An Outrage Explained

As chairman of the Bastrop County Republican Party, I speak to the recent passage of the healthcare Bill by Congress. I find that the American public, both local and at large, have responded to its passage with either outrage or elation. To my fellow Americans who may be elated, I seek to explain the outrage.

The outrage is far more than the political harrumphing of Republicans who did not win a vote. Losing a vote is nothing new. The outrage transcends party lines. It affects Republicans, Libertarians, Conservatives, Independents, and yes, even Democrats. The tremors of outrage run deep into our souls, awakening even those who have slumbered long in political apathy. These are some of the reasons for the outrage:

1. President Obama broke his ethics promises. He promised transparent, televised debate on bills available on-line for review, 5-day waiting periods before he signed laws, and bi-partisan solutions. He delivered closed, back-room deals, withholding disclosure of bills until the week of their vote, signature of the healthcare Bill in less than 48 hours of passage, and such sharp division, that the only bi-partisanship was in opposition to the Bill. But what outrages us most is that you who are elated approve of these methods and put no stock in his promises.

2. Congressional Democrats have trodden upon the Constitution. Congressional power is limited, and excludes mandating healthcare. Congressional Democrats have presumed to exercise authority where they have none. Congress is required to pass a bill before sending it to the President. 222 Congressional Democrats voted to send the Bill to the President without an actual vote on it. Congress enacts laws, while the President carries them out. President Obama has signed an Executive Order contradicting the Bill’s abortion funding, presuming to dictate to Congress what the law will be. But what outrages us more than these Constitutional violations by those sworn to uphold and defend it, is that you who are elated do not care about Constitutional restraint as long as you get what you want.

3. The content of the Bill is disastrous. It increases taxes, burdens employers, plunders $500 billion from Medicare, provides 16,000 more IRS agents to enforce healthcare, and pays for 6 years of benefits with 10 years of taxes. It places unfunded mandates on state budgets that are already in the red, and is estimated to cost Texas $23 billion more over 10 years. It demands we all buy insurance, or pay Federal fines, whether we can afford it or not. It dictates to restaurants what they must print in their menus. And similar provisions go on and on for 2,100 pages, which noone has yet had full opportunity to digest. But what outrages us most is that you who are elated are more concerned that you accomplished something than about what you accomplished.

4. The American people, on the whole, do not want this plan. Polls consistently show a majority do not support this plan, the Speaker’s approval rating is 11%, and the Senate Majority Leader’s is at 8%. Healthcare caused big Republican wins in the Massachusetts Senate race and the New Jersey and Virginia Governors’ races. Although Democrats enjoy 59% of House and Senate seats, their members had to be begged, arm-twisted, then outright bribed in order to pass the Bill by a razor-thin margin. When legislation is popular, a super-majority typically has no problem passing what it wants. Members voting in support granted themselves life-long exemptions to this plan, and even sought to exempt their entire states when they could. 39 States will consider legislation to exempt their citizens, and 13 attorneys general will challenge the Bill. But what outrages us most, is that after ramming this down our throats, you characterize our dissent as criminal and expect us to take it politely.

More than just winning a vote, the Democrat Administration has offended us to our core. Your Democrat leadership broke their promises, disdained the Constitution, bribed and bought votes, passed a monstrous bill, and seek to enslave the public to a plan it does not want. No promises, amendments, or passage of time will mollify this outrage. The President scoffed at the healthcare summit,“If voters are unhappy with results, then that’s what elections are for.” Americans of diverse political stripes took that as a slap in the face and have accepted his challenge. Expect the outraged public to demand nothing less than Democrats’ utter defeat at the earliest opportunity.