The Merging Healthcare Bills

I think the two most important differences I think that exist between the House and the Senate's bill is how it will be paid for and the public option. I do not expect for this to be a long drawn out exercise because with the large difference in the cost of the Senate's bill and the House's, there should be room to add the public option.

Many conversations will then center on whether the Democrats in the senate would support a bill with a public option and I believe that if they are forced to vote either up or down, they will choose up. It is my opinion that after this holiday break, the majority of congress members will have heard enough from the public and if they wish to hold on to their positions, they will say yea. I find it most refreshing that the majority of Americans are beginning to see just how powerful they are as individuals and most importantly as a group. I think that the era of allowing a small percentage to hijack a party is over. I think that it has become the era of change that the majority voted for. It has been discovered that one man/woman can not deliver alone and the voices of America will be heard like the shot around the world. That voice shall say to congress, we hired you and we can fire you. You were sent to help this president deliver on the change that we feel America deserves and those who stand in opposition just because they can will soon suffer unemployment unless they can swiftly secure a job with the Wall Street Group that they have come to think more of than their own constituents.

The one great thing about this healthcare debate, I think, is that it has uncovered why Washington is not viewed favorably by the public. When you have congress members like Senator Orrin Hatch who complains about the deficit yet said that the last few years it was common practice to not pay for things that they voted on, it has to make you wonder why now are they concerned with the deficit. When you see congress members like Jim DeMint holding up the appointment of the TSA director chosen by the Obama administration, saying that his reason for that was fear of baggage handlers being unionized, makes no sense. The Christmas bomber did not have any bags and holding up the appointment of TSA's number one for no other reason except unionization is irresponsible at best. The hold up would have made more sense if the person was no qualified to hold the position. If that seems like a good reason to him then where was he when the director of FEMA that dealt with Hurricane Rita was chosen.

I think that after the bill comes out of conference, it will be stronger and those items that we did not get as a nation will be instituted later on. I think that we will have that strong foundation necessary to add to the healthcare structure and as time passes the law will only get stronger and better. For those democrats who say that they can not support the emerging healthcare bill, their actions will send a different message to those who voted for them. Their actions will show that they too do not care that this healthcare bill will reduce the deficit, is paid for and will ease the burden for social security and Medicare costs. The one major lesson that will be taught to those who fail to see that this legislation will benefit this country as a whole is that having more money to campaign with does not mean a win in an election. What wins an election is the number of people who turn out to pull that lever or check that box by your name. As the bible says "It is easier for a rich man to pass through the eye of a needle than it is to get into heaven." You can have all of the corporate sponsors that you want but that is not a guarantee that those who turn out will end up voting for you. The time of telling them what you think they want to hear is over. The time to be prepared to deliver on the promises that you make is at hand.