Yesterday, the GOP voted unanimously (with 3 Democratic supporters, unfathomably), to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
In so doing, they voted to help Health Insurance Companies deny coverage for people with pre-existing conditions. They voted to remove insurance from young people now covered up to the age of 26 under their parents' plans. They voted against subsidies that allow small businesses to provide insurance for their employees. They voted against something that the Congressional Budget Office states will help decrease the deficit over the long haul.
Why do they hate America? Why do they hate Americans?
My reading of the vote is that Republicans think they're being very clever. They know the Senate will not support repeal. But this lets them appeal to the fat-cats in their base, while paying lip-service to anti-government wingnuts tea partiers.
(Question: If Republicans in Congress are so opposed to government, why exactly are they drawing a government salary? Oh, never mind.)
Even Fox news (sorry, no link provided) is calling the repeal vote purely symbolic. But I think they haven't really thought through what it symbolizes. The move is so obviously a mistake, that even some GOP moderates say the vote to repeal is misguided. (Even Bill Frist says the bill has many "strong elements": "And those elements, whatever happens, need to be preserved.")
Democratic response has been muted so far, as I'm sure they don't want to give the repeal vote more traction than it deserves.
However, I think the vote gives us an opportunity. It raises the possibility of renewing debate on a public option or a Medicare Buy-In.
They want to raise the stakes? They'll quickly find the public mood surprises them.
Remember the last time we had this debate? Between July and December 2009, as Congress and the White House scaled back the reform bill inch by inch, public support gradually rose for the Public Option.
By October 2009, a significant majority supported the PO:
On the issue that has been perhaps the most pronounced flash point in the national debate, 57 percent of all Americans now favor a public insurance option, while 40 percent oppose it. Support has risen since mid-August, when a bare majority, 52 percent, said they favored it. (In a June Post-ABC poll, support was 62 percent.)
By November 2009, that support held strong. One poll found support for a strictly-defined public option topping 70%:
A key number is on support for the public option. The poll found that 53% are in favor and 43% against. When those who were initially against it or were undecided were then asked about a more limited option that would only be available to people who currently don't have insurance -- that is, a description of the public option that was passed in the House bill -- 40% of them then approved. This caused the total approval for a limited public option to rise up to 72%-28%.
By December it was clear that public opposition to health reform was about the compromises involved, not fear of so-called "socialist takeover." People wanted a Public Option. Period:
Just under 60 percent of those surveyed said they would like a public option as part of any final healthcare reform legislation, which Republicans and a few Democrats oppose.
Folks, there was a steady rise in interest and support for the Public Option between July and December 2009.
GOP reps in Congress are now on record voting to repeal a bill designed to help Americans get health insurance, and to prevent the worst abuses of the health insurance industry.
Their priorities are clear.
They offer no alternative.
And the American people are actually in favor of a far more liberal reform of health insurance.
I welcome this debate. Personally, I'm thrilled that the Republicans in the House re-introduced the issue. I'm looking forward to the conversation. This time next year, if they keep this up, we'll be talking about Medicare for All.