Healthcare Passes!
Monday, March 22, 2010
In watching the coverage of the passage of this bill, I was struck by a few things. Pelosi is a terrible public speaker or maybe she was excited/drunk/tired. I heard her stumble over word after word and it was painful to watch. More importantly, I saw how unprecedented this was. Voting by party is not all that uncommon, but most bills of this stature have some degree of support from the other party. When Medicare was passed under the Johnson administration, there was bipartisan support. This bill was not bipartisan at all. This was 100% Obama and most of the Democrats.
If this legislation is successful and achieves what it is supposed to achieve, then the Democrats can take all of the credit. If it fails, then they will have a difficult time. If this does well, Republicans will not have much to say since many were vocal critics and had nothing but doom and gloom predictions. Personally, I am cautiously optimistic. The bill doesn't have everything I would have wanted, but it is mostly good. While I think we have a good system right now, I think we are close to having one that is not good. Healthcare and insurance costs are going up much faster than people's wages and I don't see how we can sustain a system like this for very long.
8 comments:
I am pretty satisfied where this landed.
I have a draft post I will try to finish which discusses the main components of the bills and why I support it. In short, I support it becuase it turns insurance back into actual insurance, which spreads the risk across more people. Our current system amounts to a payment plan based on predicted usage (i.e. the experience rating of you or your pool).
These benefits couplied with the new requirements on insurance companies reguarding dropping coverage and requiring coverage of those with pre-existing conditons is a solid step in the right direction.
As I noted on my blog, have to give credit to Pelosi on this one. Had she done what we all feared, this bill would have never come even close. Same goes for Obama.
I too think this is a good start. Mostly good, as you say.
I am glad it passed as well. The most interesting viewpoint I have read from the Republican (acually my party) side is from David Frum in his 'Waterloo' post of yesterday. Here is an interesting quote from that post.
Conservatives and Republicans today suffered their most crushing legislative defeat since the 1960s.
It’s hard to exaggerate the magnitude of the disaster. Conservatives may cheer themselves that they’ll compensate for today’s expected vote with a big win in the November 2010 elections. But:
(1) It’s a good bet that conservatives are over-optimistic about November – by then the economy will have improved and the immediate goodies in the healthcare bill will be reaching key voting blocs.
(2) So what? Legislative majorities come and go. This healthcare bill is forever. A win in November is very poor compensation for this debacle now.
and...
it’s Waterloo all right: ours.
Mr. Frum has a very good discussion about how Fox news and talk radio have divergent interests from conservatives in government. I found his argumernt pretty compelling.
Crooks and Liars has a list of 10 immediate benefits. I think those are all good benefits.
Good link steve. I have family members that benefit from some of those:
"Crooks and Liars has a list of 10 immediate benefits. I think those are all good benefits."
But, but, but, without the public option, it just sucks.
/sarcasm.
B Mac
I would want to select "all of the above"!!
What a ghastly performance, and I am afraid that many of these tea party types consider themselves Christians. Totally uncharitable or acceptable behavior, no matter if they are Christians or not.
Bmac, when I first heard about a, I was appalled, but then some bloggers were linking to footage from youtube which seem to contradict the accusation. I don't know of the Congressman misheard or that some overeager staffer was looking for attention.
b is bad and I am glad the person was arrested. I hope it was worth it, idiot.
c is too bad. I can understand being passionate about an issue, but show some self-control.
d is just plain mean.
e is something I wish the media wouldn't given attention to. Let the Secret Service handle it and don't give attention seeking assholes coverage.
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