Once again, Congress is about to devote substantial time and effort to health care. But this time, new House Republications are leading a charge to repeal the law passed last year after months of exhausting political wrangling.
Condensed into just two pages, the GOP repeal bill, called the "Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act", would negate the major provisions enacted in the health care law, while introducing a resolution to further an alternative Republican-sponsored health care plan. The motivation, according to GOP leaders, is fiscal responsibility and the elimination of what is seen as cumbersome, potentially harmful legislation.
Although noble in premise, the efforts toward repeal are destined to be largely symbolic. Most political pundits agree that while the repeal bill may pass in the Republican-controlled House, it is unlikely to make it through the Senate, where Democrats still hold the majority. Thus, such efforts amount to little more than a gesture to satisfy promises of reform made along the campaign trail.
Ironically, this gesture is both fiscally irresponsible and likely to result in further job losses. As debate begins on the repeal, critical legislation such as highway bill reauthorization continues to be pushed to the backburner. As it languishes, the construction industry's jobless rate continues to hover near 20%, and will only worsen as stimulus funds and state budgets dry up.
If new Congressional legislators truly wish to make a difference in the eyes of their constituents, both sides need to quit the bickering and start working together to promote legislation that will put more Americans back to work -- subsequently increasing their spending power and bolstering state and federal revenue via increased tax receipts on goods sold. Infrastructure investment is a proven solution, given sufficient time and funds to make it happen.
Whether you like the current law or not, enough time and energy has already been devoted to health care legislation. It's time for elected officials from both parties to set aside political agendas (and, in some cases, vendettas) and get something meaningful done that benefits the majority of U.S. citizens, not just those sitting on Capitol Hill.
Health Care Repeal Efforts Equal More Time Wasted
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