This Health Reform Bill Is Political Suicide

[IndianaGreen]

12.15.09 - 4:28 PM

This Health Reform Bill Is Political Suicide

by Dave Johnson

Here is the larger problem: the public is going to judge US - progressives, liberals, Democrats, etc. - based on what these clucks pass.

This health "reform" bill plays right into decades of conservative/corporate propaganda about liberals and their policies - and government in general. Republicans will sell it as "big government ordering you around and reaching into your pocket" and the corporate media will echo that until everyone sees it that way. There won't be a word explaining that this money actually goes to big corporations, it will be about everyone losing the insurance they have and how people will soon be paying big money to a "government insurance bureaucracy." (Are we going to counter this by saying, "well, no, actually it goes to big corporations not government"?)

And, frankly, why should the public ever again listen to anyone left of John McCain after this, if this is what happens when Democrats get power? It is just wrong to use that power to order everyone to shell out a huge amount of money - while Wall Street hands out billions of taxpayer dollars as bonuses. They will be portrayed as confirming what the right has been saying about "liberals" they use the power of the state to order people to follow elitist schemes - which is exactly what this is, a scheme where elite people with power decide what is good for the rest of us - mandates are important because you can't cover pre-existing without them, etc. THIS is where a President is supposed to be a leader come in and insist on broader guidelines with a veto threat.

What I am most afraid of is what will happen when Republicans start making up shit about what passed, while people feel no immediate benefit. It doesn't take effect right away so it will just be this looming, terrifying, expensive "big government" program coming at people in a few years that is going to cost everyone a lot of money and ruin our health care system. Without sufficient immediate benefits that people feel, on the scale of free insurance for everyone, the Republicans will have lots of time to just make up shit about what is coming if they don't vote for Republicans so they can repeal it.

Unless you're pretty sure that Repubilcans wouldn't do that, wouldn't just make shit up to scare people. If you're like Senate Democrats who seem to think that, don't worry about this.

http://www.commondreams.org/further/2009/12/15-1

[Bullet1987]

1. I agree...this is a major reason why the "Pass Anything" meme

is flat out wrong. You can't pass anything and HOPE it works out. Especially if what you're passing is bullsh*t. We may not have another opportunity like this. When we needed leadership from Obama, we were left on hold. We have to get it RIGHT this time!

[tridim]

2. Another article that ignores the party-line Republican obstruction..

and the fact that the Senate is not a democracy.

Into the shit can.

[Laelth]

3. Agreed, and I have argued similarly before.

Here, if anyone is interested:

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/Laelth/38">Forcing people to buy insurance is not a good idea.

:dem:

-Laelth

[depakid]

4. "the public is going to judge US - progressives, liberals, Democrats, etc. - based on..."

... what these clucks pass.

Yep.

[bluethruandthru]

5. Exactly right....

A bill that costs a fortune, doesn't control costs for consumers, forces people to buy insurance from private insurance companies, gives taxpayer dollars (subsidies) to insurance companies to sell crappy policies to the poor, offers no choice to those stuck with shitty plans from their employers, etc. etc., etc...will play right into the republicans hands. They'll point out what a gigantic mess the dems made and we'll be worse off than when we started.

[Armstead]

6. It plays right into the GOPs hands by giving us the sticks without the carrots

Mandates that are not part of a public health program that would provide actual benefits.

Great thinking and a real political winner.