Trying to pass health care legislation has been slower than molasses on a winter day. And it seems like Washington is in a perpetual winter. For the last year, Republicans have been running Call Outs + Jams saying that the Democrats’ health care bill is too expensive and that Democrats are using unsavory tactics to gain support.

To that end, the Democrats now believe that they cannot break through the Republican log-Jam; so they’re running their most serious Trial Balloon yet on the use of budget-reconciliation, a maneuver that requires majority vote in the House and Senate, to pass the long-contested piece of legislation.

Rest assured, Liberals will be monitoring the effects of this Trial Balloon closely with mid-term elections right around the corner. Already, Nancy-Anne DeParle, Director of the White House office of health reform, ran a Preempt by saying she is confident that reconciliation will be successful.

As for the GOP, they can run a Red Herring + Recast and argue that the division within the Democratic Party shows that the bill at this point is not ready. Or they can stick to their guns on the Call Outs + Jams that seem to have worked thus far.
What is your opinion on the health care debate? Are Democrats or Republicans in the wrong? Take the poll and let us know.

Posted by: Alice Hu
 

Photo Credit: Pritchett Cartoons