Two of the biggest objections to the ongoing attempt to foist ObamaCare socialized medicine on the public are its budget-busting cost and the back-room deals used to win support for the plan from Big Labor and lawmakers from certain states.
Many recall, for example, the $100 million sweetheart deal carved out for the state of Nebraska to cover its Medicaid expansion costs — in exchange for Nebraska Democrat Sen. Ben Nelson’s vote for ObamaCare. Most other states got little or no help for the Medicaid expansion that ObamaCare would force on them.
That deal and others disgusted American voters, particularly because of the secretive nature of the negotiations in Congress. Then-Sen. Barack Obama promised during his presidential campaign that negotiations would be conducted in the full light of day, but that did not happen. The outrage over special deals given to certain states and organizations overflowed last month when liberal Massachusetts elected Republican Scott Brown to the U.S. Senate to succeed the late Democrat Sen. Ted Kennedy.
But the message of that election has been lost on Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. Just as she remains convinced that the American people are crying out for ObamaCare — despite poll after poll showing the opposite — she rejects criticism that there was anything wrong about Congress’ secretive push for ObamaCare.
“The American people don’t care about process,” she said in a meeting with reporters.
We disagree. The American people care a great deal about process — especially when that process results in unjust benefits for some, back-breaking expense for others and a radical expansion of government’s control over medical care.
ObamaCare’s inability to withstand public scrutiny is another reason it should be rejected.