So it looks like President Obama has come up with his own proposal of a health care reform bill. It also looks like the Senate is headed towards using reconciliation to avoid a filibuster. About time! How the Democrats could hold the majority in the Senate and allow the Republicans to hold them hostage on health care was disgusting.
The Republicans' nickname as the "Party of No" is well-deserved. They clearly have no desire to support anything that Obama proposes, or that will be perceived as a victory for the Democratic party. Where this is the most apparent is when Republican Senators co-sponsor bills, then when it comes time to vote for those same bills, they vote against them. It absolutely boggles the mind.
So now, President Obama has come up with his own proposal of a health care reform bill and has asked the GOP for their input (just like the GOP has said--they want to have input). Yet John Boehner has already called the wahhhhhhmmmbulance, complaining that the bill is a combination of the current House and Senate bills which are primarily Democratic and doesn't have any GOP ideas in it (not true). The whole point is Obama has reached out and asked for GOP input, yet all Boehner wants to do is whine.
One more thing--WHEN health care reform passes, the GOP will bitch and moan and say that the Democrats will have ignored the American people. But the fact of the matter is, every poll that has been conducted on health care reform says that the vast majority of people WANT health care reform and AREN'T happy with the current health care system and skyrocketing insurance costs. Republicans torpedoed Clinton's attempts at health care reforms, then did NOTHING for 15 years, and now they are trying to torpedo Obama's attempt at health care reform too.
My prediction is that health care reform will pass and the Republicans will again be seen as the party who voted against what's best for the American people. History repeating itself.
