FRAME: Republicans against "government-run" healthcare need to drop their excellent benefits NOW

[zulchzulu]

That's the FIRST THING anyone in the mainstream media needs to say to any Republican playing the Repeal HCR Card now.

Not a question about why they this or that on the reform legislation. Not some ridiculous "it's a job killer" RNC talking point rant. Not a this or that about how the debt is going this or that on whatever...

The first and ONLY question that needs to be asked is WHEN they are going to give up their excellent healthcare benefits. And they have five seconds to say WHEN or STFU.

Period.

[kestrel91316]

1. Republicans against government-run healthcare need to completely

eliminate the VA healthcare system to prove they are serious.

Heh heh.

[old mark]

2. K&R...But they are IMPORTANT-they are against health care for US, not them...nt

[JoePhilly]

3. Been making that argument from the day the HCR debate started.

The Dems should be putting the GOP on the defensive using that exact question.

[zulchzulu]

4. Yep

I did a web site that's still online (www.stopmybenefits.com) that's objective was to send a message to the usual cast of characters to put up or shut up. The message needs to be really revived and shoved down their throats now and for the next two years. They can't run from that without actually doing something.

[zulchzulu]

5. Rep. Israel (NY) called Michele Bachmann out on this on Big Ed's show

She calls the Affordable Health Care Act "socialism" but she is never going to give up on her own government-run healthcare that she enjoys.

This needs to be repeated over and over again. There have nowhere to hide.

[wiggs]

6. I think it's a weak angle to take. Would we be happy to have these very wealthy

individuals pay for their own insurance and go ahead cut insurance for those that CAN'T afford it? Is that somehow just and better? Doesn't seem like much of a threat, and I can see them en masse agreeing to do just that and make headlines about their 'honesty' and feeling less guilty about denying coverage for millions. They'd be out 15K per year each, but that's pennies to most of them.

I don't even think the comparison is right...they get health coverage from their employers (us). That's not really a government program. Most Americans are and will continue to be covered through their employers. Maybe I'm looking at it from a wrong angle, but I don't see equivalency.

I think the better approach is to point out the flaws in the existing system, the huge costs due to profit and protection of corporations, the fact that many countries do much better than we do and for less cost, that no other industrialized country allows for-profit insurance for basic care, how many people suffer and die due to lack of coverage or cost of care, the JOB-KILLING cost of health care, the stagnant middle class wages that are due in part to increases in cost of health benefits, etc etc. The reasons for reforming insurance and health care are good enough to stand on their own without giving the gop a way out by simply buying their own insurance.

I don't mean to throw a wet blanket on pointing out gop hypocrisy...go ahead and brow beat them with anything you have. I just don't think demanding they give up congressional health care is a strong point...and I do think it's a risky one.

[zulchzulu]

7. It's a federal program, hence a government program

We can split hairs whether there is some level of private sector choices within the health care packages offered to them, but it's certainly not a privatized set of programs.

We taxpayers pay for their health care, hence it's subsidized as a government program. It merely is a simple task to ask those against the Affordable Health Care Act to show they are willing to give up their coverage we pay for while they try to failingly stop coverage that has been enacted.