Get There Fast, Then Take It Slow

In his December 29 article, "Unhealthy Arrogance," Thomas Sowell asks a great question: "Why [rush to pass a health care bill] especially since the legislation would not take effect until years from now?" Truly, if passing a health bill is so vital for the American people, why are Congress' proposals, that absolutely had to be rushed through Congress, designed to basically do nothing until after 2012?

Charles Krauthammer recently pointed out a similar issue with the health bills: they claim to reduce our deficit, premised on faulty assumptions and the fact that the major portion of their spending doesn't kick in until 2014! When you take a realistic look at the numbers, the health care bill doesn't do what Democrats claim, but exactly what its critics contend: it explodes our future deficits.

Why do this? Why ram an unpopular health care reform bill down the throats of your constituents, while tailoring the bill to not take effect until after the 2012 elections, when voter turnout is largest? Politics. I can't think of any other plausible explanation. I suppose you could say this is "politics as usual," but I think Congress' behavior is despicable.