GOPideas... ideas done right

The House Republicans have finally shown some true legislative chops --- and for this they deserve great credit. Their recently released health care plan is a legitimate legislative document that outlines serious solutions for many of the health care problems the Democrats are hoping to solve. (Talking points of the plan are here.) Undoubtedly, the Democrats will attack the plan as not doing enough (not enough mandates, taxes, regulations, restrictions, caps, penalties or paperwork) and how the Republicans respond to these attacks will show whether they learned anything over the last year.

Specifically, the answer should be that Republicans believe in an opportunity society, Democrats believe in a mandate society. When the inevitable charge comes that this person in this circumstance may not be eligible for full coverage of all conditions immediately, Republicans should respond:

"Guilty as charged. Republicans admit that our bill does not solve all the health care problems, for all the people, all the time, everywhere in the country, We don't solve these problems because change happens too quickly for the the government to make everyone's world perfect. However, the Republican plan: ends the abuses of insurance companies of cutting people off when they are sick or become expensive to treat, allows people to join together to buy insurance to get lower rates, allows people to buy insurance wherever they want, provides incentives for employers to reward wellness and incentives for individuals to save for unexpected health care costs and ends pre-existing condition rejections --- all while saving taxpayers $68 billion. (CBO letter here).

So, will the country be better off under the Republican plan? Yes. Will the world be awash in sweetness, light and unicorns? No. However, if the Democrats are intent on bipartisanship, then pass the provisions in the Republican bill that everyone seems to agree on (pre-existing conditions, more insurance options, no recission). See how this works for a year or two and then re-examine the law. Show that Republicans are not against change, we are for change, but change doesn't mean change everything, for everyone at once, hope it works out --- and if it doesn't stick Americans with a trillion dollar bill.