By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist
It's maddening that Democrats are acting in secret to seal a final health care reform deal. And it's infuriating to see how smug House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats are as a vote approaches.
And I'm a supporter of needed reforms. You know the Fox News ideologues are going crazy over the inexcusable actions of the Democrats.
The latest irritation came this week, when Pelosi and House Democratic Leader Steny Hoyer said they would give other lawmakers and the American people 72 hours to review any final health care bill before a House vote.
Wow, how swell of them.
Incredibly, Pelosi and Hoyer actually claimed to colleagues that this would continue "the transparent process this landmark legislation has had for months."
Unfortunately, all of the important last-minute deals being cooked up by Democrats and President Barack Obama's administration have not been transparent; they have occurred behind closed doors.
So much for transparency.
Doesn't anyone remember Obama's multiple pledges to put the whole health care debate on C-SPAN?
Obama, Pelosi, Hoyer and other Democrats are reducing their credibility even as they try to bring forward a truly good final health care plan for America.
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Yael, I must amend my
Yael, I must amend my previous post.
When Obama made an Under-the-Rose deal with the AFL-CIO on "Cadillac" health plans, he did make a non-agression pact with the MAFIA.
Yael, This "Healthcare
Yael,
This "Healthcare Reform Bill" has never been about getting the actual reforms that our healthcare system need. Other than reducing the cost of health insurance, this effort has always been about meeting under the table promises and deals that the current Congressional leadership made to get and to stay in power. First an under-the-rose deal with Nebraska, now another with the AFL-CIO.
What's next, a non-agression pact with the MAFIA.
What is needed is real reform.
1. Healthcare service pricing based on
cost plus a reasonable profit. For
both hospitals and physicians.
2. Health insurance pricing based on
the individual patients likelihood
of staying healthy. With discounts
for healthy lifestyle habits.
3. No failure to cover a patient because
of pre-existing conditions, however,
the insurer must be allowed to consider
the patient's health is setting the cost
of coverage.
4. NO MORE BEHIND CLOSED DOOR AGREEMENTS
BETWEEN PROVIDERS AND PAYORS PROVIDING
SWEETHEART DEALS.
That would be real reform but don't hold your breath.
What awakened you to reality, Yael?
The Star and its editorial board have consistently posited that the backroom prostituting and secretive actions were NOT as they clearly are.
It has been the consistent position of you guys that the republicans were doing everything they could to block those needed reforms. Not true of course. We have long needed genuine reformation of the laws regulations and policies under which health care providers and insurors deliver services and solutions to the American citizens.
Are you now against what you were once in favor of?
The facts have always been rather blatantly obvious: the democrats, giddy with large majorities in both houses and a "popular" new president completely ignored their bullhorn commitments to transparency, openness and bipartisanship to draft the most important piece of legislation since the civil rights bill of '65 on their own.
The way the deal making has transpired, what we will end up with is the most divisive, class warfare based bill ever drafted. The winners will be the unions, the insurance companies, and aarp, and the losers will be the vast middle class that has relied on the core principles of capitalism, self reliance, small business, the self employed and most seniors.
The bill is becoming a categorical catatstrophe. That's why less than 40% of americans favor it's passage. Never have we as taxpayers paid so much for so little. Nothing else has transpired on the hill since early summer.
And finally ....we have a bill approaching passage that reforms none of the true deliverables. No tort reform. No cost containment models or commitments no fraud control programs,......just unconstitutional mandates designed to make criminals out of ordinary invincible young people.....what a joke.
Annoy a liberal: work hard and be happy.
Not to Worry
The end justify the means. I am sure that Big Brother will get us little people some really good health care. Those pesky campaign promises are for losers.