Hallelujah! They got it done.
I'll be the first to admit I was skeptical about the way Obama went about catering to the Republicans, who strung him along for over a year. But enough was enough, and with their huge congressional majority in jeopardy come November without a major success under their belts, the Democrats played the kind of hard ball the Republicans have been employing for years.
Except instead of respect for what their colleagues achieved, the GOP leadership whined in sore loser fashion and showed their true colors up to and including the final showdown on Capitol Hill. Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Ohio) moaned with indignation about the rights of the unborn, when it's been clear over the years through the policies of most Republican administrations that once folks are born they couldn't care less.
Whether it's health care, jobs programs, the environment, social programs or civil rights, the Republicans have long been the naysayers, stubbornly clinging to mindsets that are honor bound to protect their fat cat patrons or right wing holier than thou protectionists.
With the barest of majorities in congress and a president who lost the popular vote they had no problem at all ramming an unnecessary and costly war down our throats -- a conflict that contributed to the financial morass we're currently in and, worse, killed or maimed so many thousands who actually breathed and lived among us.
They enacted financial legislation in support of mega corps and billionaires in the form of tax cuts and reduced business regulation, but have suddenly become cost-conscious when the beneficiaries are average Americans who are denied health coverage, hospitalization, medical procedures and drugs because they can't afford insurance.
Why is it that Americans only see Republicans' true colors when their results are catastrophic, as in the case of the unending wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the financial crises of the last couple of years? And why can't they see through the overly righteous moral indignation and outrage expressed by GOP lawmakers and governors, usually most evident against policies that are designed to help their fellow men and women?
Democrats in the main sometimes tilt at windmills but in attempting to do so seek the betterment of society as a whole. Republicans in contrast are oft engaged in skewing public relations in a false manner to scare people off or divert attention from the real truths, as when George H.W. Bush defeated Michael Dukakis and his thoughtful platform mostly by continually reciting the Pledge of Allegiance -- what tangible benefit to our citizenry was accomplished by that? -- and making it appear the 1988 Democratic presidential nominee was soft on crime, because of the Willy Horton freak incident that could have happened on any leader's watch.
The GOP was at it again Sunday night. This time, I was doubly outraged when House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) shouted "Shame on this body" in a dramatically raised, booming voice very reminiscent of Elmer Gantry. He kept harping how it wasn't the right time now that the nation was in such horrible economic straits -- never admitting it was the GOP which had mostly caused it all -- and never explained how, when the economy was doing well and the Republicans were in charge, they hadn't done anything about health care then.
It was urged that "comity" be restored to the legislative body, yet "comity" was not the concern of the GOP House Leadership, which went ahead with the trumped up and wasteful impeachment of President Bill Clinton in 1998, a purely political move they all knew had no chance of success.
Then, in a desperate ploy, many GOP speakers expressed "dire" warnings about President Obama's Executive Order underscoring no federal funding of abortion, issued as a guarantee to anti-abortion House Democrats. One by one, Republican doomsayers said it was not worth the paper it was written on, because the president could undo the action at will. Perhaps the next day was uttered more than once as they tried to erect this faux bogeyman. That this was absurd if it actually occurred -- because it would only harm Obama's credibility and future programs -- didn't concern these GOP folks whose only aim was to deflect public opinion in favor of their point of view. The truth has lately not been the arrow of choice in the Republican quiver.
And as a further demonstration of GOP hypocrisy when it comes to "comity," Congressman Randy Neugebauer (R-Texas) shouted "Baby Killer" when Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich), who'd led the anti-abortion Democratic contingent, spoke in favor of the Health Care bill. It shows how low the opposition has stooped. They have until recently been so used to getting their own way, in spite of the means they came to leadership, that they resort to behavior akin to a small child's tantrum when they no longer can.
Well, they lost, and again I'll say Hallelujah! It's now the law of the land, as Wolf Blitzer said on CNN, a line repeated on the broadcast networks NBC, CBS and ABC, in the New York Times, the Washington Post and bandied about on Facebook, Twitter and in video replays on YouTube. As the American people get used to it and see that the sky won't be falling, they will once again embrace the Obama agenda. His success will beget others: appropriate bank legislation, jobs initiatives, environmental protections and the inevitable official integration of gay Americans into our armed services, where millions have already served in the shadows.
I'm bursting with pride that America is now not only the strongest nation in the world, but more importantly, that it has finally taken a major step to join its sister nations abroad, who've already adopted so many of these moral imperatives.
Michael Russnow's website is www.ramproductionsinternational.com
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http://thegreenmarket.blogspot.com/2010/03/historic-passage-of-health-care.html
http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Graphics/2010/022310-Bill-comparison.aspx
The GOP was masterful in being able to get their plan initiated without taking ownership for it...
The Progressives did not get what they wanted except a "win" for Obama.
What a wonder, to witness a small triumph for the common human, and to witness a small fruition of compassion and caring.
What a gift to receive this early Spring, a tiny ray of hope shining through these dark hours of despair and the attendant feelings of powerlessness and hopelessness.
.... and what a personal blessing, to be able to take a day off from observing the actions of and from ranting and raging about those fat, ugly, over-fed, greedy, self-serving, lying, churlish phoaquine Repugnantcants.
God, Goddess, Whoever, Whatever, Bless these United States of America, and Bless her citizens.
Do not pretend this disgrace is of benefit to a once-great Republic.
All of which are countries that have a higher rated standard of medical care at a significantly lower cost. Also all of which are countries with healthier economies and better standards of living.
Thank God America has taken a first, tentative step towards catching up with the (per capita) wealthier, more successful nations that have been leaving it behind.
The GOP got THEIR BILL not the Progressives.......and don't have to "own it"
And again you are right, the Republicans did not go far enough......they did not figure out how to pay for the Holy Grail, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid to about $53 Trillion according to the comptroller general of the United States (approx. $455,000 per American household). Again you are right...Roosevelt lied, wanting individuals to believe that they were making "contributions" toward an "insurance program" that would fund a "trust" from which they would recieve an "earned benefit."
And the United States is winning the fight in Irag thanks to Bush. You're good!
Um, according to who? I live in Australia and the USA's health care system is something we regularly laugh at. It is often cited as a reason that tourists don't consider the US as a vacation destination.
The WHO ranked it only 37th in the world. The Fox-owned WSJ juggled the numbers and got it up to 15th.
I keep hearing people say "We have the best health care system in the world". But on what factual basis can you claim that?
Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive. The Republicans' lies in the end will undo them far more thoroughly than any scheme the Democrats could come up with.