Health Care Reform Winners and Losers

The biggest winners are the American Public and losers are the Republicans
Article follows my commentary.

HEALTH CARE is a national priority right after the defense of the nation. We need a safe and a healthy America. Healthy Americans can be more productive and produce more tax dollars to offset the investment. As Republicans have it, it is not a charity, it is an investment in productive citizenry. Congratulations to ev...ery American! This is one of the best things that has happened in America. Thank you Mr. President

The Eisenhower road system cost us trillions, it was considered a sheer waste at one time; on the other hand it gave America mobility and automobiles, home construction jumped - it boomed our economy and enriched us with quality of life that you can only imagine.

Education system, no child left behind program is a serious investment in our future, it is not a hand out, it is an investment that keeps us up with the world and perhaps ahead.... See More... See More

This reform will enrich every American, it is not a charity, it is a serious investment in well being of Americans that make America.

I am a damned Republican too, who wanted to oppose every good reckelessly, but we owe it our country and not the party. Republicans are loosing big time, and they will loose a whole lot more ground until they come to senses, and reflect American values and conncet with Americans. A majority of Republicans like me are silently enduring the extremist take over of our party. It is time to change and we need moderate people in the leadership and not extremist right wingers. We have a choice to let the party go to dogs or survive in the interest of democracy and have serious oppostion in the governance.

Mike Ghouse
www.MikeGhouse.net

Health Care Reform Winners and Losers
Steve Pendlebury

http://www.aolnews.com/the-point/article/obama-pelosi-stupak-health-care-reform-winners-and-losers/19409302?icid=mainhtmlws-bv-wdl2link3http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aolnews.com%2Fthe-point%2Farticle%2Fobama-pelosi-stupak-health-care-reform-winners-and-losers%2F19409302


AOL News (March 22) -- House passage of his health care bill is President Barack Obama's biggest triumph since his election. But Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Bart Stupak are also high on the list of those getting credit -- or blame -- on the day after the history-making vote. Here's some of what's being said online about who won and who lost.

Winner: President Obama
Commentators across the political spectrum acknowledged the monumental significance of Obama's victory on health care reform. Slate's John Dickerson called it "a turning point in his presidency."

"Speaker Nancy Pelosi made it happen, but Obama worked harder and more intensely than he has on any other issue of his presidency," Dickerson said -- noting that, unlike emergencies such as the auto industry bailout and economic stimulus package, this was a project the president chose to take on.

"If Barack Obama does nothing else in his term in office, this will make him one of the most consequential presidents in history. It's a huge transformative event in Americans' view of themselves and of the role of government," said National Review Online's Mark Steyn.

The conservative blogger added that it's "hard to overestimate the magnitude of what the Democrats have accomplished." However, Steyn warned that Obama's plan would lead to "longer wait times, fewer doctors, more bureaucracy, massive IRS expansion, explosive debt, the end of the Pax Americana, and global Armageddon."

Not everyone on the left is cheering the president's win, either. Pro-choice groups are upset about his agreement to issue an executive order clarifying the ban of federal funding of abortion -- a deal with Stupak that helped push the bill past the magic 216-vote mark. The National Organization for Women charged that Obama's decision "breaks faith with women," and NARAL Pro-Choice America called it "deeply disappointing."

Winner: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi
While the reforms that eventually are enacted will no doubt be branded Obamacare, they are also very much Pelosi's handiwork.

"When the history books are written, it'll be Pelosi's cajoling, wrangling, consoling and corralling of the fractious big tent Democratic majority which will get the credit for passing health care reform," Japhy Grant predicted on True/Slant.

Salon's Steve Kornacki noted that the nation's first female speaker of the House has "racked up an impressive list of achievements" since Obama took office, such as the stimulus bill, cap-and-trade, and now health care. "For a woman who supposedly hails from her party's left-wing fringe, she sure has a knack for winning over moderates when it matters."

"If she's not the best [speaker] to do this job, she's certainly in the top two or three in history," said House Democratic Whip Jim Clyburn.

