Health Care Hypocrisy

[marmar]

from OurFuture.org:



Health Care Hypocrisy
By Bernie Horn

April 20th, 2009 - 1:36am ET


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Sometimes my computer’s thesaurus is useful, but today it’s downright essential. Without it, how could I describe the way Republican senators have reacted to the idea of using the budget reconciliation process to enact crucial health care reform legislation. I mean, how many times can I repeat the most accurate description—“whiners”?

Let’s review the situation. The House version of the congressional Budget Resolution includes language that would—if necessary—allow health care reform to be adopted by the Senate without requiring 60 votes to overcome a filibuster. The Senate version of the budget does not include that language. In order to enact effective health care reform in 2009, progressives must insist that the conference committee adopt the House reconciliation language.

There are 41 Senate Republicans, barely enough to kill any bill by filibuster—except for a reconciliation bill that requires only 51 votes to pass. So, naturally, they’re whining loudly about the reconciliation process.

Whiner-in-Chief Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., complained: “That would be the Chicago approach to governing: Strong-arm it through…. You’re talking about the exact opposite of bipartisan. You’re talking about running over the minority, putting them in cement and throwing them in the Chicago River.”

Sen. Kit Bond, R-Mo., apparently unable to express an original thought, whimpered: “In this post-partisan time of Barack Obama, we’re seeing a little Chicago politics. They steamroller those who disagree with them, then, I guess in Chicago, they coat them in cement and drop them in the river.” ...........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.ourfuture.org/blog-entry/2009041720/health-care-hypocrisy