Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe Senates Health Care Secrecy Is a Breathtaking Contempt for Democracy
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2017/06/the_senate_s_health_care_secrecy_will_hurt_millions.htmlJune 16 2017 2:06 PM
The Senates Health Care Secrecy Is a Breathtaking Contempt for Democracy
Millions will suffer, for a tax cut.
By Jamelle Bouie
While much of Washington fixates on Donald Trump and his scandals, a small band of Senate Republicans is workingin secreton a bill that would slash health insurance for tens of millions of Americans and jeopardize access for millions more. And theyre doing this on a so-called fast track meant to preclude debate. The reason for this rushed process? To obscure the obvious: that at heart, the American Health Care Act is little more than a massive tax cut for the wealthiest Americans.
Once the working group emerges from its cloister, the bill will be scored by the Congressional Budget Office, and thenin a sharp break with procedurebypass the committee process and go straight to the floor without a public hearing. There are even suggestions that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will use legislative gamesmanship to avoid debate entirely, so Republicans can pass the bill without any discussion of its contents and provisions. As Paul Ryan did in the House of Representatives, McConnell intends to restructure one-sixth of the American economy with as little input as possible, freezing out experts, industry representatives, and Democratic lawmakers. This, despite overwhelming opposition from the public; in one recent poll, just 23 percent of respondents said they approved of the Republican health care bill.
And what will the public get if and when the final version of the bill is passed into law? Millions of Americans will either lose their health insurance, see massive new costs, or face added obstacles, from lifetime caps on care to limits based on pre-existing conditions.
snip//
Republicans are pushing forward on an unpopular bill that, by every independent account, will harm millions of Americans. To justify this sprint, the White House is actively sabotaging insurance markets while telling the public that the Affordable Care Act is failing. And in taking this course, theyve shown a breathtaking contempt for democracy, insulating themselves from any political pressure, lying about the policies in question, and hiding this bankrupt process from the country.
This cowardly and factional governingmeant to satisfy a small minority of Republican Party backers, not the public at largewill likely backfire. Given Democratic anger, the presidents unpopularity, and broad discontent with the bill in question, there are decent odds this story ends with a Democratic victory in the 2018 elections and a chance to repair the damage. But between now and then, real people will suffer. Real people will have to decide if they can afford continued treatment. Real people will die. And as far as anyone can tell, the point of all of thisthe secrecy and dishonesty and likely painis tax cuts. Thats it.
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
2 replies, 1679 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (3)
ReplyReply to this post
2 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
The Senates Health Care Secrecy Is a Breathtaking Contempt for Democracy (Original Post)
babylonsister
Jun 2017
OP
BSdetect
(8,998 posts)1. They were complicit in this coup so they intend to do their absolute worse
dalton99a
(81,485 posts)2. Kick.