So, here's the Republican strategy to repeal and (probably not) replace

[YewNork]

1) Fight the Democrats on Reconciliation. Republicans are saying that they're going to do anything and everything in their power to block the further damage Democrats want to do to our country via reconciliation. That's the right attitude to have. However, at the end of the day, if Joe Biden is willing to disgrace his office to prevent the Republicans from offering legitimate amendments, eventually the Democrats will get something through. But, the more Republicans can block, the more discontent there will be on the Democratic side with the bill and less noxious provisions there will be to repeal.

2) Challenge the bill in court. It's clearly unconstitutional to force people to buy insurance. If the government can force you to buy insurance as a condition of citizenship, why couldn't the Congress just as easily write a bill forcing you to buy a car from GM? Numerous states will end up challenging the bill in court on that point. Given that we have four Supreme Court justices who believe in following the law, four who generally vote liberal regardless of the Constitution, and Anthony Kennedy who votes based on what side of the bed he gets up on this morning, it's impossible to say whether these legal challenges will work, but they're worth trying. If they succeed, suddenly, the whole health care bill, as written, will become unfeasible. That would give us the opportunity to roll it back.

3) Win the public relations war. So far, we've won the public relations battle over this bill, but that doesn't mean we're guaranteed to win it forever. It's entirely possible that Obama and health care reform will get a temporary bump from passing health care reform. That's not the least bit unusual after a big bill like this passes. Happily, that bump will be destined to fade, but expect Democrats to play the PR for all it's worth. There will also be a limited number of benefits that will kick in immediately. Expect the Democrats and their allies in the mainstream media to tout them endlessly while shamelessly lying and deflecting blame about the negatives. If we're going to repeal this bill, the truth has to win out over the lies because if the public is tricked into supporting this bill, it's simply not going to be repealed.

4) The Republican Party has to win big in the next two elections. Here's the sad reality: Republicans need to win 10 seats to take back the Senate, 40 seats to take back the House, and we need to defeat Barack Obama in 2012. Some people are taking it for granted that all those things will happen. Some people even think we'll take the House in a walk in November. Maybe that'll be the case. But, the Democrats have a big cash advantage, the American people have short memories, and eventually, the economy almost has to improve. So, there are no guarantees. If we do take back the House in 2010, it will be because legions of Americans who care about their country were inspired by a despicable bill to put up yard signs, contribute money, make phone calls, and do the rest of the grunt work it takes to get people elected. Are you going to be one of those people?

5) Repeal, replace, and refuse to fund. To completely repeal this bill, we're probably going to need to control the House, have 60 votes in the Senate, and hold the presidency. Obviously, that's a heavy lift -- particularly getting to 60 in the Senate. However, in the interim, if we can control Congress, we can start tearing this bill apart, piece-by-piece. We can try to get unpopular parts of the bill, like the tax hikes and the individual mandate, repealed. Congress also controls the purse strings; so we can shut down large parts of the plan by simply refusing to fund it. Moreover, we can suggest popular conservative ideas to replace unpopular parts of the bill and force the Democrats to either continue to go against the will of the people or vote them in. Then, if and when we get the votes and the presidency, we can try to repeal the whole thing. Don't let anyone tell you that this will be easy. But, don't let them tell you it's impossible either.

[rfranklin]

1. Did you write this?

If not, how about a link?

[YewNork]

11. No, I didn't write it and I certainly don't back it

Despite it's shortcomings, I support the reforms that were passed as a step in the right direction.

[zbdent]

2. regarding #3 ...

that would be so much more likely if there really was a "liberal media".

[YOY]

3. No. Their plan is this: Keep repeating "Tax Cuts" until re-elected.

n.t.

[edgrosvenor]

4. I hate to admit this...

But I sort of hope they're successful. It's a selfish thing, really. I'm self-employed, but I work a part-time (15 hours or so a week) that provides me and my son with health insurance. It's a REALLY good health insurance plan and until recently, it was free for me and very inexpensive for my son. Now my employer has started charging me for a significant portion of the premium, wiping out my entire paycheck from that job. My last check from them was $3.26. They cite the health care bill as the reason for the change in policy.

