Mitch McConnell on Healthcare Reform

With the Democrats getting closer to passing a healthcare reform bill the Republicans are characteristically gathering forces and bombarding the media with rhetoric.  Take Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell as an example.  He stated that the actions of the Democrats are against the will of the American people, and that healthcare reform will be the undoing of the Democratic majority in Congress.


What Mitch doesn't bother with are the facts.


According to the most recent Gallup poll on healthcare reform, 49% of Americans are for it while 47% are against it.  While this is certainly close, it does not substantiate McConnell's argument that the American people are against it.  Clearly, the majority (albeit a very slim majority) are for this reform.


What McConnell also doesn't bother to mention are the breakdown of Americans polled.  When split into parties, 82% of Democrats support healthcare reform, while 13% are against it.  The remaining 5% had no opinion.  One can't help but wonder what kind of healthcare those 5% currently have.


Among Republicans only 20% support the measure, while 76% are against it.  Again, the remainder (4%) had no opinion.  


Since Republicans insist on stretching the truth, or completely ignoring facts in order to press their point, why can't Democrats do the same?  For example, using the recent polling numbers, let's spin it this way:


82% of Democrats and 20% of Republicans support healthcare reform.  82 + 20 = 102, therefore 102% of Americans support healthcare reform.  By this same logic we would be left with 89% who are against it, but we'll simply ignore that number just as we ignore the 9% who don't have an opinion and only concentrate on the 102% who are in favor.  Republicans are experts at ignoring anything that doesn't agree with their arguments so why can't the Democrats do the same?


Of course this is absurd and we, the Democrats do not manipulate the truth in this manner for one very simple reason; we are not liars.  We present to the American people what is true.  In this country our healthcare system is out of control.  Insurance companies are making decisions that should be left to the doctors.  Premiums are ridiculously high and not because of rising healthcare costs, but simply because insurance companies are greedy.  Insurers have been making record profits and paying their executives exorbitant salaries, all the while denying coverage to those who need it most.


Mitch McConnell is a liar.  The American people DO want healthcare reform.  More importantly, America NEEDS healthcare reform.