Saturday Senate Health Care Debate

Yesterday the Senate convened to discuss the topic of health care reform and the bills urgency of passage. Majority leader Harry Reid discussed Senator Lincoln’s initiative that, “Stops irresponsible tax break for Millionaire health insurance executives, and starts using company resources to strengthen Medicare.”

Reid said that with the bill’s passage it would “save lives, money and Medicare,” adding that, “Each and every American should be able to afford and live a healthy life.”

To contextualize this argument, Senator Tom Harkin (D), said that chief insurance executives made $118.6 M in 2007 alone ($11.9 M each), and it would take a normal minimum wage earning American 800 years to make this money.

On the other side of the argument, Republican minority leader Senator Mitch McConnel said he “Hasn’t seen a survey in months that says that American people support the bill.” He claims the American people are telling their leaders to “stop the bill” and “start over.” McConnel claims the 2,074 page bill will hurt medicare, and cause tax and premium increases.

I was looking online for polls expressing the public opinions of health care reform, and public views have changed since the summer when the bill was proposed. In this New York Times poll, the public does foresee much of difference with the bill’s passage.

In these series of polls compiled by the Chicago Tribune, it seems that the public is losing faith in the effectiveness and validity of the bill. It seems that the Republican filibusters have finally achieved a result of the public conscience. The repeated rhetoric by Republican legislators have worn down the fervor of the American public. Hopefully our leaders can come to their senses and persevere to do what is best for the American people.