OBAMACARE, BIPARTISANSHIP AND A CALL FOR FLYING PIGS
In Washington, it’s the “b- word” — bipartisanship. It all but died when Barack Obama was elected president, with Republicans on Capitol Hill vowing to oppose him at every turn, and it’s been on life support since.
Now, though, bipartisanship is getting talked up again, probably just to scare recalcitrant Senate Republicans into voting for a hard- hearted plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act. But we can hope. If the Republican plan fails, which would be a relief, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell warns he might just go ahead and work with Democrats to make improvements to the existing health care law, which would be better still.
A revised Affordable Care Act, passed with support from both Republicans and Democrats, might stand the test of time better than the existing law, pushed through Congress by Democrats in 2010 with just a single House Republican vote. Both parties finally would have skin in the game, and the necessary compromises could produce a law that better balances the conflicting priorities of a divided nation.
Obamacare is not failing, despite Republican claims to the contrary. Some 20 million more Americans enjoy the benefits of basic health insurance thanks to the law. But it could stand improvement. Too few insurers offer plans in some areas. Nineteen states have been unwilling to extend Medicaid coverage, in part because they fear the federal govern- ment will cut payments in the future, leaving the states to hold the bag. The requirement that employers provide insurance only to workers employed at least 30 hours a week is distorting hiring practices. And Obamacare could do more to rein in prescription drug prices.
A bipartisan effort to fix the flaws of Obamacare remains only a remote possibility. “When pigs fly,” as some have said. But if it were to happen, it would mark a sea change in how business gets done in Washington. The same politically moderating influence ( and, yes, we know we’re getting ahead of ourselves here) could lead to progress on other long stalemated issues, most notably our nation’s frighteningly casual gun laws.
Washington has been hyper- partisan for so long that it’s easy to forget that landmark legislation historically has been achieved by bipartisan compromise, not by one party steamrolling. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was filibustered for 57 days by Democratic Southern senators, but finally was passed 73- 27. The Social Security Act of 1965 passed only when 70 House Republicans and 16 Senate Republicans voted for it.
Before bipartisanship stands a chance, partisanship has to fall on its face and never get up. Here’s hoping the Republican plan to repeal Obamacare, which would leave an estimated 22 million more Americans uninsured, dies a dramatic public death.
Then an honest negotiation to improve the Affordable Care Act can begin.
Washington has been hyper- partisan for so long that it’s easy to forget that landmark legislation historically has been achieved by bipartisan compromise, not by one party steamrolling.