Olbermann Rips Congress a New One on Health Care 8/3/09

Keith Olbermann calls out Sen. John Thune, Sen. John McCain, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and other Republicans - whom he argues, are "owned" by the insurance industry -a few Democrats are too - specifically the "Blue Dogs" - in a Special Comment. -YT
RedSkysays...

Has it occurred to him that some people may actually oppose it on principled reasons rather than simply being corrupt as he paints them? That they might be worried about the growing budget deficit and may rightly believe that while a public option for health care may universalise coverage, it in itself won't address the equally serious issue of escalating cost? Or that mandating compulsory provision of health care is expected to see firms pass on the additional operating costs inequitably to low income earners? Or that Obama has declined to consider a provision that ends the tax preference on insurance plans to large employers with powerful union groups which acts as a market distortion and could raise some $250 billion in additional revenues? Taxing the rich to pay the public option may well be both plausible and fair but if such a partisan bill gets pushed through, there will be continuous pressure for Republicans to overturn it. It's great that at the moment with Democratic majorities in both the House and the Senate that they would have no chance at doing this, but what if the plan simply gets scrapped when the tides do turn?

Even at the very least, has he considered that many of the especially Democratic congress representatives who oppose this could have been elected in right leaning districts, in which it was necessary to make some concessions to the traditional democrat platform to become elected, and that as a result they are required to both fulfil their promises and ultimately represent a more conservative constituency?

He's right though that politically they may be screwed either way. If Obama does fail at passing reform, blame will lie with the majority Democratic representatives in both the lower and upper house who clearly had a great deal of leeway in crafting the bill. They may just be better off ensuring that some reform does pass, as that will benefit Obama politically, who's popularity when it comes down to it was what allowed many of them to be elected in contested districts in the first place.

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