President Obama is meeting with both Democratic and Republican leaders this week in order to try to hammer out a national health care plan. Both sides have been complaining that the other side hasn't been playing fairly; the Democrats say the Republicans are being obstructionist and the Republicans say that the Democrats have been conducting their health care planning in secret.
Healthcare bill: Yes or no? Vote and win a $50 Subway gift card.
With those thoughts in mind, President Obama called for a health care summit in order that both sides could air their grievances and perhaps deliver a bill that both sides are happy with. By televising the debate and actively engaging the Republicans in the dialog, the president hopes to eliminate Republican complaints that the negotiations have been going on in "secret." Televising the debate also has another feature – if the Republicans are actively obstructing attempts to pass a healthcare bill, it will be obvious when they do so on national television.
The Democrats rightly point out that health care costs in the United States have become so expensive that most people cannot afford treatment. Since health care in the U.S. is often tied to employment, these problems are made worse in times of a recession when many people are out of work. The Republicans, on the other hand, are arguing that any sort of government health care bill will result in a "government takeover" of our health care system, resulting in a more expensive yet less effective system for everyone.
Health care bill: Yes or no? Vote and win a $50 Subway gift card.
One thing is for certain – the public is tired of the arguing. Polls show that the public is aware of Republican obstructionism, but those same polls show that the public wants the Democrats to make whatever overtures are necessary to get a bill passed. Otherwise, there's nothing left but gridlock and no one benefits from that.
With luck, some sort of bill will emerge from the sessions, as both parties have spent a year working on the bill. No one wants to throw away a year's worth of work. In the end, some sort of bill will emerge.
Healthcare bill: Yes or no? Vote and win a $50 Subway gift card.
With those thoughts in mind, President Obama called for a health care summit in order that both sides could air their grievances and perhaps deliver a bill that both sides are happy with. By televising the debate and actively engaging the Republicans in the dialog, the president hopes to eliminate Republican complaints that the negotiations have been going on in "secret." Televising the debate also has another feature – if the Republicans are actively obstructing attempts to pass a healthcare bill, it will be obvious when they do so on national television.
The Democrats rightly point out that health care costs in the United States have become so expensive that most people cannot afford treatment. Since health care in the U.S. is often tied to employment, these problems are made worse in times of a recession when many people are out of work. The Republicans, on the other hand, are arguing that any sort of government health care bill will result in a "government takeover" of our health care system, resulting in a more expensive yet less effective system for everyone.
Health care bill: Yes or no? Vote and win a $50 Subway gift card.
One thing is for certain – the public is tired of the arguing. Polls show that the public is aware of Republican obstructionism, but those same polls show that the public wants the Democrats to make whatever overtures are necessary to get a bill passed. Otherwise, there's nothing left but gridlock and no one benefits from that.
With luck, some sort of bill will emerge from the sessions, as both parties have spent a year working on the bill. No one wants to throw away a year's worth of work. In the end, some sort of bill will emerge.
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