The Daily OrangeHealth care bill is history in the making
By Andrew Swab
Posted: 11/8/09, 9:42 PM EST Section: Opinion
The passing of the Obama health care plan is monumental history in the making. This is the closest the United States has ever come to universal health coverage for all Americans as a right of citizenship. It's even closer than the Democratic Congress and Bill Clinton in 1994. The House voted 220-215 in favor of the Obama health care plan late Saturday night.
If any of you have taken 5th grade history, you know that the bill now has to go through the Senate and must be approved by a majority of senators in order to be sent to the White House to be signed by the president.
Never before in our nation's history has a health insurance overhaul been this close to becoming a law. Even President Obama said that this vote has "brought us closer than we have ever been" to extending coverage to millions of uninsured Americans.
The time is now, for health care reform. Ed Rendell, the current governor of Pennsylvania and former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, said it perfectly: "There's no perfect bill out there, but this bill is what we need."
I believe that within the year Congress will pass health care legislation that will become law with the president's signature. This will not only be the great legacy of the Obama administration, but also of the Democratic Party for years to come.
The problem comes in 2010 and 2012. If the Obama administration and Congress have not lowered unemployment figures by next summer or fall, they will face near certain losses to the Republicans in these election years. This is because the Republicans will stake their reputation in these election years as remaining in opposition to the Democrats. They will claim that the Democrats have outspent the nation without helping the economy.
Basically, if the Democrats fail, Republicans will fill the void.
This is a brilliant strategy, except for one thing. The Democrats are actually succeeding in their domestic agenda.
Republicans may disagree with this point. Lindsay Graham, a leading Republican in the Senate, said, "The House bill is dead on arrival in the Senate," on this Sunday's "Face the Nation."
If any of you have taken 5th grade history, you know that the bill now has to go through the Senate and must be approved by a majority of senators in order to be sent to the White House to be signed by the president.
Never before in our nation's history has a health insurance overhaul been this close to becoming a law. Even President Obama said that this vote has "brought us closer than we have ever been" to extending coverage to millions of uninsured Americans.
The time is now, for health care reform. Ed Rendell, the current governor of Pennsylvania and former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, said it perfectly: "There's no perfect bill out there, but this bill is what we need."
I believe that within the year Congress will pass health care legislation that will become law with the president's signature. This will not only be the great legacy of the Obama administration, but also of the Democratic Party for years to come.
The problem comes in 2010 and 2012. If the Obama administration and Congress have not lowered unemployment figures by next summer or fall, they will face near certain losses to the Republicans in these election years. This is because the Republicans will stake their reputation in these election years as remaining in opposition to the Democrats. They will claim that the Democrats have outspent the nation without helping the economy.
Basically, if the Democrats fail, Republicans will fill the void.
This is a brilliant strategy, except for one thing. The Democrats are actually succeeding in their domestic agenda.
Republicans may disagree with this point. Lindsay Graham, a leading Republican in the Senate, said, "The House bill is dead on arrival in the Senate," on this Sunday's "Face the Nation."
Viewing Comments 1 - 6 of 8
marc k
posted 11/09/09 @ 4:13 PM EST
Andrew you definitely seem very excited about the passage of this 2,000 page pile of garbage which basically gives government full control over everyone's life, literally. (Continued…)
Anonymous
posted 11/10/09 @ 12:18 AM EST
Leave it to this left wing piece of garbage newspaper to endorse a bill that was never read by those who voted on it. The effects of the bill if it passes through the Senate are going to be devastating on Americans now and down the line. (Continued…)
Da 808
posted 11/10/09 @ 1:53 PM EST
werent there about 40 democrats who voted against their party? No mention of them, just the one courageous republican who actually cares about his constituents like no one else does. (Continued…)
Kaylen Thorpe
posted 11/10/09 @ 3:43 PM EST
Leave it to you conservative assholes to think everything is perfectly fine the way it is now. Higher taxes? You're stupid. You ALREADY PAY FOR INDIGENT CARE FOR PEOPLE WHO CANT PAY! We ALL pay more when people can't get preventative care, then end up in the hospital with life-threatening conditions that cost 10x as much to treat. (Continued…)
Bill G
posted 11/11/09 @ 10:01 AM EST
Mr. Thorpe,
While I understand your plight at the poor state of affairs in the system, I think that you are kidding yourself in thinking that forcing any bill through, bipartisan or not, will somehow result in less bureaucracy. (Continued…)
Danny
posted 11/11/09 @ 4:42 PM EST
Anonymous,
It's all well and good that you feel that way, but show a little respect to the publication. This is a signed editorial, meaning it is the opinion of the author, not the 'left wing piece of garbage' as a whole. (Continued…)
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