November 9, 2009
Somebody has to say something
The lead editorial in the WSJ today captures it pretty well:
The bill is instead a breathtaking display of illiberal ambition, intended to make the middle class more dependent on government through the umbilical cord of "universal health care." It creates a vast new entitlement, financed by European levels of taxation on business and individuals. The 20% corner of Medicare open to private competition is slashed, while fiscally strapped states are saddled with new Medicaid burdens. The insurance industry will have to vet every policy with Washington, which will regulate who it must cover, what it can offer, and how much it can charge.
We've lost our liberty and privacy, we've demolished the greatest engine of innovation for improving quality-of-life ever created, and we've signed up for complete middle-class serfdom. But THANK GOD for the work of those brave blue dog Democrats who stood tough and stripped out abortions!
I guess I am still enough of a partisan hack that I can at least appreciate the possible bloodbath for the Democrats in 2010. But this has come one step closer than I thought. I figured something would pass the House (the old line was "you could pass a ham sandwich in the House") but I did not expect anything this bad to pass.
On to the Senate. I am thinking of writing Senator Bennet today with a pledge to donate $1000 to his opponent if he votes for it. Good idea?
Agreed here: not sure what to do, but just as sure that something needs doing. I wrote Polis hoping he'd be more conscientious than politically short sighted (he's on record as being a deficit hawk, yes?).
Also agreed there's no point in writing Udall; he put his brains into a gov't bailed-out hedge long ago.
Posted by: nanobrewer at November 10, 2009 12:50 PMIs he? I'll take your word for it, nb. I guess I thought that Rep Polis was truly representing his constituency; I am guessing you and I are the only two people in his district that do not want gub'mint health care. I sat in on a telephone town hall and we are outliers.
Sen. Bennet would be the most vulnerable and the soonest up for election. I think that's a good place to put the screws.
Posted by: jk at November 10, 2009 3:24 PM | What do you think? [2]