The stakes in the health care debate continue to climb. For the Democrats, they truly are in between a self- imposed Barack and a hard place. If they produce a health care bill that Obama signs over the objections of the American people, they risk losing 55 or more House seats and 8-10 Senate seats. If they don’t push through a bill, they will have angered yet another part of their base.
For the Republicans, any failure to demonstrate a principled resistance to the Democrats will hurt them, in the Fall, among Tea Party voters and their base. If it passes, it will do irrevocable harm to our health care system and the solvency of our government, while hurting the economy and the dollar for decades to come. Worse yet, history has shown that de-nationalizing socialized healthcare is beyond difficult. In other words, hoping for the repeal of ObamaCare is not a good option.
That much danger requires that the Republicans pull out all of the stops to literally stop its passage. As the “final” vote on the bill looms, Republicans in Congress simply must enlist the voice of the American people in their effort and force the Democrats to abandon the bill. Here is a 3 point plan to do just that.
1. Adopt a HealthCare Covenant With America. The existing health care bill represents everything that is wrong with American government today. It is a 2600 page monolith and few have any idea of its true contents – as Nancy Pelosi so eloquently noted (“But we have to pass the [health care ] bill so that you can find out what is in it.”) Republicans quickly and simply must contrast that with a one page charter, contract, or declaration. which sets forth 7 – 10 key reforms in simple straightforward language. The contents should obviously emphasize private sector reforms, such as the promotion of HealthCare Savings Accounts (“HSAs”), coupled with the modernization of government regulations, i.e. updated regulations/laws to allow increased pooling across state lines – all with an eye to addressing the deficiencies of the current health care system.
2. Have Republican Candidates Take the HealthCare Covenant Pledge. Leaders in Congress and the RNC should then work to have each Congressional candidate take a HealthCare Covenant Pledge to effect that they will vote for those reforms if elected to Congress. It should become central plank for all Congressional candidates this Fall.
3. Revolutionize The Marketing/Promotion of The Covenant. Republicans can’t run against City Hall from within City Hall. If they are trailing in votes in the halls of Congress, they need to empower the voters outside of Washington. To do that, Republicans cannot conduct business as usual. They need to market this Health Care Covenant in a completely different manner.
As soon as practical, the Republicans should declare a HealthCare Covenant Day. On that day:
(a) Republicans should hold a National Townhall using a coalition of the willing cable television and radio outlets. That National Townhall should be used to promote the virtues of the HealthCare Covenant while demonstrating the vast shortcomings of ObamaCare. As part of that effort, Republicans should organize watch parties coupled with voter registration drives across the country; and
(b) Republicans should flood the new media (Internet/blogs) and the old media (newspapers) with editorials reinforcing the virtues of the HealthCare Covenant while demonstrating the vast shortcomings of ObamaCare; and
(c) Republicans should invite Tea Party groups and others to hold demonstrations that day; and
(d) Republicans should flood talk radio shows around the Country, leading up to the Townhall, with guests that reinforce the message; and
(e) Republicans should email vital details across the nation to activists and encourage them to contact Democrat lawmakers.
The vast majority of Americans are against this healthcare takeover. It is time for Republicans to enlist their support in a meaningful way as part of a peaceful revolt. If they don’t, America may never be the same. If they do, it will be a victory for Republicans and a more important victory for America.
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