House Sp
eaker Nancy Pelosi held a ceremony to officially release the final version of the House’s Health Care Reform bill. Their version of the government destruction of our health care system is only 1990 pages. Apparently destroying our economy, our health care system, and bankrupting the majority of small businesses in the United States takes about four reams of paper.
Through all the theatrical fanfare, Ms. Pelosi appears to have forgotten that she has imminent revolt on her hands from within her own party. There are more than 40 Democrats that have stated that they will vote against the bill if an amendment specifically banning federal funded abortions is not added to the bill. As usual with the bureaucrats in DC, appearance is more important than actual substance.
An interesting side effect of the health care reform debate is the disappearance of public support for Democrats in states that the President won just one year ago. In Virginia, Republican Bob McDonnell is running away in the polls over democrat Creigh Deeds. The White House and other high profile Democrats are already trying to deflect the blame for the loss on Deeds ineptitude as a candidate and not on the fact that the voting public has grown tired of the “Hope and Change” road show.
In deep blue New Jersey of all places, Jon Corzine is in a political fight for his life. Republican Chris Christie is leading in the polls over Corzine and Independent Chris Daggett. Corzine is in trouble in the polls because of New Jersey’s skyrocketing unemployment and his propensity for raising taxes. It couldn’t possibly be that the voters of New Jersey see the frightening signs of our country’s economical woes being continued for another four years on the state level.
The other intriguing contest is in New York’s 23rd Congressional district. This race is the most interesting because of the third party candidate. Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman is either leading or down by one point in the latest polls. His opponents, Democrat Bill Owens and Republican Dede Scozzafava have been struggling to break out and gain any momentum with the independent voters. If Hoffman is able to pull out the victory it will further cement the conservative tilt of the country. Hoffman has run his campaign as an unabashedly conservative candidate. This race should serve as a blaring klaxon to the Republican Party. The conservative base of the party is backing Hoffman, because the Republican establishment chose a Democrat-light candidate in Scozzafava.
Whether or not this reform debacle ever gets passed, the damage has been done. The “stimulus”, TARP, health care reform, cash for clunkers, et al has awakened the beast. The beast is the voting public that has realized that the “Hope an Change” that they were sold last year was driving the country into a downward spiral. Next week’s elections will be just the first sign of the coming change from the disastrous policies of Pelosi, Reid, and Obama.
Troy Stouffer, Politics Correspondent:
Troy’s Column “Cacoethes Scribendi”, published every Friday to Gather Essentials: Politics, is a conservative look at the policies ad issues that affect all of us.
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Comments: 46
Or maybe it also has something to do with things like this?:
44 Charged by U.S. in New Jersey Corruption Sweep
TRENTON - U.S. Sen. Jon Corzine would cruise to a landslide victory in the New Jersey governor's race if the election were held now, according to a poll released Wednesday.
http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-102584394.html
So much for the party of no, or is the party of whine???
I hope they DON'T learn from their Mistake.
The parties should run moderates.
There sure are a lot of clowns running these days, aren't there?
Why do you believe the Democrat health care reform plan is a "good plan"? Why do you believe the Democrat health care reform plan will provide health care for "the most" people and "pay for it"?
Won't the taxpayers have to come up with the money to pay for "it" (in the middle of a recession)? Will it be quality care?
Result: Regressive taxes keep going up, health care premiums keep going up, bankruptcy keeps going up, unemployment keeps going up, the economic divide between rich and poor keeps going up...
But all of that is alright, because the progressive tax rates are incredibly low, and someday, the private sector will create more jobs (which they have had 30 years to start doing, by the way).
How did these "job creators" get away with this Ponsi scheme for this long?
Then again ... she may be holding an Ace we can't see (and one we hope she doesn't know about or approve); it's the intimidation factor. So far it hasn't worked on Tea Party protestors. Are those Dems of the same strong stock, or would they be bent to the will of the far left under that kind of physical and mental intimidation? +shrug+
The other intriguing contest is in New York’s 23rd Congressional district. This race is the most interesting because of the third party candidate. Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman is either leading or down by one point in the latest polls. His opponents, Democrat Bill Owens and Republican Dede Scozzafava have been struggling to break out and gain any momentum with the independent voters. If Hoffman is able to pull out the victory it will further cement the conservative tilt of the country. Hoffman has run his campaign as an unabashedly conservative candidate. This race should serve as a blaring klaxon to the Republican Party. The conservative base of the party is backing Hoffman, because the Republican establishment chose a Democrat-light candidate in Scozzafava.
