Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Defense Go Get 'Em

Democrats on D. Again. If anyone thinks "the American people" want to get into another long and contentious debate on health care reform, they are nuts. Sure would be nice to see the Dems practice some aikido here and direct this energy towards, oh, I dunno, the economy and jobs, perhaps? Yes, I can dream.

Just got this next bit 'o info from the White House media team. Seems that just under half of Michigan's residents are a bunch of pre-existing sick puppies. Damn. "Non-elderly" too. Out of roughly ten million in population...

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today released a new analysis showing that, without the Affordable Care Act, up to 4.4 million non-elderly Michigan residents who have some type of pre-existing health condition, like heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis or cancer, would be at risk of losing health insurance when they need it most, or be denied coverage altogether. Across the country, up to 129 million Americans would be at risk.

Under the full range of policies in the Affordable Care Act to be enacted by 2014, Americans living with pre-existing conditions are free from discrimination and can get the health coverage they need, and families are free from the worry of having their insurance cancelled or capped when a family member gets sick, or going broke because of the medical costs of an accident or disease. Repealing the law would once again leave millions of Americans worrying about whether coverage will be there when they need it.


Opposition to health care reform as passed is easing, with only 1 in 4 calling for an outright repeal at this point. And, seeing as how the GOP doesn't have a coherent health care plan of their own to offer, it would seem the Dems could blow all kinds of holes in this strategy - if they can get on top of the media message and point these things out right from the start.

Mix in a little offense with the D, and maybe the Republicans will have to answer for themselves for a change. Not that they will suddenly start being honest or anything, but it will help slow down the attacks and maybe get us back to talking about progress instead of turning back the clock.