Replies

You are unfortunately correct. People are still looking at this as a political thing, when it’s much bigger than that, only the Rs either don’t seem to realise it or for some unfathomable reason support it. It’s gone way beyond that now. The rats are playing for a fundamental shift in American governance, the Republicans are still seeing it as politics as usual. Or else they have been given some reason to support this fundamental change. Even knowing this, I still don’t understand. I understand why the left wants it, they know this signal a sea change in America that they have long wanted—but I don’t understand why any Republicans would allow it, if not downright support it. I can’t see where it is in a Republican’s “positive” column, certainly not long-term, and not even short-term. What in the world is going on up there in DC? Have they all been hypnotised, blackmailed, bribed, what? I know some will vote against it in any form, but there are too many who will use any small meaningless changes in wording as cover to vote for final passage.

Most Americans oppose it, especially Republican/independent voters. What is in it for a Republican to vote for this, if they don’t care about the fundamental change to America it will signal?

It just doesn’t make sense, in the light of what we know. I wonder what it is that we don’t know?

I think most Republicans in the Senate see this as inevitable. They see themselves as practical. And will work to make the bill just a little less liberal/socialist. Most Rs in the Senate are not ideologues, and believe that passing a healthcare bill will secure their jobs. They know that Conservative voters are a minority.

(from another forum)

I’m from Canada, and I wish more people in America realized that this is a 1776 moment in American history. Once you get socialized medicine, you are a socialist country, period, end of story, full stop, because the government will use their control over your very life and health to jam through other socialist programs. And you can never, ever, ever roll socialized medicine back, just as with any other large entitlement backed by angry voters. SSI, anyone?
This is it, the end game. Talk all you want about 2010, renewing the Republican party with real conservatives, whatever you want. Once socialized medicine is in place, Thomas Jefferson as President with the Senate filled with the Founding Fathers couldn’t do a damned thing.
If they go nuclear in the Senate with this, the best we can ever hope for in the future is having some minor conservative influence over the new America of Socialist Republics, run by unions and government workers.
The only remote hope I see is secession, but these days with all the economic interconnections, that is probably impossible.
At least I got to enjoy 17 years of freedom from socialism before it caught up with me again. My thanks to the America that was.

Posted by: Flubber at November 07, 2009 11:34 PM (VL5if)