George,

Why should anyone be surprised the Right Wing conservative dominated GOP is opposing health care?
From the beginning of our nation, the conservatives have voted "NO" on any issue even slightly resembling legislation that might provide what the Preamble of our Constitution says "to provide for the general welfare."

As in the past, lies, distortions, half truths have been their "weapons of choice", , with current mouthpieces like Beck, Limbaugh, Hannity, Coulter, Liz Cheney et al, , , flacking for the Right!

How can any reasonable human being see the downside of a system that has worked so well (in spite of the exaggerated lies of the Right and their fellow travelers to the contrary), in every democracy on the planet.EVERY modern democracy has universal health care and it is seen as a "given" with healthy citizens seen as an economic plus in all nations where health care is available to all., , , But not in the USA!

The Right Wing dominated GOP refuses to even debate the merits of a health care system available to ALL Americans at an affordable price, , , , , any effort at discourse at public town hall meetings has been met with the likes of the Tea Partiers turning it into a disruptive, hooligan dominated shouting match with physical threats and vitriol.

The halls of Congress show little more.

The mantra of the Right is "a clean sheet of paper" or "start over."

The distorted ads being run on local television stations against Representative Perriello are replicas of the exact ads being run nationwide--just the Representative's name is changed. The truth is not in them!

The health care companies are paying hundreds of millions on propaganda, bribes and "lobbying"to stop what they see as a threat to their "cash cow.' They raise premiums without regard for the American people, refuse coverage with decisions by clerks without the slightest bit of medical training--all the while making BILLIONS in the worst economy since the Great Depression.

We spend twice as much on health care, have 48 million Americans uninsured, rank 51st in life expectancy because so many cannot afford out of pocket costs for health care or prescription drugs very often in life threatening situations..even those covered by insurance walk on eggs, not knowing if the next procedure will be deemed "experimental" or "pre existing".... You might think any lame brain should see this mess and the shameful affect on our nation...

The Right calls it a "government takeover" and say the "private sector can do a better job", , I guess like the private sector did such a great job with investment banking, derivitives , credit default swaps and mortgage backed securities!

Now, the GOP is squealing like stuck pigs because a MAJORITY in the Congress will pass a health care bill, albeit, scaled way back, by using what the GOP has used 17 times out of 23 and signed into law by republican presidents, , , , reconciliation....

In the past, there were enough reasonable Republicans and their leadership to pass important legislation, , but the conservative dominated gang, now have ruled that out.

I won't be around when the day comes when the GOP seeks to protect the nation's health care system as they now (seemingly) protect Medicare and Social Security, they learned from their constituents, putting them on notice, these were "third rail" issues, sacred, and not to be tampered with.

But, hypocrisy is also a by-word of the Right Wing gang from economics to health care to their "family values" morality!

Harry Tenney (Electronic mail, March 10, 2010)