Now, the real work begins...

The House voted yesterday to finally put a Health Care Reform bill on the President's desk. The bill is landmark legislation, the embodiment of months back room deals, late night speeches, town hall fiascoes and gut wrenching compromises.

What we have left is a bill that addresses some things but falls far short on too many others. The bill is important, not for what is does, but for what it doesn't do.

Progressives have to look at this as a stepping stone, not a finish line. We're not across the river yet. There are too many variables in the bill that leave gaping holes that the insurance companies will get through like flies through an open window. Let me be crystal clear, the insurance companies will not sit idly by and just accept this. Even with the mandate and the lack of regulations, they still want to keep the status quo. This bill isn't perfect but it will cost them some money and that's what they are all about.

I have to view this inadequate legislation as a foundation, something to build upon. Unfortunately, our congresscritters will think their work is done and leave any changes to future generations. To hell with that. Now is the time to get the goods together to add flesh to this skeleton. Some have started already; courageous legislators that know the shortcomings of this bill and have the fixes ready for consideration. Such congressmen as Alan Grayson.

1. Real Regulation of Insurance Companies.
This was one of the most important aspects of the bill and it was one of the first to be removed. Sure, there are some limitations but not nearly enough. Every important restriction was watered down to appease the congressional lapdogs of the insurance industry. What we need is concrete regulation: removal of the anti-trust exemption, oversight of rate increase, elimination of ALL pre-condition restrictions and beefed-up enforcement of this law. Send industry executives to jail if they balk on these rules. Remove all loopholes that allow insurance companies to get around tax laws and SEC regulations so that they are required to play by the rules, not find ways around them.

2. A real Public Option!
Rep. Alan Grayson has legislation that will allow every legal resident of the United States to 'buy into' Medicare. His bill is only four pages long but it lays it out plainly. If you want to get health care but don't want to dive into the swamp that is the health insurance pool, then you have the option to have a portion of your pay sent to the government so that you can participate in the Medicare program. Could it be any simpler? No hassles with insurance pools, insurance companies that defraud their customers or spending hours arguing for the smallest payments. Give us the option to tell the for-profit insurance companies to go to hell once and for all.

3. Remove and Rescind the Hyde Amendment.
What the hell is this garbage? I can go to the doctor and get a prescription for Cialis, Viagra, or any other of the popular weiner drugs, see a physician to have my boys disconnected from my penis or seek out any of a dozen services for men all covered by insurance. But how about the ladies? What can they do? Sit down, shut up and pop out those puppies as many as you can 'cause Jesus tells you to. Bullshit! I have no business telling a woman how to deal with reproductive services and neither does our government. If a woman has a need for LEGAL abortion services then that's between her and her doctor and should be covered like any other ailment. There is no debate here. Abortions are legal in this country and as long as that remains true then they must be covered by any and ALL insurance. If Catholics don't like it then don't get an abortion.
As far as I can tell, Catholic bishops and priests protect the unborn because that ensures a steady crop of little boys for playtime. To hell with the Catholic Church.

There are a lot of other problems with this bill and we'll deal with them as they crop up. Our job is to keep our congresscritters' feet to the fire with patching these holes.

Side Note:
What the Fuck is this...

Kudos to Rep. Tim Ryan for putting this out on the floor of the House.
Teabaggers are the most disgusting, anti-American assholes that occupy our space.

Words can't express how vile and reprehensible this is. The Republican Party is the party of Greed, Racism, and Hate. That's not just a rabid Liberal spouting off on his blog but a verifiable and proven description of their core values. These cretins disgust me and all good Americans. A pox on all their houses for this garbage. Racism is a poison in this country, a vile disease that runs rampant in every corner. The GOP fans these flames of bigotry by inciting fear and hatred of the first African-American president at every tea party event they speak at. This is the modern GOP. Greedy fucking racists, the lot of 'em.

Update:
Seems my craptacular state attorney general, Rob McKenna has filed suit to challenge the HCR bill. McKenna is a corporate whore. He only gets concerned for the state constitution when his Chamber of Commerce buddies get their panties in a bunch. He doesn't stand up for the little guy in WA, he stands ON them. Freakin' bastard. Our gov Chris Gregoire supports the bill but Snidley McKenna will have no part of that.

Jesus Christ on a Taco, it's bad enough that I'm represented in Congress by a know-nothing idiot who pretends he worth a damn. Now, I have to bear the shame of a soulless corporate weasel like McKenna making a mark for his GOP cred.

Could go on and on but have to head out to the coal mine to toil for my corporate masters.

So Mote It Be,
David A.