The Democrats actually have an excellent option.
Most people do want health care reform. Instead of using that as an excuse to push through socialized, government dictated medicine, the Democrats could go back to square one. They could assign committees to study the issue and define what and where the problems are. The committees could then come back to congress with the issues defined and solutions proposed, and congress could then implement one of the solutions.
Most likely, the solutions would be for some kind of tort reform, less mandatory coverage (does insurance *really* need to cover aroma therapy and abortion?), and more outreach to all those poor people who apparently aren’t signing up for the programs already available to them.
If the Democrats approached health care reform intelligently, they would be hailed as heroes.
Good ideas, but hard for a party to do when it’s a wholly owned subsidiary of the Trial Lawyers!
This was never about 'health care'.
Thats asking too much of these guys, believe me
No offense, but Democrats want health care as a way to control people, not to make them healthy. If they really reform health care they will lose it as an issue, and therefore as a means of control.
Its totalitarianism or nothing with them.
But then they would look like they wasted the majority of legislative time and energy in 2009 and had to start over. In a year when unemployment was going up month to month. It would document their foolishness.
They only option that they have is for the house to pass the bill that made it through the senate. But to do that they have to hose the unions with the tax on high cost plans that was in the original bill. Also the abortion thing is in there. I don’t think the house Dems are going to fall on the sword.
In other words, the Dems are up s*** creek without a paddle. But they made that bed that is full of fleas and ticks and they can just lie and suffer in it.
I would like to see the Democrats abandon this particular bill, and do what you suggest. I think it’s unlikely, but that would be a good approach. Let’s study the issues and put together ideas. Let’s not rush to pass a bill. Contrary to the spin, Republicans would like to be involved, as many Republicans see problems with healthcare and would like to see changes too. These hearings on C-Span might not get a big audience, but this is what they should have done to start with.
I wonder how many liberals/Democrats are upset with the whole process of how this bill has been put together.
But they are congenitally unable to do this.
They can't do tort reform, because their most important single constituency from a financial standpoint are trial lawyers.
They can't allow policies that don't cover AIDs treatment, sex changes and aroma therapy, because their constituents will be deeply distressed.
Proving the old moral: It's impossible to be a hero when you're the captive of special interests. Especially, perverse special interests.