By Heidi Noonan
Senator Evan Bayh wants “less partisanship, less ideology, and more practical problem solving” within the marble hallways of Capitol Hill.
The Democratic Indiana senator who recently decided not to seek a third term, stopped by Fox News cameras Sunday morning to talk about the president’s upcoming health care summit, what needs to change on Capitol Hill, and his next steps.
Monday the White House is expected to post their plan for comprehensive health care reform on the Internet and Thursday the president will host a highly anticipated televised bipartisan heath care summit.
But with Congressional leadership at an apparent standstill, can progress be achieved? Bayh is optimistic saying, “I know the president is making a sincere effort. But it does take two to tango.
The Republicans need to check some of their partisan political interests at the door, the Democrats need to check some of their ideologies and predispositions at the door…The atmosphere is so poisonous right now, it won’t be easy, but the president is showing real leadership right now, bringing the sides together.”
GOP leaders in the House and Senate are cautious of the president’s health care summit calling it a possible “trap.” Senator Bayh balked at the idea saying he was amused, “Can you imagine what he would be saying if he (the president) was refusing to talk to them? All parties, the Democrats and Republicans in Congress, the president, need to come there, make a sincere effort on live television, to discuss these issues and to come up with a compromise. If they do that, I think progress is still possible.”
So how can Republicans and Democrats come together and fix what appears to be broken in Washington? Bayh said Republicans still need to be a part of the process, “The Republican party has an advantage going into the November elections, they think momentum is heading their way, so they are going to be tempted to just do nothing. That’s not right for the country.” But Democrats are also to blame, “In our party we have some very well meaning people, who from time to time aren’t willing to compromise on their beliefs, their driven a little too much by ideology. They need to be more practical.”
On CNN’s State of the Union, Senator Bayh was asked why he decided not to run for another term. He responded saying he is, “an executive at heart, and I am hopeful that we can reform Congress. But I did not want to wait around six years hoping that would happen.”
“My wife is asking me that question, and I don’t know” he told Fox after the interview about his next steps. He still plans to serve saying, “Only in Washington would someone think the only way, or even the best way to serve your country is by perpetually running for office. There are other ways to make difference, to help the American people. That’s what I intend to do. I found that I can make a bigger difference as an executive than legislator.” In Bayh’s statement issued February 15th, he gave many possible job opportunities: “I can best contribute to society in another way: creating jobs by helping grow a business, helping guide an institution of higher learning, or helping run a worthy charitable endeavor.”