Republicans are vowing to run on an election platform of repealing health care reform in 2010. Newt Gingrich appeared on Meet The Press this Sunday and indicated that all Republicans running for office will "run on an absolute pledge to repeal this bill." Right now, half of Americans support health care reform simply because the status quo can't be sustained - they don't even know what's in it. Once details of the bill are announced in plain English, people will understand that this benefits them and protects them in the future much more than current policy. When this happens, the Republicans will be chasing, yet again, a small minority of the population who wouldn't vote for Democrats anyway: Old, white, AM Radio listeners who hate liberals and gays and non-whites and change. Not a good strategy. Look where it's put them today.
I started a running list in my head of the things the Republican Party have now declared themselves to oppose:
- Republicans want to protect the right of the insurance industry to cancel your policy when you get sick.
- Republicans want to protect the right of the insurance industry to deny cancer survivors the right to purchase health insurance, even if they can pay up to twice what others pay.
- Republicans think it's so ridiculous that insurance companies should put 85% of premium dollars toward health care.
- Republicans want to add $180 billion or so to the deficit in the next 10 years.
- Republicans want to continue to overpay Medicare claims instead of streamlining procedures and saving the national debt a little cash.
Forgive me for sounding bitter. I'll let Rep. Alan Grayson (D)-FL finish for me.
It's the classic political/economic argument. I'd write more but I feel a blog coming on.
I'm sure Sparkle and Black Shards agree with Gingrich. And I hope the GOP follows his suggesting, given the enormous political failures Newt Gingrich has produced in the past.
Why not run against Medicare or Social Security while they are at it? Why doesn't the GOP tell the American people the truth for a change?
Scott, I think that it is more along the lines of "I've got mine, go get screwed".
Yup. Everything old is new again.
That's the new Republican party platform, "I've got mine, go get yours."
From Psychology 101, It is OBVIOUS that the GOP is in the "I'm OK, You're NOT OK, but I don't really give a shit about you" quadrant.
Nice job Kel.
It's hard to believe that the GOP is so far out of touch with the needs of the country. When I see their "representsatives" on the Sunday political talk shows it makes me so mad.
I had a pretty optimistic view early in the year. Now, it seems that we, readers of the Hurricane, are just as upset with Washington as the Teabaggers, just from the other end of the spectrum. And it's not limited to just healthcare.
Tell Newt to go screw off. I am so tired of wealthy old elected guys with cushy jobs lecturing me about health insurance! Seriously? They don't have a clue. Try telling that to someone who suffers from cancer or diabetes. They offer no solutions to the problems. Don't they realize real, every day Americans are suffering because the USA is the worst in health care affordability? It's really kind of sad in a way. Our ER's are jam packed with people who lost thier jobs, have no insurance and are sick! Until you lose your health insurance, Newt, do not presume. And by the way, I work every day, I'm not lazy and do not intend to feed off the government.
But hey. It's a free market. You don't see the government capping the profits of widget producers, or requiring them to sell their products to any and all comers, at particular rates. Why cap health care profits, then, or tell them with whom they must do business, and under what terms? Health insurers surely want to stay in business, and will price their products and sell them to given customers accordingly. Those who can't afford them need to do with less health care, or improve their financial status so they can purchase the care or coverage they need.
Right? No?
You need either to go to the root of the disparities between your position and that of the (pseudo) free-marketeers, or hit the (pseudo) free-marketeers where it hurts on their own terms.
And don't show them your Seiko, or you'll be on their watch list!