Obama, Dems Agree to Closed-Door Health Negotiations

So much for transparency.

in reference to:

"President Obama and congressional Democratic leaders agreed Tuesday to bypass a conference committee and keep negotiations to reconcile the Senate and House health care reform bills a closed-door affair. They concluded that the House will work off the Senate's version, amend it and send it back to the Senate for final passage, according to a House leadership aide, speaking on condition of anonymity in order to discuss the private meeting. Obama held an Oval Office meeting Tuesday evening with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and his No. 2, Sen. Dick Durbin joined in by phone. Obama himself will take a hands-on role in the final health care talks, convening another meeting with congressional leaders at the White House on Wednesday, the aide said. The aim is to get a final bill to Obama's desk before the State of the Union policy address sometime in early February."
- FOXNews.com - Obama, Dems Agree to Closed-Door Health Negotiations (view on Google Sidewiki)