Have you seen their LOW poll numbers.
That's what happens when the Hate jocks and paranoid delusionals take over the party.
In Virginia, the Republicans are not using health care as a campaign issue. They seem to realize that the people want reform, and are hitting the Dems for their abuse of power and their massive spending rather than their approach to health care.
If the GOP tries to turn health care into a political issue, I believe they will suffer just as the Dems have. On the other hand, if they unite on some constructive proposals for health care reform and offer the work with anyone who wants to help, they may have a winning issue.
My point is that the Democrats are taking heat for their abuse of power in the legislative process, including the lack of transparency and their unwillingness to listen to the people. They are more concerned with politics and special interests than they are with getting a reform program a majority of the people could support.
So far the political battle is between the liberal and moderate Democrats, and the GOP doesn't have a dog in the fight. The Dems have enough votes to pass whatever plan they can agree on.
I simply suggested that the Republicans not get into the battle, and act as advocates for the concerns of the public about the Democrat's bills that have emerged from the Democrats process. Someone has to speak fr the people.
BTW, you wrongly assume I am a Republican. I am a conservative Independent and have been for the last 11 years. I believe the Republicans and Democrats in Washington are equally corrupt and equally guilty of screwing up our country.
Really, Albany needs a complete overhaul worse than Washington does. Just look at our election laws, which caused this fiasco. Cross-endorsing candidates, dictating that county chairs pick special election candidates, it's all centered around keeping "the party" in power, instead of the people.
Right now, the "tea party" movement is the biggest grass-roots thing out there, and many pols are trying to capitalize on it. It's getting "organized" by the money people, who may try to "co-opt" it, but I don't think they'll be able to. If the people continue to speak their minds plainly, and loudly, the phonies won't get a chance to "use" them.
Health care is the perfect issue to demonstrate this. Politics are involved, because when someone suggests a reform idea like allowing health insurance to be sold across state lines, it will be twisted for a political purpose, or it is simply dismissed, out of hand. Bringing up the costs of what has been proposed also gets a conservative labeled "uncaring" for "those who are dying every day!"
I think the GOP had the right idea, bringing up a bill that opened interstate competition, and tort reform. It went nowhere, but it put the lie to the political argument that the GOP is the "party of no," as in they want to do nothing about health care reform. They always have more principles, when they're in the minority. LOL!
On the other hand, the GOP has been unable to unify and produce a Republican bill to compete with the Dems, so there is no strong support for any of the bills introduced by individual members. There is no leadership in the GOP as clearly shown by the NY-23 fiasco.
As as result, the only effective tool conservatives have left is the Tea Party movement. I still have a dream of 5 to 10 million of us on the Washington mall protesting the Dems proposed government takeover of health care. That's the only way we have left to send a message because Washington is not listening to us.
I think it will play out much the same way that FDR's first term did.
The truth is, that the moderate Dems are obstructing a socialist President to keep him from destroying their party. The Dems can pass whatever health care bill they want - they have the votes in Congress and they have the White House.
The American people know it, and will not buy their "obstructionist" spin, as the battle goes on between liberal and conservative Republicans for control of the party.
It is important that the reforms be acceptable to the people on the right. THEY AGREE THAT REFORM IS NECESSARY, and the Republican Caucus in the House introduced a Reform Measure this week. The difficulty is this. IF THE BILL IS TOO LIBERAL the next time conservatives gain power it will be repealed.
That can be resolved if the final legislation is a bi partisan compromise. One of the major problems with reforming the Patriot Act is the FACT that a huge number of still incumbent Democrats voted for it. The health care reform will not rest easy if 47 percent of the congress votes against it. Even if it passes.
The for-profit insurance system is great for the healthy and those with deep pockets. Everyone else may as well be living in a third world country. Frankly, this article and many people in America do not have a problem with these truths. That is the only reason that health care reform isn't too promising. The people continually favor business interests over the health of our nation. How sad for all of us.
The Obama administration could have proposed a modification to Medicare/Medicaid to cover all American citizens who were unable to buy health insurance and it would be law by now. Instead, they proposed a takeover of the American health care system as a major step toward a socialist America.
