GOP: We Owe It to Public to Block Bill

(CBS)  If the House of Representatives passes HR 4872 Reconciliation Act of 2010 and its corrections today, both go to the Senate for consideration. At that point, Republicans will have an opportunity to add amendments to the legislation and, as some critics say, drag out the process of getting health care reform passed.

"It's not a question of dragging [the process] out," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) told "Face the Nation" anchor Bob Schieffer this morning. "It's a question of making sure the American people know what's in [the bill]."

The reconciliation process being used for Sunday's health care vote is common, said McConnell, though he hastened to mention that when it's used in a partisan fashion, the party who uses it often loses its majority in the upcoming election.

"In '93, we had narrowly partisan use of reconciliation for the biggest tax increase in history at that time. And the next year my party took the House and Senate," he said. "In 2005 we used it for a deficit reduction package. It was narrowly passed on a partisan basis; we lost the Senate the next year."

McConnell wouldn't elaborate on what exactly the GOP will do if the health care bill comes to the Senate, but he said Republicans had plans.

"We will have a series of amendments on the substance of the bill that will highlight the massive Medicare cuts, the massive tax increases, and other deficiencies that we think are the reason the American people are against this bill," he said. "Then of course there are special rules that apply to one of these so-called reconciliation bills that will be tested in the Senate.

McConnell highlighted what he called a series of special deals in the legislation that would be a tough sell, including tax increases and $100 million in Medicaid for Tennessee.

"The Democrats in the House and Senate are trying to convince their members to basically ignore their own constituents and do something that's highly unpopular even though the public opinion is pretty darned clear that Americans don't want this," added McConnell.

There were also no predictions from McConnell as to whether the Democrats could pass the bill in the House - or if Republicans could stop it in the Senate.

But when asked about political motives - about health reform becoming Presiident Obama's signature issue, and how the GOP was uniformly opposing it - McConnell said, "Look, Bob, this is not about the president. It's not about the Republicans. It's about the nation's health care. We have a significant difference of opinion about the direction in which to go."

He added, "We owe it to the American people to do the very best we can to keep this bill from passing so that we can start over and get it right."

More from Face the Nation:

Do Dems Have the Votes for Health Care?
Dick Durbin: Senate Ready for Health Care Reconciliation

More Coverage of the Health Care Reform Debate:

House Begins Historic Health Care Debate
The Hunt for Health Care Votes: Democrats to Watch
Obama to House: Health Care Reform is in Your Hands
CBSNews.com Special Report: Health Care
CBS Sunday Morning: Obama's Bill of Health
Rep.: Protesters Yelled Racial Slurs
Schedule for House Health Care Vote
House Dems Abandon "Slaughter Solution" for Health Bill
Obama Has Given 54 Speeches on Health Care
Obama Deploys Personal Presidential Touch
Dem Health Care Bill Pegged at $940B Over 10 Years

Details of the Bill:

What's in Health Care Bill? Take a Dose
Health Care Special Deals: What's Left In?
Dems Include Student Aid Reform Package in Bill
Health Care Bill Extends Tax to Investments
Read the Text (PDF): Complete Senate Bill | Reconciliation Measure

[jem0309]

the gop is one big contradiction. they were for mandatory insurance before they opposed it. they attacked obama for making medicare cuts while they originally opposed the institution of medicare and stand on the premise that private industry will take care of everything...ha! they claim to be pro-life while opposing bringing healthcare to tens of millions of american citizens that will save tens of thousands of lives. they attacked antiwar protestors as un-american then barely a peep as their followers resort to violence, threats and intimidation. they are repulsive and incompetent. thank God at least some Americans are not their sheep.

the 'tea party' wishes to place power back in the hands of the oppressive big corporations rather than in the hands of the american people. the only loss was the lack of a public option, and the insurance companies still have the power to arbitrarily raise rates for the sake of their shareholders. perhaps one day more and more americans will waken to reality and a strong public option will be brought.

[1renegade]

Opression from " Big Corporations" get real. This healthcare bill is just the beginning of "Opression" the American people will begin to know.

[noloyalisti]

The GOP owes the American people to step down. They are a complete joke and a failure and no longer necessary in America.

Let's face it, we have enough right wing wackos in the Democratic Party.

[Ordflyer]

What the GOP meant to say was: WE OWE IT TO THE INSURANCE COMPANIES THAT BOUGHT US TO BLOCK THIS BILL.

