Now health care bills ‘reconciliation’ begins — ugh!
Imagine having two pieces of legislation on the same subject, let’s say for example, health care. One bill has been passed by the House; one by the Senate. What happens now? Does the President sign two bills? Does he decide which one he likes and sign that one?
If you’re aware of the way bills become laws at the federal level, you know it’s not that easy. Now a joint committee made up of both Senators and Representatives must work out a compromise bill or “reconciliation” which will go to the President’s desk for his signature.
I confess that my knowledge of how all that is done is very lacking. But I do know this in this particular case — which, of course is not a hypothetical example, but a reality — the House health care reform bill and the Senate health care reform bill have some major differences, and reconciliation will be NOTHING like simply walking to your local medical clinic to by a medical assistance program membership or something like that.
I have my personal theory about why this is all so difficult: Simply put, insurance companies, various medical systems, pharmaceutical firms, and probably bucket loads of lawyers will not easily give up the power and money currently flowing their way. Serious, legitimate health care reform has nothing to do with such silliness as “socialism” or all the other warning cries. It simply has to do with too many billions, even trillions, of dollars at state for vested interests.
But I remain very hopeful. I hope that Representatives and Senators will do something good together for the country and make a useful, helpful health care system for all.
Well, sort of hopeful.
We’ll see soon, won’t we?