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U.S.: Opposition to Healthcare Reform Rises,
Obama White House Panics

Having given up on getting any Republican votes, the Administration and the House and Senate Democratic leadership have been engaged in intensive, extended negotiating sessions, in order to "persuade" House members to submit to the more fascist of the two bills, that passed by the Senate. Among the key measures in the Senate bill, that are not in the House bill, is the Independent Medicare Advisory Board (or the Independent Payment Advisory Board), which would set up a commission independent of Congress in order to determine how to slash the per capita growth in the cost of Medicare spending - a "death panel" that will decide who lives, and who dies, relatively free of interference from the Congress.

Although the Obama Administration claims the bill aims at extending health insurance to more Americans, the overriding objective, stated in black and white, is to reduce costs by at least $500 billion, mainly by denying care to the elderly. Since last Summer, the White House has insisted on the inclusion of this "cost-cutting" item in the bill.

It is, however, very controversial. A letter to Nancy Pelosi opposing any such independent board, initiated by Rep. Richard Neal, has now been signed by 99 representatives, of both parties. Another letter to Congressional leaders adamantly rejecting the IPAB has been put out by 74 medical and patient groups representing 9 million Medicare patients - including the American Hospital Association, the Medical Group Management Association, the Association of American Medical Colleges, and the American College of Surgeons, who are also lobbying Congress against it.

Moreover, several trade unions have stuck to their guns, in spite of White House pressure, in rejecting the tax employers would have to pay on the health benefits extended to workers, if the Senate bill passes. This would obviously lead to less benefits. Those not "bought off" during negotiations last week with the White House include the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, one of the largest in the country, and the Firefighters Association.

Now, the push is on to rush the bill through the Senate before the results of a special election in Massachusetts on Jan. 19, to fill Ted Kennedy's Senate seat, are in, or at least are certified, and the new Senator is seated. The White House has been scrambling to ensure the victory of Democrat Martha Coakley in that race, since, against all expectations, her Republican opponent, Scott Brown, surged ahead of her in polls on Jan. 14, in this state that has been solidly Democrat since 1972.

In a fit of panic, Democratic leaders had Coakley fly into Washington on Jan. 12, for a fundraising event, which was sponsored by the major HMOs and pharmaceutical companies, which had put together the Obama reform!

If the Democrats lose this race, they lose their 60th vote in the Senate, which they need to override any filibuster from the Republicans. Representative Barney Frank was right for once when he said that if the Republicans win, "it will kill the bill". In fact, the whole Administration will be finished politically.

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