Pelosi's push wrong way to go
There is no good reason why members of the U.S. House have to vote immediately on lengthy, complex health care legislation.
It was bad enough when U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi oversaw the drafting of the health care reform bill behind closed doors before she presented it to the public last week.
But now Pelosi intends to compound the problem of secrecy by pushing the nearly 2,000-page bill to a vote this week.
The idea behind the rush is that if no one has time to read it, no one can step forward to object. But how wise is it to draft a bill in secret and then vote on it in haste? Obviously, it's both foolish and dangerous.
But that is the level to which the legislative process has sunk on Capitol Hill – with President Barack Obama's blessing. It was only a few short months ago that the new president was promising the most transparent administration in history. He neglected to mention that his planned transparency did not include major legislative initiatives like health care.
For starters, there should be no vote this week. If there is a vote, it has to be no. Legislation with this kind of serious consequence for virtually every citizen cannot be jammed through. It needs to be read, reviewed and carefully debated.
Indeed, Pelosi's final product ought to be referred back to a House committee and subjected to the scrutiny of hearings and testimony from both supporters and opponents.
So far at least, Pelosi is having none of that, although the public may yet have something to say about this rush to judgment.
Virginia and New Jersey are electing governors today, and there is a high-profile U.S. House seat up for grabs in New York. If those votes go against the White House and the Democrats in Congress, the voters' message could give some nervous House Democrats second thoughts about putting the health care package to such a quick vote.
This hugely expensive bill (roughly $1 trillion) will supposedly be paid for by taxing the rich (individuals earning $500,000 a year and couples earning $1 million) and cutting spending in the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
Frankly, it's hard to believe that higher taxes won't eventually be imposed on the middle class or that there ever will be cuts of the magnitude suggested for Medicare and Medicaid. Exploding costs almost certainly would necessitate higher taxes on those who are not rich.
The legislation also would mandate individuals to purchase health insurance or be subject to heavy fines. Businesses would be required to provide insurance for employees or be subject to heavy fines. There's lots more, of course, including the infamous public option that almost certainly is a precursor to a single-payer, government-run system.
That may sound good to some people, and awful to others. But rushing to pass something simply for the sake of passing something is no way to do business on an issue as serious as this, and it's amazing that anyone thinks it is.
The House leadership needs to slow down and act responsibly. If it's a good bill today, it will still be a good bill two weeks from now. But if it's a bad bill, there will never be a good time to pass it. House members need to find out what it really is.
Comments
I say "AMEN" to your editorial today. I am very concerned as to how the government can do this with so many people in objection. Yes, we DO need health care revision, but not government run!
Posted by steprswife on November 3, 2009 at 8:49 AM Suggest Removal
The majority of citizens are in favor of a public option. Some things our government does far better than the private sector. Check out the charts at this link:
http://www.boingboing.net/2009/11/02/charts-showing-how-m.html
Unfortunately, the Obama administration started with a compromise. They should have started by simply extending Medicare to everyone. The bill, as it stands is a mess. I'm sick of politicians getting this issue wrong. It's a result of all the money being thrown at this by the insurance, health care, and pharmaceutical industries. I'm also tired of people coming on here and supporting these industries who've gouged health care consumers. Again, look at those charts and tell me we've got "the best health care on Earth." You simply can't do it.
Posted by BillD on November 3, 2009 at 9:35 AM Suggest Removal
I had no idea that the News-Gazette had been purchased by Rupert Murdoch and become part of the Faux News corporation. This editorial has several outright lies in it.
---He neglected to mention that his planned transparency did not include major legislative initiatives like health care.---
The President has no control over House voting schedules.
---But that is the level to which the legislative process has sunk on Capitol Hill – with President Barack Obama's blessing. ---
You still haven't realized that the Republicans aren't in control of Congress. When they were, Congress took its marching orders from the White House. Cheney held coordinating sessions with the Senate leadership regularly. The Democrats are treating separation of powers seriously. Pelosi and Reid don't take orders from Obama.
---The idea behind the rush is that if no one has time to read it, no one can step forward to object.---
The bill coming out is a mosaic of proposals that we have been debating for months. All members of the House should be familiar with them (if they've been doing their jobs)- they just need to see how they are mixed. They have staffers. If Republican reps and their staffs can't read 1900 pages in 72 hours, the problem isn't Pelosi, its Republicans who need to improve their reading skills.
When the Republicans controlled the House, reps often got less than 24 hours notice before voting on controversial proposals, but that doesn't seem to bother the N-G.
We have been debating health care reform since the Truman administration. The N-G's call for delay is disingenuous- they want it delayed permanently, but don't have the guts to say it.
Posted by twhurlbutt on November 3, 2009 at 10:51 AM Suggest Removal
Bill, maybe a majority of your Birkenstock-clad, dope smokin', FM-type friends at the University are in favor of the public option, but out here in the real world, the Joe Sixpacks of the world are opposed to paying still higher taxes to pay for a public option that will give nothing but long lines and waits and no choices in health care.
