Health Care Referendum?

[timesjoke]

Sen. Specter Says He'll Pitch 'Fascinating' Option of Health Care Referendum - Political News - FOXNews.com

 

Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter said Tuesday that he would float the idea of a national referendum on health care reform when he returns to Washington after the start of his August recess was spent facing down boisterous crowds at town hall meetings.

 

At one such forum in Lebanon, Pa., Specter heard from a string of lively constituents, including one who suggested deciding the issue the good, old-fashioned American way -- by majority rule.

 

Asked by one participant about the idea of a national referendum, Specter, who recently switched parties to become a Democrat, called the idea "fascinating" and said he would take the suggestion to Washington.

 

"Well, that's a fascinating idea to have a referendum," Specter said. "Well, that's one of the ideas I'm going to take back to Washington, a referendum."

 

However, he noted that the federal government currently lacks any mechanism for doing so.

 

American University history professor Allan Lichtman said such a move would probably be unprecedented.

 

"I don't know of any national referendum the United States has ever had," Lichtman said.

 

So far, the call for a national referendum has been limited mainly to blogs and comment pages on news Web sites. Both sides of the debate have suggested it, though, as a way to let everyone weigh in on the thorny issue of government-sponsored health insurance.

 

Around the nation, lawmakers are being grilled by hundreds of concerned and sometimes confrontational constituents about the plan that is just one committee away from reaching the floors of both chambers of Congress. Polls and town hall meetings have revealed a deep split in public opinion over the health care reform plans on the table.

 

A Rasmussen survey released Tuesday showed public support for the Democrats' plan had dropped to a new low, with 42 percent of voters in favor of it. Meanwhile, 53 percent were opposed.

 

The individual who asked Specter about the referendum idea Tuesday noted the national tension and suggested a 2010 referendum could be the best way to put health care reform to a fair test.

 

"We'll tell you if we like your plan. How's that work?" the questioner said.

 

Congressional aides on Tuesday said they had not heard any discussion of a health care reform referendum during talks on Capitol Hill.

 

Lichtman said that while a mechanism may not exist to hold a national policy vote, the states could individually hold their own referendums -- but he noted that some states don't have a referendum system either.

 

"It would be very difficult at best," he said, adding that it would be "quite expensive in the middle of a recession."

 

President Obama's timetable for passing health care reform has extended well into the fall. But the August congressional recess has proved to be the most challenging period so far for the White House to keep the momentum alive for comprehensive legislation.

 

I like this idea, on something that will so severely increase taxes and the size/control of the Federal Government we should all vote on it, it is way to huge an issue to let a few people in Congress force it on us.

 

 

Long after this set of elected officials are dead and buried, a National healthcare plan will forever be a part of America. If the people really want to make such a socialist turn, let them check the boxes to be sure.

[Old Salt]

But they need to publish the bill they're having a referendum on IN PLAIN, EASY-TO-UNDERSTAND LANGUAGE.

[timesjoke]

But they need to publish the bill they're having a referendum on IN PLAIN, EASY-TO-UNDERSTAND LANGUAGE.

 

Isn't that the real problem Salt?

 

All these guys are lawyers writing nonesense legislation that can be twisted to say anything they want it to say once they get it passed.

 

 

They make it deliberately loose so the buracracy they control (almost all Government employees are radical Liberals) will make it what they want it to be.

 

 

Who do you think will be ensuring the private insurance companies do what their told? They will use their power of oversight to harass the private insurance companies away from the table.

[hugo]

A bad idea, the majority will vote in favor because they will think the rich are paying for it. Let's go back to the Madisonian philosophy where the federal government has limited and enumerated powers.

 

If it was likely to fail Specter would not be endorsing it.

[timesjoke]

4 months ago I agreed with you Hugo, I thought the people were asleep at the wheel and were not paying attention to what Obama and company were doing but in the last month I have seen people shake themselves awake and start speaking out.

 

The Liberals/socialists want to discount the vocal people as plants because if they admit this is real concern by real people they know they will have to back off.

 

The majority of Americans do not want Obama care, but the elitist messiah is so arrogant that he believes the people are too stupid to make that decision. This brings to mind the amnesty bill where Bush and McCain were 100% behind it and wanted it passed in a bad way. They tried to plead with the public and get them to see it their way but in the end the people were listened to and the measure was defeated.

 

Just like then, the people again are speaking out.

 

Obama does not want to listen to the people.

 

 

 

 

With all the early talk about how Obama had a mandate, it is hard to look at the polls now and see the same Obama the people wanted. Obama promised change, a new Washington, but Obama lied, and the people are starting to see his lies for what they were.

 

If Obama does not snap out of his power hungry elitist trance, he will be down to Bush approval numbers by the end of the year. Notice how the Congress approval numbers stay down? The people are not happy. They are not happy about the way these things are going so I really believe a Referendum will stop this plan "As written".