Really? You think the repubs want this legislation?

[cali]

Whatever else may or may not be true, I think it's ridiculous to believe that the repubs secretly want this health care legislation. In order to believe that you'd have to believe that they secretly support:

capping the profits the insurance companies can make off each dollar

10 billion dollars toward Community Health Centers

expanding SCHIP

Enabling adult children to stay on their parents' insurance.


I may not like much about this legislation but the repubs hate everything about it- for different reasons of course.

[Le Taz Hot]

1. Of course they do.

When the idiot masses catch on that it contains mandates with no public option, the idiot masses only know one place to go -- the OTHER corporate whore party. Are you kidding me? The Republicans are ecstatic!

[cali]

2. Unless it works to benefit more people than it doesn't.

Look, I opposed this because of no public option, but I have good private subsidized insurance through the state which I pay $60 bucks a month for. Those who can afford it pay up to $350 a month for it without subsidies.

If this can be replicated and gets care for millions more, I don't see the repubs being too ecstatic about it.

[boston bean]

3. right on the money with this comment!

of course they want this bill. It's better than anything they could have dreamed of for their corporate whore masters.

[Uben]

4. Bullshit

The idiot masses are already in the republican party. They voted for Bush.....remember? Ecstatic? Hardly. They just got their collective asses handed to them! This is a major blow to the republican party. Their objective was to block anything the dems tried to pass. They failed. The dems can now pass a healthcare bill with 51 votes, essenntially eliminating the blue dog votes that have been blocking major issues.

Use your whole brain.

[girl gone mad]

7. I don't see how it can be considered a major blow..

to the Republican party when the vast majority of people oppose the reform.

[Uben]

11. The final bill will look different

Once the house and senate bills go to conference, maybe we can get something the majority likes. That was not possible before this vote. Now, it is. If that is not a blow to the republicans, what is? People act like this bill is becoming law...it's not. It is a step to get to the next process, something the republicans have been fighting tooth and nail.

Why any democrat would not want that is beyond me.

[Le Taz Hot]

15. You answered your own query.

". . . the vast majority of people oppose the reform." ALL Republicans opposed the reform. It's a HUGE boon for them.

[Le Taz Hot]

9. Of course, my point will be proven

in the 2010 elections so we'll just have to sit on this one until then.

[Uben]

12. Or disproven.....

...which I believe to be the case. You don't even know what will be in the final bill. How can you prognosticate on something you have no knowledge of?

[Le Taz Hot]

14. I know that it withdrew a right for women

that they previously had. I know that Nelson, Lieberman, Bayh, Landreau, Baucus, Spector and no Republican will vote for a bill WITHOUT the anti-choice option. That's what I DO know.

[Echo In Light]

5. Gotta keep the two party ruse alive & well, otherwise the the system can't function properly

[GeorgeGist]

6. Have you read the loopholes?

[TorchTheWitch]

8. that's just the little bits they don't like

And fought against. They love the mandates, they love it that there are no real regulations on insurance companies, they love the grossly low subsidies that most can't qualify for, they love it that there are no restrictions on how high insurance companies can raise premiums... there is TONS to love in this bill for Repubs. The ONLY reason they won't vote for it is because THEY won't be getting the huge bribes from the insurance companies, the Dems will, and they can use this to flog Dems with for generations. Ideologically, they adore it.

[mmonk]

10. No, they want those lobbying dollars.

[KharmaTrain]

13. Logic...Not One Of DU's Best Assets At This Time...

I think the more important question is if the rushpublicans would dare to go anywhere near healthcare reform. I think we know that answer and the fact that if McCain had won, we'd be more screwed than we already are. The only reform they would do would be to abolish medicare and SSI...removing even more of whatever safety net people have. So few here remember the proposed "reforms" boooshie wanted to push through in 2005 (all he got was that obscene Prescription Drug giveaway).

A couple of thinks very overlooked...first is that there will be some form of healthcare for almost everyone (yes I know you're gonna have to pay for it...but surprise, you were going to with a public option or single payer as well) rather than seeing the system completely gutted. Also the rushpublicans were totally shut out...but I'm sure they're itching to revisit this legislation if they retake control of the House & Senate.

Bottom line is many of us may not like some or all of the legislation, but is the status quo worth preserving? Would the rushpublicans do any better? The vote is done, time to move forward.

[Vinca]

16. I imagine the Republicans are giddy.

They won't need to pay scriptwriters for the next round of campaign commercials. All they have to do is work in the words "mandatory" and "fine."

[Toots]

17. When you say "capping the profits" what do you mean?

Gross Profits, Adjusted Gross Profits, or Net Profits? Keep in mind Net Profits are after all<.i> expenses have already been paid including Huge Salaries...