If you want an idea of what health care will be like with the public option, you have to look no further than the care provided by the VA to our nation's veterans! Now, there's a reputation for outstanding care and prompt service, now isn't it?
Bill, you say the government does some things better than the private sector. Can you name a few of those for us?
The Great Society? Yeah, now there is a success. Trillions of dollars spent and all we have to show for it is fatherless, uneducated and amoral families, urban ghettos with generations on welfare and pervasive crime.
Could they be things like Amtrak (a financial disaster)? Greyhound? (Leave the financial bleeding to us.)
Maybe you mean General Motors? They've really turned around since the government bought them out and renamed them Government Motors!
Maybe the post office? Now there's a moneymaker.
I know, you must mean low income housing! Cabrini Green, Robert Taylor Homes, even Burch Village... all successes, right?
And we all love going to the driver's license place.
Ah. There's one area the government arguably does better than the private sector: National defense.
-- Joe
Posted by JoeSixpack on November 3, 2009 at 11:02 AM Suggest Removal
More craziness from the N-G. You can almost hear the outrage: "How dare they tax THE RICH?"
The silliest part here is the annoyance with the mandate for everyone to carry health insurance. Executed properly, this is the strongest part of the bill. People are required to carry auto insurance. They need homeowner's insurance to have a mortgage. Why should health insurance be any different?
The N-G needs to get a clue. Stop catering to the wealthy clientele, and start seeing what's best in the long run.
Posted by Wenalway on November 3, 2009 at 11:24 AM Suggest Removal
Hey Fre...er um, I mean "Joe" where do you get this crap?
The government has done a fine job with oh...let me see...big picture stuff...
The military
Public Education
School lunches
Head Start
Medicare
Social Security (see how many are in favor of taking it away)
On the job safety.
Prior to the Reagan administration they did a good job at anti-trust enforcement (good for us small-business types), banking regulation, market oversight. Not anymore.
We've got a highway system you probably use.
Rural electrification
TVA
Clean air and water
Safe drugs and food.
I'm probably actually leaving stuff out.
So Joe, get off your Rush-informed high horse. You don't have to be a pot smoker or hippie to appreciate the good things our government does (or did). Remember, it's supposed to be OUR government; of, by, and for the people.
Of course, your language is that of a bigot. Rush tells you it's a race-thing and you buy it all.
You, Joe are mis-informed. Look at those graphs I linked to before. Look at the money "we the people" are being bilked by these greedy insurance companies, etc. Watch the movie "Sicko" if you're man enough to face an opinion you don't share (I doubt it).
Read and listen to the stories of people who've been harmed by our current health care mess: http://namesofthedead.com/
Then, come back and call us names. At least then we'll know that you're simply to dim to understand and not that you've been mis-informed in the first place.
Posted by BillD on November 3, 2009 at 11:49 AM Suggest Removal
We the taxpayers pay our representatives to read the bills! Does Tim Johnson have anything else to do?
PLEASE we have been discussing health care for all for over 60 years, it is time to pass the bill and move on.
And sure blame Nancy Polosi for all this is as crazy as it gets. Nancy is not the enemy, the right wing lunatic fringe that the NG supports are the problem, the teabaggers, birthers and flat earthers who hate American and are praying for this president to fail are un-American and the News Gazette supports their agenda.
In the REAL WORLD 75% of real Americans support and like President Obama. 57% agree with his policies and 53% voted for him and would again! The majority rules, and as Karl Rove would say that is 50 + 1. There are 60 senators in the Democratic caucus! That is hardly right of center.
Posted by WiltonDiary on November 3, 2009 at 12:53 PM Suggest Removal
If you want an idea of what health care will be like with the public option, you have to look no further than the care provided by the VA to our nation's veterans! Now, there's a reputation for outstanding care and prompt service, now isn't it?
_____________________________________________
Obviously you have never served your country JOE!
87% of the VA patiets LOVE the services provided, except when the Bush administration tried to punish the soilders they sent to a war of choice. Republicans hate America and the government, the VA works and works well!
Posted by WiltonDiary on November 3, 2009 at 12:57 PM Suggest Removal
Why can't health care reform pass with the same speed that the corporate bailout passed? After all, the bailout cost three times as much. Funny how the wealthy want the government to stay out of business and the economy; yet, when they want their pockets lined, it is fine for government to interfere.
Look at the rates for auto and homeowners insurance. If they pass mandatory health insurance without a public option, the public will be gouged even worse.
Not only do we need the public option, it should be expanded. People should be able to opt out of their insurance plans at work and go to the public option if they choose. This would be real competition and force the private insurers to get their house in order. Companies like personal care have a long pattern of raising rates, deductibles and copayments, while decreasing the amount of coverage. Workers are tired of working just to support those companies while seeing their wages decrease. The insurance and health care industry have asked for it so just do it. By the way, I would pay for it by placing a 50 percent tax on political contributions and a luxury tax on wages over 1 milluion a year.
Posted by sameeker on November 3, 2009 at 9:21 PM Suggest Removal
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