View From Down Under

House Republicans have, finally, produced an alternate health care plan.  Though I have not read it, there are some provisions that appear quite sensible – limits on malpractice awards, for example.

What strikes me is that the proposal was introduced only when it looks likely the Democratic bill (in some form) will become law, and therefore the Republican alternative is unlikely to have much impact on the final form of the bill.

If the Republicans and Democrats had actually worked together, I believe the resulting legislation would have been better than either plan alone.  Instead, Democrats tried to bludgeon legislation through without (much) compromise, and Republicans resorted to disrupting town hall meetings and frightening citizens with nonsense about ‘death panels’.

The whole sordid process highlights the perverse incentives in Congress.  Crafting legislation to improve the lives of citizens is a secondary consideration to getting re-elected.

Republicans who try to work with the Democrats on valuable compromises are labelled by right wing activists as traitors, communists, and numerous names I won’t repeat.  They are called “RINOs” (Republican in name only) and targeted in their home districts by Political Action Committees funding right wing opponents.   Democrats are, frankly, behaving like bullies now that they are in nominal control of both houses of Congress, and seem more intent on payback than progress.

Credit to Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, who said this about her decision to support a compromise health care plan:  “When history calls, history calls, and I happen to think that the consequences of inaction dictate the urgency of Congress to take every opportunity to demonstrate its capacity to solve the monumental issues of our time.”

Whether she made the right call or not I’ll leave for you do decide, but the intention is admirable.