Would the bill be better or worse if

[JamesA1102]

they had taken a more bipartisan approach with the Republicans? I tend to think it would be worse but there seems to a narative building in the media that it would be better if the GOP had been involved.

[BeFree]

1. Remind us...

...what exactly did the republicans want?

[JamesA1102]

6. Tort reform

and the end of the restrictions that prevent insurance companies to sell across state lines.

[BeFree]

14. yeah

Tort reform: The republicans want to take away the right of citizens to sue for their rights.
No wonder tort reform has gone nowhere for 10 years or so.

Seems the restrictions have been lifted to some degree, but to just willy-nilly allow insurance companies to override state laws is kinda going against pubbies state rights idea, eh?

The republicans got nothing new. They ran the government for most of the last decade and did nothing but make a mess. Screw them. They fail.

[RaleighNCDUer]

18. If they REALLY wanted that, they'd have done those things when

THEY held all the power. Those are just campaign issues for the proles.

There is not a single repug legislator who wants to lose the capability of suing if THEY are the injured party - they will NEVER put tort reform forward if it has ANY chance of passing.

Besides, they know full well that malpractice insurance and payments are responsible for less than 3% of the rise in medical costs. They wouldn't dare pass tort reform, only to be unable to show any improvement in controlling costs as a result.

They're crooked, not stupid.

[JamesA1102]

20. Good point nt

[NJmaverick]

2. The Republicans have made it more than clear they dont want to actually earn their pay

they want to sit in the corner and pout.

[JamesA1102]

21. Unfortunately very few in the MSN are calling them out on it NT

[tridim]

3. It's kind of a silly hypothetical..

The GOP was given a chance to participate and they said NO! They say no to everything.

[JamesA1102]

4. I agree it is silly.

But the right is pushing this narrative and the MSM is starting to pick it up.

[tridim]

9. Nobody is paying attention to them. It's Christmas.

I wouldn't worry about it too much.

[mmonk]

5. To answer your question, worse.

And to correct your question, a bipartisan approach was taken.

[JamesA1102]

8. But that's not the narrative that is being peddled in the MSN nt

[mmonk]

10. By some, yes.

[kentuck]

7. The Repubs did not hide the fact...

that they would oppose this legislation, no matter what was in it. Obama tried too hard to get Republicans on board, in my opinion.

[Echo In Light]

11. M$M Damage Control, seeding the public mind w/what vested interests *want* the public to believe

[Avalux]

12. The media is NOT our friend; or Obama's.

They have an agenda far removed from reporting the facts and of course, will take what will be a huge victory for the Dems/Obama and turn it into something ugly. They've done a fairly good job in manipulating part of Obama's base against him thus far; I am saddened by it.

Bottom line - whether or not Repubicans were involved was THEIR choice. They have taken the stance of obstructionists and never had any intention of being involved with or passing health reform legislation. They are happy with the status quo and will do whatever it takes to turn Obama into a failure. So the question presented is irrelevant.

[JamesA1102]

16. I agree

Unfortunately only Carl Bernstein was making that point this morning.

[KharmaTrain]

13. The GOOP Strategy...

...was to kill any reform from the get-go. First it was Grassley playing games with Baucus...then crying that he was shut out despite Max all but letting him write the final bill. Then there was Olympia Snowe...the closest any rushpublican came to having some serious interest in reform, but in the end, she voted against a bill that was even softer than the changes she proposed in the Baucus committee. Thus I think there's your answer.

The GOOP strategy is simple...obstruct and make this administration and the Democrats look inept. Since their base is all hyped and polarized this works well to keep what's left of their base intact and the obstacles they throw make it seem like its the Democrats fault...a theme the corporate media quickly apes. Also it allows for focus to be shifted to divisions within the Democratic party and puts the administration in the middle. Meanwhile the GOOP can snipe on hate radio and faux noise...teabag and poutrage and they have the luxuary of not having to be held accountable.

[T Wolf]

15. They gave EVERYTHING away as it is, trying to cater to the GOP. Maybe they should have just let

the pukes write the damn thing in the first place.

[RaleighNCDUer]

17. Just how, praytell, could they have been MORE bipartisan?

The bill gives them the fucking store, and the cash register besides.

[RDANGELO]

19. Look a the Republican alternative in the house.

It accomplished almost nothing. I don't think you would ever get any votes from them on anything that raised any taxes, which means you would have no way to pay for any subsidies. You would get nothing on expanding medicaid or medicare. They have misinformed a lot of people into believing that it can be done with just market reforms.