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

[Sonicmedusa]

1. Does it really matter?

Obama is a one trick pony. In one term Obama will accompish everything the Corporations need.

Game over.

[notesdev]

2. Called it months ago

people were looking at me funny then, but I knew this shit would happen... can't trust people who take payoffs in broad daylight

[bemildred]

3. Taking the fall apparently pays pretty well.

As long as the voting public remains too stupid to read the cards, there is nothing much to fear either.

[Laelth]

4. I agree, and I've made that argument, myself.

Here, if anyone is interested:

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

:dem:

-Laelth