The hubris of Democratic congressional leaders has been staggering, considering dwindling public support for health-care legislation that no longer seeks to "reform" the system but rather to completely transform it.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi cheerfully dismissed Republican wins in New Jersey and Virginia governor races this week. She chooses to look at the bright side of life instead, pointing to an upstate New York congressional race where a Democrat who supports health-care reform managed to win in a complicated three-way race.
"From our perspective we won last night," Pelosi said the morning after Tuesday's elections.
Keep it up, Madam Speaker.
Consistently, polls show that a majority of Americans oppose health-care legislation that Democrats intend to impose on the public, and more significantly, the number of Americans who "strongly oppose" outnumber those who "strongly support" by a margin of 36 to 26 percent.
It's no wonder support has been plummeting, since the "Pelosi bill" is replete with taxes, penalties and fees and it includes sharp reductions in Medicare and higher Medicaid burdens for states, all of it being advanced in the midst of the country's most severe recession in decades. It only takes simple intuition to know that a 1,900-page bill that is most recently projected to cost $1.2 trillion over the next 10 years will involve a vastly expanded bureaucracy with a "public option" provision for an incremental takeover of the private health insurance sector.
Yet, Speaker Pelosi presses on for a floor vote, possibly by the end of this week. Why the hurry? Because every day reveals new surprises, such as this nugget for trial lawyers on page 1,431 in the bill: "Medical Liability Alternatives establishes an incentive program for states to adopt and implement alternatives to medical liability litigation" ... But "a state is not eligible for the incentive payments if that state puts a law on the books that limits attorneys fees or imposes caps on damages."
The Wall Street Journal summed it up nicely, branding Pelosi's legislation "The Worst Bill Ever."
Original goals of controlling costs and improving health care have been left in the dust for a bald-faced power grab, creating a vast new entitlement that would be a permanent game-changer in the relationship between citizens and the federal government. Never mind the economy or what most Americans want. The goal is to create an expanding class of Americans who depend on Democrats and the federal government for health care.
It's as simple as that.
Rep. Denny Rehberg will not vote for this monstrosity, and we suspect the reason is because he has been listening to his constituents. We just hope that the rest of Congress does the same.
DeesBull
What can Americans do short of getting out the torches and pitchforks and marching on DC? What? Vote them out? Yeah, right. It would be sweet to see it happen but an amazing thing occurs around election time, mass amnesia! Wake up America!! Resist the urge to believe their lies again. Stick together and get them out of office as soon as you can!!! America is doomed if they keep trying to spend us into prosperity!!
mooseberryinn
Obama is a liar and a marxist, Pelosi? who knows (other than a pretty strange wacko). I find it hard to imagine any american writing laws that attack the freedoms of america such as the "health care" proposals. "Mandatory" this and that, "fines" on citizens and businesses, All this from even Max Baucus? Taxes, fines, penalties, but wait! this is all "good" for us? What happened to our America?
lousia
A very good editorial, How can anything good come out of this health care bill ,if its turned over to congress etc. Look what has happen to other things they have touched. Rep Denny . Rehberg has been working very hard to help montana people out of this mess before we get into it any further.
I think the peole of montana could use some decent jobs to work at. So they can help their own famlies.
Thanks Mooseberryinn and montanaJimbo. for very good comments;
MontanaJimb0
When President Obama ascended the American Throne, I had to shake my head in wonder at the electorate's gullibility. I could only hope that after four years of unrestrained liberal power-grabs, America would come to its senses. For years, the Postal Service has trumpeted the warning slogan, "If something seems too good to be true, it probably is." Perhaps the American corporate mentality is beginning to question the left's smooth words and misguided, noble intentions.
mooseberryinn
Yup, Pelosi is a real gem. where do people like that come from? Maybe in the cosmic mushrooms? or, an alien leader of great wisdom spoke to her? How did she ever get elected? Hmmm, from California? SF you say? Whatever. At any rate, it appears the voices she hears are not of this planet, this country. As for b.o.'s support - just look at his "czars". These are the warped wackos he's listening to. Oh boy, do we have trouble.