economic vitality, setting off an immediate clash in an extraordinary live-on-TV summit with Republicans who want far more modest changes. “We believe we have a better idea,” retorted GOP Sen. Lamar Alexander. With the daylong policy debate available from start to finish to a divided public, Obama and Democratic leaders cast the health care reform they want as critical to tackling an issue that’s even more pressing to many Americans — the still-hurting economy. After opening the summit with hugs and handshakes, Obama declared that even as politicians focus on propelling economic growth, they must also address “one of the biggest drags on our economy.”