CROOKS and OBSTRUCTIONISTS!

Anyone can say "I can't do it." That seems to be the GOP motto these days....

[jeannettelj]

What we owe you, is to vote you out of office. You do not have a clue what the American people want.

[8301]

Can anyone tell me one thing this bill does to address the actual costs of health care? Not the amount people actually pay vs. what's subsidized by the government, the actual cost.

[jimbom121]

Through the individual mandate and allowing children up to age 26, more healthy people would be part of the risk pools, thus lowering the cost, or at least lessoning the cost increases.

You are right that it does not directly effect costs, as there are many pieces to the puzzle, inlcuding this insurance part. We need to look at provider costs, supply costs and even our lifestyles.

[mike 901]

If you think the rich dont have tax-shelters, You Are a Fool .

[jgg000101]

of course the rich have tax shelters. They'd be fools not to, as long as they are legal. The illegal ones I have no problem clamping down on.
I think they should look at George Soros first.

[jschmidt27]

We are on the path to be just like Greece. When they try to reduce govt spending, there are riots. The Dems want over 50 % of the population to be either employed by the govt or taking govt handouts, so the budget can never be cut and if anyone tries they'll be booted out of office. The Dems want the govt to control peoples live cause that is how they stay in power.

[mike 901]

The Rich are protesting, along with thier running dogs and buffoons. Its tough to pay your fair share, pity those creature. I do, NOT. We, our Fathers, and our Children build this contry and fight for it. They take Bonuses. Bastards

[jgg000101]

actaully, the rich pay through the nose. They are leaving New York in droves. You better be nice to them because if they all leave, you're skarooed.

[DontPassThisBill]

Wake up America, this bill stinks! ITS SO BAD EVEN THE DEMS DON'T WANT TO VOTE FOR IT! WAKE UP! Do you really want the government to run your healthcare? Do you really trust the government to make decisions about your health? If this bill passes it will be here to stay for you, your children, and your grandchildren's children. It will be here long past the 4 years that Obama is in office. Do you really think that this is going to make people more healthy? WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The reason healthcare is going thru the roof is because there are so many people that don't take care of their own health- overweight, drinking, drugs, smoking. If you want to fix healthcare in this country, start taking some responsibility for your own health, and don't make me pay for you!

[sashajay40]

all i can say to is that u sound stupid my uncle worked out every day of his life and ate healthy and still he got cancer and died it's not about being over weight or other wise we need health care the damn rich is getting richer and the poor is getting not a damn thing so just because we can't afford it mean we don't need it that's bull most of the people who are working still can't afford the health care that is being offered :(

[jimbom121]

Have you read anything other than GOP talking points? There is little government involvement.

[gonesouth]

Those poor lemmings, still trying to convince America that all of the years they were in power there was a health care plan that they authored. Smoke. And to think that not one of their members had enough independence of thought to support one of the signal issues of the last 50 years. Every time I confront the great issues that have advanced the welfare of this nation I see democrats leading and republicans obstructing. They're so last century, so utterly out of touch with reality.

[jschmidt27]

Allthe years they were in power? The Dems have controlled Congress since 2006. In the past 60 years Dems controlled Congress, 50 years. Democrats did pass the social bills. And where are they? In deep fiscal trouble. So while Republicans are trying to control costs in healthcare, Dems are passing a bill that will not control costs, will lead to reduced care due to medicare cuts, taxes on medical suppliers and manufacturers and cuts to doctors. And it will be bribe senators and exempt unions from the cadillac tax. It is a bad bill. rep-am.com editorial : "CRITICAL COMPARISON: CT Rep. John Larson, D-1st District, is one of many Democrats comparing the fight for Obamacare with the political battles that preceded the passage of Social Security and Medicare under Democratic presidents. But those entitlements ultimately passed, and look how well they turned out, he boasts. By all means, let's look: Social Security is a criminal Ponzi scheme that underwrites the bloated salaries and benefits of unionized federal employees and recession-proofs their jobs. When Medicare was approved in 1965, Democrats predicted it would cost just $9 billion by 1990; it actually consumed $67 billion that year. Using that yardstick, the $200 billion underestimated annual cost of Obamacare could be $1.5 trillion 25 years hence; that was the total federal budget in 1995. Today, Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid have promised nearly $108 trillion in benefits for which the government has no money; each American's share of that unfunded liability is almost $350,000. Yeah, Rep. Larson, look how well they turned out."