I guess I can live without the paycheck. It was just fun money anyway. My primary motivation for taking the job was that they were willing to give me great insurance for part-time work. And I guess I don't mind that I'm literally trading 15 hours a week for great coverage (and we're talking really good... no copays, deductibles, network headaches, or anything).

I supported the idea of health care reform. What we had wasn't working. But what we got isn't any better I'm afraid. It may make it easier for some to get insurance, but it's making it hard for me to keep mine. And the taxes cited by my employer as the reason for the change in policy haven't even kicked in yet. I wonder how much more they'll take from me when they start actually having to pay that bill.

[zipplewrath]

5. I'm dubious

They cite the health care bill as the reason for the change in policy.

Nice excuse, but it was probably just getting to expensive regardless. That was happening anyway. If anything, it is because HCR isn't gonna change that trend much at all.

[Wickerman]

6. Wow! You got FULL healthcare for free for 15 hours per week?

It's quite possible that the healthcare bill had, truthfully, nothing to do with the change, they simply used it as a means to wipe out a benefit that was costing them a bundle above what it was worth them in retention. I seriously haven't heard of a benefit package like that for anyone except Congress Critters since the 80's. I've worked in generous benefit land since the 70's and know of no one who got totally free healthcare even at 40 hours since the mid 80's.

Oh, and welcome to DU! :hi:

[edgrosvenor]

8. I have a very specialized and in-demand set of skills.

They were trying to hire me full-time, but it would have required me to relocate and because I have joint custody of my son, I wasn't willing to do that. But they really needed someone with my skills at least part time and remote would work. So in all the negotiations, I managed to get the same health benefits package that they give their full-time employees. Now, if you're working 40 hours a week at the higher pay that the full-time employees make, the sudden change from free insurance to a fair group rate premium isn't such a hard pill to swallow. But in my case, it's quite a hit.

Ultimately, I think the right way to reform health care would have been to do it through the existing Medicaid program. Illinois tried an experiment where people could buy into Medicaid at a premium based on their income up to like $80K per year. If someone were to really sit down and crunch the numbers, I'll bet there's an affordable way to make something like that work. Unfortunately, our ex-governor was more concerned with how it looked for him politically to cover a whole bunch more people than whether or not the program, as instituted, would break the bank.

I just have a really bad feeling that what we ended up with isn't going to actually solve anything.

[Wickerman]

9. good negotiations

:thumbsup:

I understand your concern about the program and agree that the Medicaid approach had merit. I think this plan is very imperfect, but it does cover a lot of folks who need coverage and who weren't getting it and it is not the end; it's simply a beginning that will be modified and expanded as the public learns to appreciate what it does do and take note of what it doesn't. Eventually, it will lead to singlepayer.

/pollyanna. :-)

[YewNork]

13. It WILL lead to single payer

I agree that once people see that the reforms are not a takeover, and that they've been lied to by opponents to scare them, it will be easier to move forward in the future to single payer.

[YewNork]

12. Few jobs offer health insurance for part time jobs.

And the reforms do one very important thing. They will prevent people from being excluded due to pre existing conditions.

[sinkingfeeling]

7. Don't be counting me in your 'we need to defeat Barack Obama in 2012'!

[rfranklin]

10. I think this is a quote from somewhere else...

but the OP hasn't bothered to post the link.

[YewNork]

14. Yes, it is a quote. I will be supporting Obama. And I no longer have the link.

[mcollins]

15. Check this out!

http://fucktea.com/

Killer anti-TEA shirts!

progress n. a movement toward a goal; advancement; growth; development; continuous improvement.

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This is part of the Agenda Project:

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Between out-dated political parties, self-interested multi-national corporations, and ineffectual elected officials, good values and common sense have lost their power in the public debate. Our goal is to return normal Americans to the center of the policy debate by cultivating an understanding of public policy, facilitating common action, and connecting the best ideas and the strongest leaders with engaged citizens, elected officials, the media, political insiders, and experts through a variety of in-person and on-line platforms."