In The News: Everyone Hates Health Care

It would seem that no one can agree when it comes to the health care debate on Capitol Hill. Each group has something nasty to say about another group and sometimes even about their own groups. It's Democrats vs. Republicans. Blue Dogs vs. Liberals. Freshman vs. Veterans. House vs. Senate. Energy and Commerce Committee vs. Finance Committee. Executive vs. Legislative. There is no end in sight for the battles being waged over the Health Care Mess.

It would seem that no one is united when it comes to the fight over Health Care. My question is: Why the rush? Why is everyone trying to get a bill passed before the August recess? With one week left before the recess and no one agreeing as to how to pull this off, what is everyone expecting to accomplish, aside from an unsuccessful vote?

It is looking as if the only real hope of a bill that won't be rushed through Congress and shoved down the throats of America is coming from the Senate Finance committee, who is actually working, and very hard at that, to achieve a bipartisan bill. However, the Finance Committee has made it very clear that they will not have a bill finished before the August Recess.

In the House we see something very different. The Liberals are very quick to try and get exactly what they want, but are running into opposition not only from the dreaded Republicans but from some members of their own party. The fiscally conservative Blue Dogs successfully created a 10 day impasse in the House Energy and Commerce Committee as they opposed the measure to use Medicare fee schedules to pay doctors and hospitals, which would, undoubtedly lead to sub-market prices being paid to doctors under the proposed public insurance plan. After giving in to the Blue Dog demands in an effort to break the impasse, Liberals were sent screaming to the press about how their ideas for the public insurance plan were now being compromised. Under the proposed bill in the House Committee, employers would also be required to provide insurance to all their employees or pay a steep payroll tax of eight percent, clearly pushing employers toward the proposed public plan. Blue Dogs as well as committee Republicans have been opposing this measure as well, with some success.

There have also been struggles within the Democratic Party with freshman congressmen from districts recently taken from Republicans. Several have bound together, including some of the Blue Dog group, to oppose budgeting and other questions in the proposed House health care legislation and have helped to postpone a floor vote on any of the legislation.

Overall it would seem that there is no end in sight for the ongoing health care battle. With many questions still hanging over all the versions of proposed legislation, it is unclear how it will all turn out. But one thing is for sure, public approval is dropping quickly as Congress argues over what to do. Liberals lose more and more ground and the proposed legislation grows more complicated each day as the not so pretty side of health care reform is seen. Will we ever pass Health Care Reform or will the Obama administration put its foot in its own mouth. It would appear the old saying, "Easier said, than done" would apply perfectly to Health Care Reform. I guess only time will tell how it all plays out.

Sources:

NY Times - Criticism

NY Times - Impasse

NY Times - Freshmen