Tipsheet

No Senator Reid. It's Just Bad Legislation

Today, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, clearly flustered that his government-run health care bill has met stiff opposition from Republicans and even some Democrats, made the following remarks on the Senate floor in a seemingly desperate attempt to rally support for the Democrat’s flailing health care bill:

“Instead of joining us on the right side of history, all Republicans have come up with is this slow down, stop everything, let's start over. You think you've heard these same excuses before, you're right. When this country belatedly recognized the wrongs of slavery, there were those who dug in their heels and said, 'Slow down, it's too early. Let's wait. Things aren't bad enough.'

    “When women spoke up for the right to speak up, they wanted to vote, some insisted, 'Slow down, there will be a better day to do that. The day isn't quite right.'

    "When this body was on the verge of guaranteeing equal civil rights to everyone, regardless of the color of their skin, some senators resorted to the same filibuster threats that we hear today. History is repeating itself before our eyes. There are now those who don't think it is the right time to reform health care. If not now, when, madam president? But the reality for many that feel that way, it will never, never be a good time to reform health care."

Maybe, Senator, Americans aren’t buying the health care reform you’re trying to sell because it’s really bad legislation. Just because someone doesn’t agree with you doesn’t make them racist and it doesn’t mean they want to oppress women. People are concerned about the potential takeover of health care because they don’t want to see the best health care system in the world fall into the hands of the government – the same government that can’t responsibly manage our postal service, and the same government that can’t administer a used-car program effectively. The American people deserve a better bill that doesn’t break the bank and leaves health care decisions in the hands of patients and doctors, not a government bureaucrat.