WASHINGTON - The fate of US President Barack Obama's healthcare overhaul was in the hands of his own Democrats on Thursday after a summit, in which Republicans demanded his plan be tossed out in favour of a smaller one. Democrats and Republicans appeared to battle to a draw at a marathon seven-hour talkathon hosted by the White House. Both sides defined several areas where they agree. But neither was willing to forgo their overarching goals: Democrats want a sweeping bill that requires all Americans to buy insurance, and Republicans want a much smaller and more narrowly defined plan. The stalemate leaves Democrats with a difficult decision to make. They have a live option before them …quot;use a parliamentary tactic known as reconciliation to jam their plan through the US Congress with a simple majority vote. Obama did nothing to quell talk that this is the route Democrats will pursue, saying most Americans "think that a majority vote makes sense". Using a muscle tactic on such a large piece of legislation carries political risks, however, as Democrats and Republicans position themselves for November congressional elections. A Gallup poll found that Americans by 52 to 39 per cent opposed Democrats using the procedure. Both parties are keeping a wary eye on the elections, with Democrats eager for a victory to shore up their liberal base and Republicans reluctant to help them. "If the bill is passed through reconciliation and it remains as unpopular with the public as it appears to be polling now, that's another huge talking point for the Republicans going into the fall elections," said Merle Black, a political science professor at Emory University in Atlanta. Obama, who was judged the winner of a public debate with Republicans when he appeared at their retreat in Baltimore last month, may have been hoping for a similar victory to get Americans to take a fresh look at his proposals. "I really don't think the summit will change the minds of any of the attendees, but its real effect will be if it changes public opinion in any real way," said Rick Weissenstein, an analyst at Concept Capital's Washington Research Group. The Blair House healthcare summit, probably missed by many Americans since it took place during working hours, was a remarkable session with Obama showing a deep knowledge of the subject and a willingness to listen to the other side that was largely absent last year.
