Harry Reid's Self-Sacrificing Push for Health Care Reform

Barak Obama promised us "Hope and Change". There are several governmental efforts right now to dramatically change the world. Some people have pointed out how improbable it is that someone like Harry Reid could be leading one of those efforts. Quite a contrast in personality and style with the dazzling Barak Obama. That contrast, and its potential consequences, is discussed in a fascinating manner by Mark Steyn, here. Many people think that Reid may be sacrificing his chances for re-election by his push to pass this unpopular bill.

Ace:

We must rush, rush, rush to pass a bill, without even reading it, so that the bill can take effect in 2014.

Yeah that makes sense.

Once in a while a wildly inappropriate statement by Harry Reid makes the news. He recently compared Republicans who opposed his health care bill to those in the past who had supported the continuation of slavery in the United States. Maybe that's why Reid didn't even tell Republican senators what was in his bill. Update December 17, Sen. McConnell:

“Americans were told the purpose of reform was to reduce the cost of health care.

"Instead, Democrat leaders produced a $2.5 trillion, 2,074-page monstrosity that vastly expands government, raises taxes, raises premiums, and wrecks Medicare.

“And they want to rush this bill through by Christmas — one of the most significant, far-reaching pieces of legislation in U.S. history. They want to rush it.

“And here’s the most outrageous part: at the end of this rush, they want us to vote on a bill that no one outside the Majority Leader’s conference room has even seen.

“That’s right. The final bill we’ll vote on isn’t even the one we’ve had on the floor. It’s the deal Democrat leaders have been trying to work out in private.

“That’s what they intend to bring to the floor and force a vote on before Christmas."

Hope. Change. Transparency.

Whatever its details, Reid's bill would move Americans closer to the captivity to government bureaucracy now seen in Canadian health care, which is hitting the predictable decline which develops in government-run systems.

The Canadian system is now seriously under-serving those with chronic conditions and those outside cities. In the UK, the rich can opt out of the crumbling public system if they are willing to forego all government-paid health care, while continuing to pay taxes for such care. This option is not available to Canadians. Those who now come to the U.S. for care may soon find that option for escape from captivity to bureaucracy gone, too. And the pharmaceutical development upon which they freeload may be very seriously curtailed in the future, too.

With all the recent demonizing of insurance companies by the Democratic leadership and the plan to double-tax the best insurance policies, and to otherwise turn insurance companies into government contractors, how long can it be before only the very rich will be able to afford quality care, or before just about everyone must accept "standard", rationed care?

Joseph C. Phillips reminds Harry Reid of some actual history concerning slavery.

In remarks intended to further paint the political right as immoral, racist and evil, Reid offered that, “Instead of joining us on the right side of history, all the Republicans can come up with is, ’slow down, stop everything, let’s start over.’ If you think you’ve heard these same excuses before, you’re right. When this country belatedly recognized the wrongs of slavery, there were those who dug in their heels and said ’slow down, it’s too early, things aren’t bad enough.’”

Reid is obviously confused. Republicans have no power to block passage of the senate healthcare reform bill. Nor are Republicans delaying passage of Obamacare. If Healthcare reform is being delayed and/or eventually dies it will be because one or more of Reid’s fellow Democrats decided to do the right thing and kill this Frankenbill where it lays.

Ironically, had Reid been speaking to Democrats he would not only have been currently correct, but historically accurate as well. . .

Reid's health care bill is unpopular in his own state. Reid has just deeply, and inaccurately, insulted his constituency as well as his Republican colleagues. Why does he seem so desperate to pass this bill when it is doing him so much political damage?

Byron York talked with a Democratic Strategist who presented some possible explanations: :

In the end, perhaps the most compelling explanation for Democratic behavior is that they are simply in too deep to do anything else. "Once you've gone this far, what is the cost of failure?" asks the strategist.

At that point -- Republicans will love this -- he compared congressional Democrats with robbers who have passed the point of no return in deciding to hold up a bank. Whatever they do, they're guilty of something. "They're in the bank, they've got their guns out. They can run outside with no money, or they can stick it out, go through the gunfight, and get away with the money."

That's it. Democrats are all in. They're going through with it. Even if it kills them.