Health Care Reform’s Fate Lies With Our New Congressional Leadership
By Jeffrey Paulsen on November 6, 2010, 6:55 am Posted in Finance NewsThe 2010 political activities could be recorded as historical when Democrats passed the Affordable Healthcare for America Act, or the Healthcare Reform Bill. It could also be recognized as the year many Congressional Democrats were fired by the populace for passing 2010 legislation including healthcare reform. The Republicans gained 60 seats in the House, a party exchange not seen in 70 years. Republican leader John Boehner, expected to assume the role of House Speaker has vowed repeal of the Healthcare Reform Bill. The future of healthcare reform in the United States lies in the actions of the new Congress entering office in January 2011.
Repeal Of The Healthcare Reform Bill
Senate Republican minority leader Mitch McConnell and ally John Boehner have threatened to repeal the Healthcare Reform Bill when Congress meets in 2011. This is not a simple prospect. The future of the healthcare reform still remains under control of the Democrats controlling the Senate and White House. John Boehner could find sufficient votes in the house to pass a repeal only to be voted down by a Democratically controlled Senate. Beyond a repeal passing in the Senate, President Obama must sign before it passes. This is not likely to happen. The new Congress lacks necessary votes in House and Senate against a Presidential veto.
Preventing Implementation Of Healthcare Reform
House Republicans have one option for hindering implementation of the Healthcare Reform Bill. The House controls allocation of government capital and could deny funding for specific programs in the Bill. A second option is compromise. The President could work for common ground with Republican leaders when Congress meets in January.
Reactions From The White House
President Obama congratulated Boehner and McConnell on success during the midterms. Although he stated willingness to compromise, the President expressed a need to move forward. The message from the American voter was not for new debate on legislation passed during his two years in office. Obama believes the Democrats and Republicans could find common ground on certain issues. Repeal of the Healthcare Reform Bill was not included.
The midterm elections were a display of frustration among the populace and a message to government representatives. The message is not clear as Congressional Republicans and Democrats continue to disagree on the important issues and what the public wants. General consensus forecasts deadlock where the Democratic Senate votes down issues passed by the House. Likely very little will be accomplished over the next two years.
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- 2010 Election: The GOP Pledge To Repeal Health Care Reform If Elected
Just as Democrats suffered a major setback in the mid-term elections due partially to enacting health care reform legislation combined with their perceived failure to deal with the troubled economy, Republicans, ironically, could face the same fate if they try to resurrect the health care reform debate and not focus on revitalizing the economy and creating jobs. Exit polls showed 16 per cent of voters in the mid-term elections wanted the health care law to remain as is and 36 per cent wanted it EXPANDED. Forty-eight per cent favored repeal. The even spit nationally on health care reform suggests it’s an issue Republicans should avoid as way of making political hay unless they can find a way to work with Democrats on reforming the reforms.
If the Republicans are able to repeal or modify the health insurance paradigm, they are in danger of owning it. It would become “Bohner-Care.”
Here are some slogan ideas:
“Bohner-Care: the best health reform that money can buy”
“Bohner-Care: why fix health insurance? Mine is fine.”
“Bohner-Care: liberalism is a deniable pre-existing condition”