Reaching out

After meeting with House Republicans and debating policy the other day, President Barack Obama continues to open the door to them.

During the State of the Union message, he spoke about bipartisan White House discussions. The president is following through with that initiative, White House aides told the New York Times.

Republicans were even invited to the White House to watch the Super Bowl Sunday, and there will be more invitations to Camp David.

The White House says that President Obama wishes to include Republicans in policy discussions, forcing them to submit their ideas directly and perhaps more seriously consider compromising with their political rivals on policy matters and legislation.

Republicans have indicated that they are willing to share their proposals.

Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., conceded that the president's new strategy might be a political ploy. But he said: "When we do policy and get good results, there is always the possibility that Democrats might gain a little politically. But I think our main job here is to help the country."

If both sides can keep that in mind, the exercise should be successful.

For his part, President Obama has been challenging Republicans to present their ideas. Speaking in Nashua, N.H., last Tuesday, he remarked: "I've said to the Republicans, show me what you've got. You've been sitting on the sidelines criticizing what we're proposing. ... You got a better idea, bring it on."

And he waxed philosophical during the National Prayer breakfast last Thursday, calling on lawmakers to restore "a spirit of civility" to Washington.

Partisan divisions are common to the nation's capital, he said, but added "there is a sense that something is different now, that something is broken, that those of us in Washington aren't serving people as well as we should." Perhaps those reflections play a part in the White House tactics.

This new strategy opens the Republicans to more criticism as well. The president has proposed the creation of a bipartisan commission to seek ways to reduce the deficit. The administration has argued that Republicans helped increase the national debt during George W. Bush's presidency and thus need to help reduce it.

Some Republicans have shown a willingness to participate. But there are philosophical differences that resist compromise.

Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., said: "If the president will consider some free-market economic principles and allow us to leave more money in the private sector rather than demagogue corporations and profits, we might have a chance to work on something."

"But if it is just more government spending paid for by taxes on the job creators, it is hard to work with that," he added.

This is an interesting outreach. Maybe it will bear fruit.