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Political Hotsheet
McConnell to Dems: Vote for Health Care at Your Own Risk
If the Democrats' health care bill passes, every Republican running in an election this fall will campaign on repealing it, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said today.
President Obama said today, "Congress owes the American people a final vote on health care reform," and he gave Democrats his approval to pass it with reconciliation, a way of bypassing Republican opposition.
The passage of the bill, McConnell said today after the president's remarks, would lead to the "closest we've ever had in this country to a national referendum."
"Every election in America this fall will be a referendum on this issue," he said.
The president today stressed the Republican ideas he included in his health reform proposal, but McConnell said that if the bill passes through reconciliation, "the only thing that will be bipartisan about this proposal is the opposition to it."
Furthermore, he said, the American people are opposed to it. He said that Democratic leaders were misleading their members by telling them that the measure will not be politically damaging once it is passed.
"You ignore the overwhelming desires of the American people at your own peril," McConnell said. "This is politically toxic in the extreme."
McConnell said it was unclear the Democrats' plan for passing the bill could even succeed. The House would have to pass the health care bill already passed by the Senate. Then, both chambers would have to pass a "fix it" reconciliation measure.
House Democrats are "going to be called upon to vote on a bill that has the 'Cornhusker kickback,' the 'Louisiana purchase' ... and all the rest," he said, referring to the "sweetheart deals" negotiated with individual senators to win their votes.
Regardless of whether the second reconciliation measure passes, McConnell said, that first vote for the Senate bill will be on the record, which House Democrats will not be able to escape.
© 2010 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. President Obama said today, "Congress owes the American people a final vote on health care reform," and he gave Democrats his approval to pass it with reconciliation, a way of bypassing Republican opposition.
The passage of the bill, McConnell said today after the president's remarks, would lead to the "closest we've ever had in this country to a national referendum."
"Every election in America this fall will be a referendum on this issue," he said.
The president today stressed the Republican ideas he included in his health reform proposal, but McConnell said that if the bill passes through reconciliation, "the only thing that will be bipartisan about this proposal is the opposition to it."
Furthermore, he said, the American people are opposed to it. He said that Democratic leaders were misleading their members by telling them that the measure will not be politically damaging once it is passed.
"You ignore the overwhelming desires of the American people at your own peril," McConnell said. "This is politically toxic in the extreme."
McConnell said it was unclear the Democrats' plan for passing the bill could even succeed. The House would have to pass the health care bill already passed by the Senate. Then, both chambers would have to pass a "fix it" reconciliation measure.
House Democrats are "going to be called upon to vote on a bill that has the 'Cornhusker kickback,' the 'Louisiana purchase' ... and all the rest," he said, referring to the "sweetheart deals" negotiated with individual senators to win their votes.
Regardless of whether the second reconciliation measure passes, McConnell said, that first vote for the Senate bill will be on the record, which House Democrats will not be able to escape.
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We have Scoundrels and Thieves in charge. They keep you distracted by blaming others on their ineffectual actions. The only reason to keep them in Washington is because at least when they are Washington they are less destructive than they would be as warlords.
They are sold out to the highest bidder and they couldn't do anything for the citizens if they wanted to. They can't even change their minds without asking someone for permission.
Is the medical industry some sort of sacred cow? The costs to the consumer are beyond belief. I can't even understand the kind of charges I'm seeing.
I've had people tell me I should consider the expense that a doctor went thru to become a doctor. So that justifies $8,000 for less than an hour of his time? That was the charge just for the surgery, not the before and after.
$30,000 charge for six hours of out-patient time at the hospital? Come on, I don't care how you sweet talk it, that's just plain theft.
It gets worse, though. When things went wrong for me there was a two day stay in the hospital. All charges for that came to $70,000.
With the total costs over $100,000 for 3 total days I really am sorry I ever called the ambulance.
So, the GOP says the system is just fine. The Dems say we all gotta pay out the yahoo for insurance. How about we just stop stealing Americans blind? Wouldn't that be a good place to start? Nothing is going to improve until the medical industry loses its carte blanche.
Get that cured and then talk to me about the next step.
And yes, I meant it. I never should have called for the ambulance. Those three days have destroyed me financially. Everything I have worked for is gone. This is not what I've spent my life to become.