Now, the Dems have a helluva fight within their own party to keep it from being destroyed by their unpopular ideas. Your talking points about "the rich" and "Washington lobbyists" just don't pass the smell test anymore.
From the Wall Street Journal/NBC poll released last week:
"Nearly three-quarters of Americans believe it is extremely or quite important to give Americans the choice between a government-run health care plan and a private plan in any final health care bill, according to the latest Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll out later today.
"Some 73% said it was important to do so — 45% called it “extremely” important while 27% said it was “quite important.”
"On the other end, less than one quarter, 22%, said it was either not that important (8%) or not at all important (15%) to create a health plan that would complete with private industry.
"The strength of the support continues to come from self-identified Democrats, a majority of which, 56%, said it was extremely important to include a public option. Still, more than one in three Republicans, 34%, also said it was extremely important, as did 39% of independents."
In a memo to the public, Luntz said:
1. “47% think their costs will go up thanks to Barack Obama’s health care plan, while only 13% think their costs will go down.”
2. “By an incredible 61% to 14% margin, more people believe scientists will discover life in outer space than believe the current healthcare plan won’t add a penny to the deficit.”
3. “25% of those surveyed said they would actively work to defeat members of Congress who vote for a government insurance plan, while only 8% said they would work to support them.”
4. “Half of all Americans (49%) now oppose the plan, while only 39% support it (and 12% remain undecided).”
5. “More than a third of Americans strongly oppose the legislation (34%). They are primarily, but not exclusively, conservative voters.”
6. “48% of self-identified independents oppose the legislation (30% strongly), compared to only 40% who support it.”
7. “A majority of Americans (55%) agree that ‘When it comes to the healthcare reform debate in Washington, I’m mad as hell and not going to take it anymore’.”
And this is the biggie: “Seniors, obviously a key constituency, are in firm opposition to the reform plan (57% oppose, 36% support). Back in April, they were evenly divided. More precisely, it is men aged 60+ who are the angriest. Fully 47% of men 55 or older are strongly oppose the plan (61% are at least somewhat opposed).”
It seems there is a big difference of opinion between generic "health care reform" and Obamacare.
NJ is more a reaction to a hopeless idiot in the Governor's mansion. Still I expect Corzine tow in simply because Christie has run a poor campaign in what should have been a full slaughter. The interesting factor in this race is the Indie candidate who is doing double digits despite being a relative unknown. That is a sign that even in NJ both parties are increasingly viewed as the problem not the solution.
NY represents another case why the GOP is still quite capable of extracting defeat from victory. Picking a candidate to the left of the business man the Dems are running was an incredible act of foolishness. The best that district can hope for is either the Conservative Party OR the Dem wins. The GOP candidate is a failure.
I'm hoping like many other Americans that 2010 gets in enough Administration opponents to give us gridlock at worst. I don't foresee (yet) a landslide in the making a la 1996 nor do I have enough confidence the GOP will make effective use of it even if it happens. I do see evidence though that many American people, for various reasons seem willing to take an chance on them again
I see all of this collapsing, like a house of cards, starting with health care. Pelosi hates Reid, and there will be problems in "reconciliation" between the House and Senate. The Senate is nowhere near the House on any of these other bills, like cap and tax. I doubt that the Senate will be able to get it (cap and trade) out of a committee. It will be more scrutinized than health care, and be a longer, harder political fight. Of course, if health care reform fails to happen, I see a "broken" presidency, and the congressional majority will just try to take as much power as they can get. One could argue that they are already doing this, while Obama flails at Rush and Fox...
The final health care bill will be unpalatable to a signifigant number of Dems, either lefties or moderates.
with thanks Troy
Mark
so GOP - go ahead fillibuster your hearts out - kill the legislation and kill your party - get more Independents in the house and Senate and show these corrput bastards on both sides of the aisle how to govern and get real reform - single payer in 2011 and put those blood sucking leeches out of business once and for all
I don't know about independents, they take money as well.
But we certainly need to watch who is getting the bucks and tell them we know and are watching how they vote.
Your talking point about GOP "obstructionism" just doesn't square with the facts.
the Republican's "Plan" does nothing to reform the system: eliminate companies dropping people for pre-existing conditions or dropping people who become sick. It will also increase the number of uninsured from 47 to 50 million - according to the CBO.
so you tell me - who has the American people's best interest - the Dem's plan IS flawed, but it STARTS to address the major problem facing the health care system