20100325

Health Insurance Reform

The teabaggers were out in force protesting the pending vote last weekend. The carried their signs, they hurled their insults and they said that the congressional Democrats should vote to support their positions.

Well the proverbial smoke has cleared and the only people left standing are the president and the members of his party as the house passed the senate's version, not once but twice.

And in the aftermath of the vote on Sunday in the house of representatives, the teabaggers revealed the disdain for democracy and civil discourse by hurling bricks and cutting gas lines. The teabaggers and their Republican allies have an ever morphing idea of what true presidential leadership is.

Under George Bush, the invasion of Iraq was carried out against the will of the people who did not support the war. To hear the Republicans in the run up to the invasion of Iraq, real presidential leadership was to stay the course despite opposition and the protests across the nation. Protests that far surpassed the attendance of any teabagger protest.

How the times change. With Barack Obama as president those very Republicans who cheered on George Bush's leadership and his willingness to ignore the will of the people dare to impugn Obama for not following the will of the teabaggers. Ironically enough, those Republicans said that Bush didn't lead by poll results are angry with Obama for not leading according to the polls.

Another case of Republican hypocrisy. What a surprise.

During the public debate the Republicans made an issue of not being able to read the bill. They complained about the size and scope of the health insurance reform, The Republicans complained that they could not read the bill and therefore they could not vote to support it.

Where were these Republican principles back when they voted for the PATRIOT ACT? Seems rather strange to complain about a bill that would provide protections to the people (but more importantly the insurance industry) as opposed to voting for a bill that would restrict the freedoms we take for granted, and yet hold so dear to our hearts.

The Republican party believed that the failure to pass the health insurance reform bill would be Obama's "Waterloo." Republicans wanted to make Obama a lame duck president in his first and only term as president. They were looking to win back majorities in the house and senate. With the passage of health insurance reform this will be even more difficult for the party of "No."

The Republicans reasons for wanting to take back the house is all about the census. Yep, the census. The party in power will be the one responsible for redistricting and the creation of districts that are favorable to their party winning reelection.

With Barack Obama's signature on health care reform the Republicans find themselves in a place they never expected to find themselves in the run up to the 2010 election. They find themselves between Barack and a tea spot.