Reader Elmer sends a link from the Corning Leader with Tom Reed's reaction to the passage of the healthcare reform bill. It's a pretty generic statement, with no specifics.
Current Republican rhetoric is skewing towards full repeal of the bill. That won't happen. There's never been a major entitlement repealed, and it will be impossible to overturn an Obama veto until possibly 2012, since it will be impossible for Republicans to win a veto-proof majority in the Senate in 2010.
So, when Tom Reed talks about replacing the bill with smaller measures, he's talking about something that will not happen in the next three years, and will probably never happen. If this bill is like other entitlements, such as Medicare and Social Security, the best that can be done is changes to the existing bill. After more than a year of predicting an apocalypse, the Republicans need to step up with a practical plan of changes that deal with the reality of the bill that the President just signed, not some fantasy world where the bill is replaced wholesale.
Comments
I'm not sure how "we hate this bill, and we're going to... FIX IT ON THE MARGINS!" would get out the vote in November, even though that would be all they could do barring some sort of scandal where Obama and Pelosi are caught eating a baby.
I think Plan B - the economy and jobs - is a better tactic.
What's this? Tom Reed believes "all Americans deserve health care"?
What about the lazy slobs out there who refuse to work and expect the rest of us to work ourselves to the bone to pay their doctor's bills?
Is this guy Tom Reed for real? From this article, he sounds like a drip to me.
Bob, I can't tell if you're joking or serious.
But if you are serious, you have to realized that the long-time Republican strategy, at least in this district, is to have a candidate mouth a bunch of feel-good platitudes yet not have any concrete policies that will accomplish any of them. Randy Kuhl did this, and I think Tom Reed will do it, too.
I agree with you statement, Rotten.
Same here.
You forget something.
This entitlement is far less popular than others, such as Social security and Medicare. Those bills actually had at least some bipartisan support..and popular opinion wasn't as hostile. The latest CNN poll showed 59% opposed., 39 % in support. In politics..that's a landslide.
You also don't have to repeal a bill to effectively gut it.
If the GOP retakes Congress this fall..all they will have to do is .."neglect" to appropriate the funds to implement it.
And then there all those constitutional challenges from state attorney generals to deal with , 11 so far and possibly many more, based on mutiple constitutional objections, some probably going nowhere, others dangerous.
And then there is always the means used to repeal another unpopular program.
Ever hear of Prohibition?
Any of these likely or probable?
Who knows?
Did anyone believe, two years ago, that this bill would become law?
As far as Reed is concerned.
He has a pulse..I think..and in the current political climate in this district..that is probably all he will need to win as a Republican this year.
I agree that Reed will win. Since I hear the other points you raised a lot, I posted on them this morning.
I was entirely serious in my comment.
On further examination, it looks like the Corning Leader twisted Tom’s words. They reported he said “all Americans deserve health care”, whereas in his press release Tom states “everyone deserves access to quality health care”. A huge difference.
It must be tough to run for office with such an incompetent and/or disingenuous rag on your back.
It's tough to convert one platitude into another, I'll grant you that, but I don't agree that the Leader is a rag.
Hey, "The Leader" is a solid publication. One of the most-so in the district, I would wager. For years it was owned by the Underhill family, and pretty much served as a Republican house organ. The longtime editor, the late George Bevan, was GOP State Committeeman for Lord's sake! But during the 80s and beyond, its ownership passed and they have been remarkably independent in editorial stance. They have endorsed Dems as well as Republicans. And they do a fine job of covering our part of the county, including the county seat, Bath.