Health Care Reform Pt. 5

Super Wow!

The Senate health committee cast a milestone vote Wednesday to approve legislation expanding insurance coverage to nearly all Americans, becoming the first congressional panel to act on President Barack Obama's top domestic priority.

House Democratic leaders pledged to meet the president's goal of health care legislation before their August break, offering a $1.5 trillion plan that for the first time would make health care a right and a responsibility for all Americans. Left to pick up most of the tab were medical providers, employers and the wealthy.

"We cannot allow this issue to be delayed. We cannot put it off again," Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce committee, said Tuesday. "We, quite frankly, cannot go home for a recess unless the House and the Senate both pass bills to reform and restructure our health care system."


Two things.

1. You want this done by the August recess? Three weeks? Really? Ever since the Democrats regained control of Congress in three years ago, there has been one aspect of their leadership that is very impressive. They know how to pass bills without actually reading, analyzing, or understanding them. The bank bailout, the stimulus bill, and now the health care overhaul. You cannot begin to imagine my frustration with my own government when I realize that half of the members of the House and Senate will not even have a chance to read over and comprehend a bill that includes trillions of dollars in new spending. The irresponsibility and poor leadership is mind-numbing.

Three weeks is not enough, Representative Waxman. Three weeks is not enough, Speaker Pelosi. Three weeks is not enough Senator Dodd. And finally, three weeks is not enough, President Obama.

2. Are some folks not understanding the depths of the recession that we are mired in right now? Unemployment will reach 10% soon, and yet, who will pay for this health care overhaul?

"Left to pick up most of the tab were medical providers, employers and the wealthy."

I'm sure that after employers pick up a good portion of this $1,500,000,000,000.00 tab, they'll be a great position to expand their workforce. Or unemployment will continue to soar, and the recession will grow deeper.

Tough choices. Should we force through a poorly planned health care overhaul or work together to halt this recession. Unfortunately, many Democrats in Congress are leaning toward the first option.