Great moments in the history of ObamaCare

The human mind being what it is will, at times, and depending upon the circumstances, gloss over some of the more unsavory aspects of the past either as a coping mechanism or perhaps as an unconscious appeal to our better nature.

Conversely, that's why the interwebs and more precisely the archives here at Beers with Demo are such a valuable tool in reminding us of just how awful things were and how it's important to never forget just how awful things are bound to be. In this case, we're talking about the crafting of the legislation which would become ObamaCare. We don't know if we're going to do this on a regular basis but we think we might as a reminder of just how atrocious a manner this law was cobbled together.

The following is a re-post of what we originally generated back on December 13 of 2009:

Hey, do you remember when they told us if we voted for McCain it would represent a vote for continuing the secrecy of the Bush years? Well, they were right.

Recall how we’ve been challenging proponents of Obamacare to divulge some of the specifics contained in the legislation as reasons to support the same. With even major points of the Obamacare bill appearing, disappearing and then reappearing, it’s a fool’s errand for supporters of the Senate bill.

But it’s not just us John Q. Publics out here in fly-over country that aren’t in the loop with the Senate version of the bill, the #2 Democrat in Senate has nary a clue regarding what’s in the bill.

Senate Majority Whip Richard Durbin admitted Friday that he is "in the dark" about the national health care bill currently under construction by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. In an exchange on the Senate floor, Republican Sen. John McCain asked Durbin, "Should we not at least be informed as to what the proposal is that the Senate Majority Leader is going to propose to the entire Senate?" Durbin's answer: "I would say to the senator from Arizona that I am in the dark almost as much as he is, and I am in the leadership." Durbin explained that during a Democratic caucus, Reid and the small group of senators involved in crafting the bill turned to their fellow Democrats and "basically stood and said, 'We are sorry, we can't tell you in detail what was involved.'"

You see, we’re all supposed to just trust Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, who with his staff and health care lobbyists are writing and re-writing this legislation in the secrecy of his office.

Durbin claims that Reid is not to blame for the secrecy rather the Congressional Budget Office which Reid has asked to do a cost estimate on the bill. (Insert jaw-drop face, here).

That damn CBO and their rather inconvenient scoring of the various permutations of Obamacare has been a thorn in Congress’ side since they took up their task late in the spring of this year. CBO can’t score what CBO can’t see. Brilliant strategy, Harry.

Back to the future...

Perhaps it was brilliant strategy by Reid as the Senate version of the bill was passed on a Christmas Eve vote before going on to the House where more backroom miracles were performed (see: Stupak)

Any clues as to ultimate effectiveness of this law were foretold in just how it was fashioned: under the shroud of secrecy, deceit and good ol' fashioned business-as-usual pork barrel-ing.

Wasn't Hopenchange everything you expected?


Yeah. That was fun, now wasn't it? We do think this will be a regular feature.

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