by Reader Comments

Both sides are guilty of unyielding partisanship.

The Republicans are right about wanting to write something less than 2,500 pages long. They are also right about reducing the outlandish malpractice lawsuit awards that make lawyers wealthy at the expense of our health insurance premiums and malpractice insurance premiums that are inevitably passed on to the public.

The Republicans are also culpable, employing filibusters to stonewall progress like no time in history.

The public wants something done. Work it out and make it understandable and capable of being managed.

The extremes on both sides disgust me. I see frightening extremes on both sides, perhaps even unbridled hatred on the right with such statements as "I hope he fails." The Democrats need to listen to the valid concerns of the more moderate Republicans.

Comment by Jim C. of DE

 

Reconciliation has been used to pass nearly every major piece of healthcare legislation in the past as well as key civil rights measures.

Sen. Jim Bunning [of Kentucky] has shown us that the Republicans will go to any length to get their way, yet they expect Democrats not to use the means at their own disposal?

I say fight fire with fire! Reconciliation still requires a majority vote, so bring it on!

Comment by Kitty of OR

 

I am about sick and tired of how this country always is under the assumption that we have to have bipartisan legislation.

The American people voted in a Democratic president, a Democratic Senate and a Democratic House of Reps. That clearly means that the American people supported the president's agenda during the campaign when he said he was going to revamp the healthcare system.

The Republicans have used the reconciliation process during the Bush years and now because they are going to lose this fight, they are getting upset.

Furthermore, it is probably not necessary to mention that the only reason the Republicans don't want to change healthcare is because they are funded by huge health insurance companies, and they simply don't want the president to have accomplished something this big (that no one else has accomplished), because they want the November elections.

Comment by Nathaniel James Wilson of KS

 

It's time for them all to go. Republican vs. Democrat -- does it really matter?

It's time to stop the finger pointing and vote for REAL change. If anyone votes for ANY incumbent, you are just asking for more of the same.

"We the people" need to make a "no incumbent" stance for the next six years and cycle every one of them out of office.

Just look at the last year. With healthcare, the Democrats had all the votes they needed. They didn't need a single Republican vote, and they couldn't pull it off. Add to the fact that if this healthcare bill is so good for the people, then why shouldn't every elected official be required to be on the same plan?

Then go back a few years to when the Republicans held the House and Senate ... they spent money like a bunch of drunken sailors.

And guess what? A lot of the same Republicans are still there.

If we do not hold our representatives accountable, then this is our fault, no one else's.

Comment by Larry of CA

 

The Republicans are more interested in destroying President Obama's presidency and regaining power in Washington than they are in fixing and stabilizing healthcare and the U.S. economy.

These Republicans do not realize that they are in Washington in order to serve the nation, not corporations.

I would venture to say that many of these Republicans have very, very dirty hands, indeed. Shameful.

It is time for America to have selfless leaders like Washington and Lincoln.

Thank God we have that in President Obama.

Comment by Herman of OK

 

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Reconciliation, Partisanship, and Health Reform | Reader Comments

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