Her success on health care makes Pelosi an even bigger target for her critics. GOP Chairman Michael Steele declared immediately after the House vote: "It is time to fire Nancy Pelosi." The Republican National Committee's Web site now redirects to FireNancyPelosi.com -- a fundraising page featuring a photo of a defiant-looking House speaker on a background of flames. Of course, there's a Twitter hash tag #FirePelosi for those who agree with Steele. But there's also the hash tag #hotforspeaker for those who don't.

As far as the likelihood of Pelosi actually losing her job goes, "Saturday Night Live" recently addressed the matter in a sketch about how unpopular the health care bill was. At one point, Fred "Obama" Armisen remarked: "Does anyone seriously think Nancy Pelosi could lose in her San Francisco district? A place where Republican candidates often finish fourth, behind professional dominatrixes and homeless people."

Winner and Loser: Rep. Bart Stupak
The Michigan Democrat who insisted on tough anti-abortion language in the House-passed version of health care reform was a hero to abortion opponents. That changed in just a few hours Sunday when Stupak agreed to vote yes after Obama promised an executive order to satisfy anti-abortion Democrats.

The Susan B. Anthony List has stripped Stupak of the "Defender of Life" award it was to present to him Wednesday night. Marjorie Dannenfelser, the group's Campaign Fund president, issued a statement saying anyone who votes for this health care bill "can no longer call themselves 'pro-life.'"

Big Journalism's Izzy Lyman blasted Stupak as a "liar" in a post that was typical of reaction from the right. Lyman accused the abortion foe of "trading his 'yes' vote for a 'worthless, non-binding' executive order." Other conservatives pointed out such an order can be trumped by a federal law.

Stupak came out on the winning end of the vote. But on the question of whether he ranks as a winner or loser, Politics Daily's David Gibson called it a draw.

"Before all this, Bart Stupak was a little-noticed congressman from northern Michigan, and while it's clear he gained an enormous amount of national recognition in these past months, it is also clear that among conservative pro-lifers his reputation has been seriously tarnished. The 'Judas' charge quickly zipped around the anti-abortion blogosphere," Gibson said.

Loser: The Guy Who Yelled 'Baby Killer' at Stupak
For more than a year, the debate over revamping the nation's health care system has been notable for its lack of civility. After reports of protesters screaming racial and anti-gay slurs at Democratic lawmakers, House Minority Leader John Boehner had to tell his members to "behave like grown-ups" if the bill passed.

But it seems every major event on Capitol Hill these days must have its "You lie!" moment. While Stupak was speaking about abortion funding Sunday night, somebody on the House floor -- apparently a lawmaker -- shouted "Baby killer!" But who? If anyone knows for sure, they're not saying.

"It was on the floor, but it wasn't very far behind me," Rep. John Campbell, R-Calif., told reporters. "But it was definitely on the floor, but it wasn't me. I don't think it's appropriate at all."

Later, Campbell told Talking Points Memo, "I am being told it's a Texan. The people who know won't give it up."

Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, refused to identify the shouter, but added "I can make a guess." However, his fellow Republicans Michele Bachmann of Minnesota and Tom Price of Georgia denied it was a congressman.

UPDATE 2:15 PM: Rep. Randy Neugebauer has admitted he did it. The Texas Republican said Monday afternoon he has apologized to Stupak and his House colleagues.

Scare tactics were the big loser in the health care battle, according to Paul Krugman. The New York Times columnist charged that "the emotional core of opposition to reform was blatant fear-mongering, unconstrained either by the facts or by any sense of decency." Krugman called the House vote "a victory for America's soul" -- adding, "This time, fear struck out."

The president's opponents are already vowing to strike back at the polls in November. As Politics Daily's Jill Lawrence notes, it remains to be seen how health care will affect the next election. But even short-term gains in Congress pale in comparison to what David Frum described as the "most crushing legislative defeat since the 1960s" for conservatives and Republicans.

"Legislative majorities come and go. This health care bill is forever," the conservative columnist wrote on Frum Forum.
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