Senate Republicans Were For Heath Care Reform Bill Reconciliation Fixes—Before They Were Against
Watch New Web Video from Americans United for Change:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iybe234byUU
Statement from Tom McMahon, Acting Executive Director, Americans United for Change:
“Monumental health care reform was signed into law yesterday over Republicans’ best efforts to shield big insurance from any accountability the past year with historic levels of obstructionism. And before the ink could dry, Senate Republicans had already turned their sights on obstructing modifications to the legislation that many of them have previously said they were for.
“For example, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and the Republicans have decried what they called "special deals" included in the original health care bill. The reconciliation bill eliminates those same "special deals" and replaces them with increased support to all states across the board. Yet McConnell and the Republicans now say they oppose the reconciliation bill and will vote to keep in place the same "special deals” they criticized.
“Senator Tom Coburn and the Republicans have made Medicare and Medicaid "fraud and abuse" centerpieces of their health care "platforms". The reconciliation bill includes tough new provisions to prevent "fraud and abuse" -- some specifically suggested by the Republicans. Yet Senator Coburn and the Republicans now say they oppose the reconciliation bill that includes their own suggestions for ending "fraud and abuse.”
“Senator Judd Gregg and the Republicans don't miss a chance to trumpet their opposition to the budget deficit - even though under George W. Bush, the Republicans created more federal debt than all of the previous Presidents combined. The reconciliation bill's provisions will reduce the deficit by $143 billion and extend Medicare solvency by several years. Yet Senator Gregg and the Republicans now say they oppose the reconciliation bill that the CBO, the non-partisan referee in the matter, concludes will reduce the deficit by as much as $1.2 trillion over 20 years.
“Senate Republicans were all for these reforms before they were against them. They don't seem to care about the health care of average Americans. Their goal is simply to obstruct and to confuse the voters in order to improve their own political fortunes. Once again they're trying to put one over on the public. In fact, this week you could say that the Republicans are putting the "con" into the "reconciliation bill.”