Bi-partisanship

Or compromise

In a few more days our 112th Congress will convene in Washington to take up where the 111th left off just before Christmas but it will have a very different makeup. In the November election the Republicans gained enough seats to give them a majority in the House and closed the gap in the Senate. It now appears that the repeal of "Obamacare" is at the top of the Republican agenda while the Democrats, who shunned all appearances of bi-partisanship for the last two years, are now talking about compromise. Odd what an election can do, isn't it?

In my opinion there is no way "Obamacare" can be repealed. If it, somehow, gets enough votes in the Senate to pass the President would veto it and there would not be enough votes to over ride a veto but there might be enough support to repeal and replace. That's where bi-partisanship and compromise comes into play.

I would suggest that our Congressional leaders get together and do a little old fashioned "horse trading". They could start with the Republicans taking "Tort Reform" - this could drastically lower malpractic insurance - and the Democrats could take "Insurance for Pre-existing Conditions" - from Obamacare -. Next the Republicans could take "Insurance Across State Lines" - also to help lower insurance cost - while the Democrats could have "Children to Stay on Parents Insurance to Age 26 (also on Obamacare). Next the Republicans could take "Absolutely no Tax Money Going for Abortion" - or to agencys which advocate abortions - and the Democrats could have "Federal Oversight Over Insurance Rates". Any other points could be agreed upon. Would that be too simple?

I believe, without going back to check, that a few weeks ago I noted that I had written an e-mail (via web page) to one of my U. S. Senators requesting information as to why so many politicians and, so-called, news people insist on blaming Social Security and Medicare for most of our budget problems despite the fact that Social Security and Medicare are paid out of the "Social Security Trust Fund" which at the end of 2010 had a surplus of two point five trillion dollars and growing. Also mentioned was that I got a call from a young man in that Senator's office. He tried to explain it to me but I don't think he did very well because I didn't know any more when he hung up than I did before his call.

Maybe that is the reason I'm not as optimistic, that anyone will ever listen, as I was in the beginning. As one last attempt (maybe) to get my point across I am sending a copy of this blog posting to that Senator. I will let you know if anything comes of it. Thanks for your time and input, stay tuned. - William


P.S.
I have tried to list all material used in this blog as to their source and all poems not credited to others are from the copyrighted book "Expedition to Nowhere". Today I am listing my e-mail address (subject to change at any time). Thank you williamlee100@netzero.com - William