President Obama’s healthcare summit has come and gone. The mere fact that this meeting took place in front of cameras was reason enough to discount any potential for real bipartisanship to occur. The upshot? The Republicans stand firm on their ground to rally against any Obama proposal as the party brands itself on this issue ahead of a potentially gratifying November midterm.

Meanwhile, the White House and the Democrats will say that every effort is being made to “forge ahead” amid the apparent obstructionist natures of the GOP. The problem for both parties is that the American public is becoming tired of what it sees as a spectacle. According to a CNN poll [PDF], 86 percent felt that government is broken, with 14 percent saying it isn’t. Of that 86 percent, 81 percent say the government can be fixed, with 5 percent saying it’s beyond repair.

Whatever the ultimate effect this televised meeting had on patients, lawmakers, physicians, insurance companies, and other interested parties; one thing’s for certain: closed-door meetings are the only way anything can get done. Political theater for the world to see accomplishes nothing but shallow grandiosity on the bumpy road to an ultimate reform bill. | LINK

RELATED: The GOP’s proposals. | LINK

Related Posts Within Doctor Pundit:

1. Obama Realizes Difficulties in Healthcare Policy Overhaul as He Prepares for Summit Now that Obama has made his HHS choice official and...
2. Emboldened by New Cause, Obama Increases Anticipation for Reform Summit President Obama’s version of the reform bill (the one he...
3. Obama’s Reform Summit Begins Amid Hype Ready…set…yawn? With all of the fanfare surrounding this morning’s healthcare...
4. Study: Levels of Health Reform-Related Funds Continue to Shape Debate A GOP congressman accepting almost $100K in healthcare industry-related donations...
5. ACO Rule under Reform Aims to Increase Cooperation among Providers, Hospitals No April Foolery here. The time has come: HHS has...