NPR Destroys Republican Talking Point
The media coverage of the health care reform debate has been quite frustrating because the coverage has not covered the substance of the debate. It’s been the typical “on one hand, on the other hand” type of coverage which has allowed Republicans to get away with telling outrageous lies about health care reform (death panels!!!!). I’ve always wondered why “Republicans are lying to you” is not a media story.
The poor media coverage of the hcr debate is one reason I was so shocked this morning when listening to NPR. They were actually informing people about the reconciliation process and how it has been used in the past. They started the story with what Republicans have been saying about reconciliation:
Not surprisingly, that has Republicans crying foul. Budget reconciliation, Sen. John Kyl (R-AZ) told reporters Tuesday, “was never designed for a large, comprehensive piece of legislation such as health care, as you all know. It’s a budget exercise, and that’s why some refer to it as the ‘nuclear option.'”
“The use of expedited reconciliation process to push through more dramatic changes to a health care bill of such size, scope and magnitude is unprecedented,” Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) wrote in a letter to President Obama on Monday, urging him to renounce the possibility of trying to pass a bill using the procedure.
BTW, I love that wording “some refer to it as the nuclear option.” Actually, Republicans coined the term the “nuclear option” to describe abolition of the filibuster. Anyway, Republicans count on you and the media to have short memories and not to call them on what they said and did just a few years ago. So, is the use of reconciliation unprecedented?
But health care and reconciliation actually have a lengthy history. “In fact, the way in which virtually all of health reform, with very, very limited exceptions, has happened over the past 30 years has been the reconciliation process,” says Sara Rosenbaum, who chairs the Department of Health Policy at George Washington University.
NPR then turns the screws a little tighter (referring to COBRA):
“The correct name is continuation benefits. And the only reason it’s called COBRA is because it was contained in the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985; and that is how we came up with the name COBRA,” she says.
The NPR lists other important health care legislation passed by like Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA), CHIP and changes to Medicare (such as adding a hospice benefit).
Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (first Bush tax cuts)
Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 (second Bush tax cuts)
Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (Medicare, Medicaid, student loans, assistance for needy families)
Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005 (tax cuts)
College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007 (student aid, loan forgiveness)
Campbell Brown ties Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) in knots without breaking a sweat. Barrasso will be at the HCR conference today… if this is what they are bringing, this is going to be fun.
BTW, I love that wording “some refer to it as the nuclear option.”
And in days long past, this used to be called a Majority Vote. Interesting that they no longer believe in this simple feature of government, yes?
Good for you, UI, for exposing the lies and hypocrisy of the Republicans on the “nuclear option” and on “reconciliation”.
Rachel Maddow did a wonderful piece, very effectively, on these topics on her show last night, complete with the Repub hypocrites and liars quoted with their own words. Here it is.
My link is not working, so here it is again:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#35573155
Fixed the first link for you.
I fixed your link, Perry — thanks for posting that.
Jinx!
Rachel also mentioned that Anthony Weiner of NY won’t be at the meeting. Why the heck not? Health care seems to be his issue?
Weiner is liveblogging on dKos.
WHOA…reconciliation DID INVOLVE targeted, specific problems and snafus WITHIN healthcare. This mess now is ENTIRE healthcare. Yes, I want it fixed—but perhaps eating the elephant a bite at a time thru reconciliation, and NOT one big swipe may be a prudent way to go.
I’m not seeing any real fans of “No Child Left Behind” around here–when that came down as thunder–and look at our fall-out…..
The whole “exchange” concept was pushed by Carpetbagger Carper. This idea is a farce on its face. There are literally thousands of insurance companies for which people can contact and join up with. However, every one of them has different forms, differnt billing procedures adding to the cost of health care, because Doctors will have to employ even more pencil pushers and those expert in a particular insurance company protocol. Second, the exchanges could have 1000 people or 1 million people in them. There is no way for you or I to know how many people are in one of those plans!
You are still being delivered into the “for profit” insurance companies, with no restrictions on whether or not they decide to up the cost of your plan.
What this “summit” is proving is simple, neither one of these parties have an real answer or solution to solving this enormous problem. They prevented single payer from having a seat at the table, arresting doctors and nurses in favor of it. Then permitted the blue dogs to take the corporations into the back rooms and write the plan (even though the insurance companies claim to be screaming). They are screaming all right with delight…as millions more will be FORCED into this god awful insurance company CARTEL!