Changes

Health care funding was the major political issue of 2009, with the Republicans in near-solid opposition and the Democrats divided. On November 7, 2009, the House passed its version, the "Affordable Health Care for America Act" (H.R. 3962). It would cost $1.1 trillion but now goes to the Senate where its fate is uncertain.  

Health care funding was the major political issue of 2009, with the Republicans in near-solid opposition and the Democrats divided. On November 7, 2009, the House passed its version, the "Affordable Health Care for America Act" (H.R. 3962). It would cost $1.1 trillion but now goes to the Senate where its fate is uncertain.  

It just barely passed 215-210, as 39 Democrats deserted Speaker [[Nancy Pelosi]]'s leadership; only one Republican voted yes.  Pelosi, a liberal, is a strong supporter of abortion but to get the 215 votes she had to give in to Catholic leaders nationally and abortion opponents in her own caucus and allow passage of the [[Stupak Amendment]]. The amendment imposes tight restrictions that bar any insurance plan that is purchased with government subsidies from covering abortions.  As a result, numerous liberals denounced the bill even as they voted for it.<ref>David M. Herszenhorn and Jackie Calmes, [http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/08/health/policy/08scene.html?_r=1 "Abortion Was at Heart of Wrangling," ''New York Times'' Nov 7, 2009]</ref>  

It just barely passed 215-210, as 39 Democrats deserted Speaker [[Nancy Pelosi]]'s leadership; only one Republican voted yes.  Pelosi, a liberal, is a strong supporter of abortion but to get the 215 votes she had to give in to Catholic leaders nationally and abortion opponents in her own caucus and allow passage of the [[Stupak Amendment]]. The amendment imposes tight restrictions that bar any insurance plan that is purchased with government subsidies from covering abortions.  As a result, numerous liberals denounced the bill even as they voted for it.<ref>David M. Herszenhorn and Jackie Calmes, [https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/08/health/policy/08scene.html?_r=1 "Abortion Was at Heart of Wrangling," ''New York Times'' Nov 7, 2009]</ref>  

==Conservative counter-arguments ==

==Conservative counter-arguments ==

===Reagan===

===Reagan===

In 1961 (while still a Democrat), [[Ronald Reagan]] took part in [[Operation Coffee Cup]] and in part here is what he said: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRdLpem-AAs&feature=player_embedded]:

In 1961 (while still a Democrat), [[Ronald Reagan]] took part in [[Operation Coffee Cup]] and in part here is what he said: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRdLpem-AAs&feature=player_embedded]:

{{Cquote|One of the traditional methods of imposing statism or socialism on a people has been by way of medicine. It's very easy to disguise a medical program as a humanitarian project. . . . Now, the American people, if you put it to them about socialized medicine and gave them a chance to choose, would unhesitatingly vote against it. We have an example of this. Under the Truman administration it was proposed that we have a compulsory health insurance program for all people in the United States, and, of course, the American people unhesitatingly rejected this.

{{Cquote|One of the traditional methods of imposing statism or socialism on a people has been by way of medicine. It's very easy to disguise a medical program as a humanitarian project. . . . Now, the American people, if you put it to them about socialized medicine and gave them a chance to choose, would unhesitatingly vote against it. We have an example of this. Under the Truman administration it was proposed that we have a compulsory health insurance program for all people in the United States, and, of course, the American people unhesitatingly rejected this.