The GOP-led 112th Congress will vote today, up or down, to repeal President Barack Obama’s healthcare reform act. A major reason why Republicans won back control of the House was due to the outrage over the health care law passed by Democrats. What was considered a mere exercise in gesture politics a few weeks ago is taking on a serious tone. A growing number of Democrats in both the House and in the Senate are publicly saying that they are open to repeal with conditions. Even the White House is now talking compromise, something they failed to do the last two years, fearing that the repeal bill may actually wind up on Obama’s desk.
Certain provisions of the ‘Affordable’ Care Act, such as allowing pre-existing conditions without a penalty, have become bargaining chips for the repeal vote. As Nancy Pelosi had said, we wouldn’t know what was in the bill until it passed. Turns out there was plenty in the new law to cause concern.
Promises by the Democrats and Obama that the new law would hold down costs have already slipped aside as insurance rates soar nationwide. The realities of adding 35 million Americans to the system have hit home, and people’s wallets. Regulators have been busy filling in the blanks of the law, resurrecting the infamous ‘death panels’, which will pay doctors bonuses for talking patients into end-of-life planning.
Also, promises that businesses would benefit from the reform act have also slipped into the bog as hundreds of companies, as well as union organizations, apply for waivers to the new law. The 2,000-plus page bill will easily balloon into thousands of more pages of regulations and restrictions, further adding to the complexity, and cost, of obtaining health care insurance. Six more states joined the constitutional fight to repeal the Federal mandate, forcing citizens to purchase health care or face fines.
The rumored cost-savings are also evaporating as the CBO scoring under the Pelosi regime played fast and loose with the facts. The ten-year prediction, faulty in itself, is based on 10 years of taxes and only 6 years of benefits. In the long-run, the ‘Affordable’ Care Act will wind up raising costs so high that it will bankrupt the nation, as if we aren’t headed in that direction anyway.
This, and the political angst of the American voters, is why many Democrats are back-peddling and will vote to repeal the health care reform act. Barack Obama, who is attempting to become more centrist now that the 2012 election cycle is beginning, is looking to salvage what he can. Maybe he should have considered that two years ago? Republicans are poised to repeal Obama-Care in the GOP-led House today. They will be offering a replacement bill which will include some provisions as well as new ones such as allowing for insurance to be purchased across state lines, adding competition to keep costs down.
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January 19th, 2011 at 7:26 am
This article is mostly lies. I don’t feel like typing. Most everything you read on this excuse for a web site is lies. You ought to rename it, Right Liars? Let’s see. It’s gotta start with a p.
Right Prevaricators
I learned that word from my crossword puzzles.
January 19th, 2011 at 10:38 am
LOL!
Klo, you’re funny! But we like you anyway.
January 19th, 2011 at 10:51 am
No, Klo – all you need is a paper and pencil to figure it out. Maybe Andy can send you the necessary supplies.