Health Care
Health Care Reform: The Reality of Reconciliation...
Published March 19, 2010, 12:14 pm, CST
by Diane W. Collins
dcollins@marketingweb.com
While President Obama delivered a "campaign style" speech on his health care reform "bill-of-fixes" (frankly, reminiscent of a chicken-in-every-pot) to a crowd of students and supporters in Virginia this afternoon, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Senate Minority Leader delivered reality on the floor of the Senate.
Sen. McConnell pointed to several issues the Democrats obfuscate. Regarding the Reconciliation Act of 2010, or "bill-of-fixes" which attempts to correct the underlying Senate Health Care Reform Bill, he said the bill further increases government spending; cuts Medicare deeper; and raises taxes. Sen. McConnell also said the bill bends the cost curve further up, not down; retains the Class Act "Ponzi Scheme;" "increases the number of sweetheart deals;" and that the bill itself costs more. On the abortion issue, Sen. McConnell stated, according to the National Right to Life Committee, the bill is the "most expansive piece of legislation to ever reach the floor of the House of Representatives."
This is why it is important not to listen simply to talk about the give-away parts of the bill. As we have reported, that's just Democratic strategy. Remember, we are going to have to pay for this as it changes the very nature of our Republic. We must look at the "bill-of-fixes" as a whole. Go beyond the eleven or twelve page summaries the Democrats provide. Read our report and listen to the analysis of Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) member of the House Budget Committee as to what's really happening in this process.
CBO Score - PDF of The Reconciliation Act of 2010
HR 4872, The Reconciliation Act of 2010 (PDF)
Additional Rules Committee Resources on HR 4872 and related ammendments, bills and reports.
Further reading: