Easy There, Rambo...

Republican politicians across the board have been swearing to overturn the big health care bill. Many are swearing to do so in its entirety. Although I'm not all that concerned about them getting the seats in the House and Senate to actually carry through on that threat, I would give them some cautionary advice:

1. Careful with that baby while you're trying to throw out the bathwater.

Saying that you're going to overturn this bill completely would probably be the equivalent of political suicide. The bill contains too many good things that too many Americans want (and want desperately, I might add) to throw it out completely. While there are things in it that many Americans aren't pleased with, far too many Americans are happy with the clause that prevents companies from rejecting them based on "pre-existing conditions." A great many are also pleased with the other clause that makes it illegal to deny coverage once the policy holder becomes ill with a major disease like cancer or something similar. The bill also removes the "lifetime limit" that many policies have that works like this: The policy will only pay, for example, 1 million in total benefits, so if you get cancer and then are in a terrible car wreck, well that's just too damn bad. You've maxed out your benefits. Good luck if your cancer comes back.
A lot of people were happy to see that in the bill. Especially people with expensive diseases that were in danger of maxing out their insurance and wouldn't have been able to get more anywhere else because of their illness.

2. Um...not to be critical of your paint job, but you're moving towards a corner instead of a door.

By completely demonizing this bill and absolutely refusing to compromise on any of it, not even the good points, Republicans have put themselves in a tight spot politically. Instead of dismissing the bill so completely and refusing to compromise, they should have supported the good points and worked the fix the things they didn't like. The Democrats were willing to compromise, they were so willing to compromise, in fact, that they got rid of the public option that most of the public wanted in an effort to gain some Republican votes. Well, we see how that worked out.

So Republican leaders, my cautionary advice is done. Not that I think any will heed it, but someone had to say it.