Free Republic

Americans need to understand the devastating significance of the House vote on the Senate health care bill set for March 18th. The Democrats have--by design--created the perfect storm to take over the US healthcare system, while providing an ideal distraction--reconciliation. First, let's examine exactly how we got here. In late December, while Americans were arguing that no one had read the bill, Leiberman was posturing to vote against the bill with a public option, and the debate on abortion continued, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) took an existing HOUSE-passed bill, H.R.3950--the Service Members Home Ownership Tax Act of 2009--and here's...

Republicans are dithering over whether to accept President Obama's invitation to a Feb. 25 health-care summit. The White House says the health bills passed with Democratic support—the Pelosi and Reid bills—will be the basis for talks. Republicans should just say no to a summit based on these bills. These bills reduce American freedom. Forcing people to buy insurance and empowering government to dictate what your doctor does—key elements of these bills—need to be off the table. There can be no negotiation between coercion and freedom.

17 ‘‘SEC. 2236. FUNCTIONS PERFORMED BY SECRETARY, 18 STATES, AND EXCHANGES. 19 ‘‘(a) AGREEMENTS TO PERFORM FUNCTIONS.—The 20 Secretary shall enter into an agreement with each State 21 (in this section referred to as the ‘agreement’) setting 22 forth which of the functions described in this section with 23 respect to an exchange shall be performed by the Sec24 retary, the State, or the exchange.............