The Washington Monthly

Republicans are effectively arguing that the only way to talk about the health care reform proposal is to ensure that there is no health care reform proposal. The plan that was crafted over months of debate, hearings, analysis, and scrutiny — the one endorsed by the American Medical Association, American Nurses Association, American Cancer Society, and the AARP — has to be thrown in the trash immediately or Republicans aren’t interested in having a conversation.

This was especially rich.

In their letter, Boehner and Cantor called on Obama to take reconciliation off the table as a “show good faith” to the GOP.

“Eliminating the possibility of reconciliation would represent an important show of good faith to Republicans and the American people,” the letter said.

I see. Republicans would be more willing to talk about health care reform if the president agrees in advance to give Republicans the opportunity to kill health care reform.

Tell you what, GOP. You take the filibuster off the table as a “show of good faith” and I’m sure Democrats would be willing to take reconciliation off the table as a “show of good faith.” What do you say?

Arguments are under way today in the First District Court of Appeals in Tallahassee, Fla., in the case of Samantha Burton, who was confined to her bed by a judge earlier this year because she was at risk for a miscarriage.

This has got to be the worst of both worlds. The government is making your health care decision for you without any consultation but I’m willing to bet the poor woman still gets a bill from the health insurance company. Funny how this is not being used as an example of the dangers of health care reform. Could it be because opponents of health care reform are okay with the government making decisions for people that they agree with?