After winning a majority in House of Representatives in 2010, Republicans promised to repeal President Obama’s controversial health care plan. With a formal repeal vote scheduled for tomorrow, they are planning to do just that based on the premise that the law limits Americans’ freedoms, decreases job opportunities and costs too much money.
The House, now guided by majority leader Eric Cantor, is expected to repeal the law. However, a repeal has little to no chance of surviving the Democratic-controlled Senate. It’s likely that Obamacare will remain untouched. From that perspective, it seems like a meaningless attempt by Congressional Republicans to rally support behind their party.
The initial Medicare bill was signed into law in a fair manner. A majority of Americans had come to support it and, ultimately, its benefits outweigh the negatives. According to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, a repeal of the law would add $230 billion to the federal deficit by 2012. Since the birth of the health care debate, Republicans have placed emphasis on Obama’s proposed bill’s alleged financial problems. It seems hypocritical that while they once sought to discredit Democrats fiscally, they themselves plan to drown the country in additional debt.
Rather than concentrate on a repeal, Republicans should focus on working together with Democrats to fix the already enacted components of the health care law. According to a CNN.com article, small businesses have to issue 1099 tax forms to those from whom they purchase more than $600 in goods or services per year. This results in a lot of unnecessary paperwork. Parts of the reform bill are certainly flawed but elected officials should attempt to reconcile their differences in favor of the greater good: keeping citizens healthy.
The word “compromise” seems to have been removed from the American political dictionary. As the Tucson shootings continue to inspire vigilant analysis of the nation’s political atmosphere, thick with the health care debate, Republicans should reexamine their motives for voting tomorrow. In the end, their efforts to increase party support will only add tension to an already volatile climate and won’t accomplish anything of true merit.
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