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March 23rd, 2010
02:54 PM ET

5 Reasons republicans should let go of health care

[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/08/22/art.capitol.dome.cnn.jpg caption="Republicans are attacking the bill as ferociously as they did before it passed, Jay Newton-Small says."]

Jay Newton-Small
Time

Reporters leaving Capitol Hill in the wee hours of Monday morning were, for the most part, heaving sighs of relief: health care reform had – finally! - passed, a vote for the history books. However imperfect, the deed was done, the fat lady had sung. A day later and Republicans seem not to have gotten the memo: they are attacking the bill as ferociously as they did before it passed. Repeal it, they're saying; strike it down in the courts; and in the Senate, the reconciliation fixes may die a death of a thousand amendments.

Health care reform has been a rich vein for the GOP. Think back to the August town hall meetings and Sarah Palin's death panels. Indeed, polls show the bill is incredibly unpopular – which is why Dems are more than happy to move on to jobs, the economy, and more jobs. But, keeping the bill in the forefront of news doesn't come without risk to the GOP. Here are five reasons this could be a losing argument for Republicans:

1. What happens when, as President Obama put it to the Democratic House Caucus on Saturday, “lo and behold nobody is pulling the plug on granny”?

The way many protestors (and some Republicans) were talking over the weekend you'd think passage of the bill represented an end of days: better stock up on canned goods because communism is a hair's breadth away. “If we pass this bill, there will be no turning back,” Minority Leader John Boehner thundered on the House floor just before the vote. “It will be the last straw for the American people.”

Read reasons 2-5

soundoff (7 Responses)
  1. terry

    I don't know why Texas is fighting the bill everyone in Texas is for it so stop trying to stop it ... we all do things that the law tells us weather we want to or not so i am for this bill ... this was a long time coming... so thank you to the ones who passed this bill... my mother is for it too. she is diabetic stage 2 and she is happy that know she can get medical help and medication ... we dont care if you raise taxs because we all see it at the end of the year .... so dont know why people care about taxs ... so thank you !!! fired up ready to go!!!

    March 23, 2010 at 5:31 pm |
  2. Denise Barlow

    Yep, the Republican leadership doesn't get it. Obama won...get over it already.

    March 23, 2010 at 4:30 pm |
  3. Tim

    Jay,

    Thank you for your perspective and your help in making our drive to socialism possible. With the help of people like you, we will succeed in making this a utopia like no other.

    We cannot rest though. It is absolutely imperative that we seize on this momentum. As I read this victory, this nation is prime to be a model socialist state.

    The conservative pundits have missed the boat. It is not 1/6th of the economy that is the victory. Once this runs its full course, the healthcare system will be government run and that will put 1/3 of this nation’s employees on the government payroll. That means 1/3 of all Americans will be voting their salaries at the polls each election. Add into that the Social Security Crowd and the Welfare recipients, you close in on 1/2 of the population who are voting with their wallets. That is true victory here.

    Ours will be the greatest Socialist State of all time. The look of sheer ecstacy on Speaker Pelosi's face says it all. We are ever so close to that dream, that shining dream of true equality, where everyone works for the common good and that rather than striving to be the best, we are shoulder to shoulder with our brothers and sisters in this united effort. I know that other countries have tried and failed, but this is the first country with this type of potential to try.

    Thank you, so much.

    March 23, 2010 at 4:06 pm |
  4. MR.AL

    Ive got five reasons!!

    #1 People have seen and have spoken We need need health care. no matter what dirty trick they pull.

    #2 Even with all your tea parties and negative press it has been signed in.

    #3 Youve insulted President Obama with racial slurs witch to me is dirty Politics!!

    #4 Because you have health insurence paid for by tax payers you act like the rest of Ameria shouldn't have any health care.

    #5 Every thing The Obama Administration has tried do EXCEPT FOR CORPERATE BAIL OUTS has been made into to a media blitz by special intrest.

    March 23, 2010 at 3:58 pm |
  5. Maria H-Miami

    The only thing I see here is that we are still having to buy insurance and insurance companies are going to make a lot of money selling new insurance policies due to the new law that requires all individuals to be insured or pay a fine/penalty. Government subsidy monies are available to families of income up to $88,200 a family of 4 to help pay for their insurance policy. My business is not required to offer insurance coverage to employees because of fewer than 50 employees, it is exempt and no penalty. Businesses with more than 50 employees is required to either offer insurance policy or pay a fine. Everyone can buy insurance from the state exchange pools to get a cheaper price. How is this new health care program good for families since they still have to buy an insurance policy? I ask again, why not put everyone under Medicare, Medicaid after restructuring it and charge us a higher Medicare Payroll Tax?

    March 23, 2010 at 3:19 pm |
  6. Mari

    My prayer is that America will come to its senses when the Healthcare Bill goes into effect! Then Americans will see at last that the Republicans have been lying to them all along.

    Self-employed will have healthcare & be able to offer it to their employees.

    No parent of college age kids will worry that their 26 year old, who is working on their Masters will not have healthcare!

    Parents whose kids are born with preexisting conditions will at last have healthcare for their children!

    Soon....... America will SEE that Healthcare for ALL is a win-win!

    March 23, 2010 at 3:16 pm |
  7. Ratna, New York, NY

    I am sure that the pharmaceutical companies that have been lobbying with the Republicans have some extra CHILL PILLS to spare.

    The Republicans only believe in symptomatic relief. They have NO GUTS what-so-ever to build a pie from scratch. They only know how to MASK problems and have NEVER approached an issue like US health care IN DEPTH.

    I stood by the Duane Read pharmacist the other day eye witnessing a sick young lady dishing down $600 for 5 prescriptions.

    IS THAT FAIR????!!!!

    March 23, 2010 at 3:11 pm |