Republicans Lose Vote on Health Care, See Defeat as Step Toward 2012 Election

Filed under: News, Politics, President Obama, Health Care Debate

Republicans were defeated in their efforts to overturn the health care reform law in the Senate, but they think voters will reward them for the effort in the 2012 elections.

That was the mood coming from the Senate, after the bill was defeated by a vote of 51-47. The mood on the GOP side of the aisle was practically giddy:

"These are the first steps in a long road that will culminate in 2012, whereby we will expose the flaws and the weaknesses in this legislation," Texas Sen. John Cornyn, the party's campaign chief, told the AP.

"We think this is just the beginning," added Republican leader Mitch McConnell. "This issue is still ahead of us."

But Republicans may be in for a rude awakening.

Despite complaints about health care from the American public, there are changes that are now benefiting millions of Americans, especially in this time of fiscal crisis.

One of the most prominent changes is the amendment that allows children to stay on their parents' health care plan until the age of 26. That change is especially important as many young people graduate college or technical school and return home unable to find work.

Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), called the Republican repeal effort "one more hollow, symbolic, pander-to-the-masses amendment," the AP reported.

"I want to hear their ideas for replacement," she said.

And that's why this is a prime example of what is wrong with American politics right now.

Instead of Republicans working to change portions of the health care bill they disagree with, they are plotting for the 2012 presidential election, and it's not just Republicans that play this ugly game; Democrats do it as well.

In reality, Republicans should be more concerned with the 23-year-old college graduate who can't find a job and who has student loans on deferral. The least we can do is make sure that he can go to the doctor if he becomes ill.

Meanwhile, Republicans are still talking about deficit reduction. They are right that we need to reduce our tremendous debt; however, it should not be at the expense of the health of Americans.

There are projections that the health care law will actually help reduce our budget gap.

And why aren't we looking at other budget-widening items such as our defense spending?

We are still armed for World War III when many of our recent and unnecessary conflicts have involved on-the-ground battles with smaller, more elusive combatants who use guerrilla warfare techniques.

Nor is health care reform a government plot to delve deeper into our lives. If most people don't realize it, the government is already deeply involved in health care. Millions of poor Americans receive Medicaid, while every citizen will receive Medicare if they live long enough -- both of these programs are vital to the health of the elderly and poor.

I'm sure a sick person in Florida who has lost her job and home is not thinking about the 2012 elections at this moment.

 

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