Full Scale Repeal?

Soon-to-be House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fed Upton (R-Michigan) is predicting a complete repeal of the health care reform law. Along with a veto-proof majority:

"As part of our pledge we said that we would bring up a vote to repeal health care early," Upton said during an appearance on Fox News Sunday. "That will happen before the president's State of the Union address. We have 242 Republicans. There will be a significant number of Democrats, I think, that will join us. You will remember when that vote passed in the House, last march; it only passed by seven votes.

"Just wait. If you switched four votes from last march, that bill would have gone down. So we'll take the Democrats that voted no, we will take other Democrats who probably agree with Speaker Pelosi's statement. Remember when she said we want to pass this thing because then we'll learn what's in it? Well now the American public does know what is in it. Unpopularity numbers are as high as 60 percent across the country. I don't think we're going to be that far off from having the votes to actually override a veto."

Most of us would agree this is an overly optimistic take on the numbers, and given the political landscape, few (if any) Democrats will buy into this whole scale approach. But, Republicans will try to chip away at the law in anyway the can, and they will get some Democrats to go along with an element here and there.  Time for the Democrats to turn the Republican side show, into ridicule.

Democrats have to be very politically proactive on this one and remind the American public that the Republicans want full-scale repeal, for two reasons: 1) it will show the true, mean-spirited and non-compromising character of the those now in charge; and, 2) it will help mitigate the chances that a large number of the elements of the bill will be weakened, or eliminated completely.

And exactly what do we need to be reminded of?

 -- Insurance companies now have to spend at least 80% of revenues from premiums on actual health care.

 -- Senior citizens can now receive free annual checkups, screenings and other preventative care.

 -- No more discriminating against children with pre-existing conditions.

 -- Parents have the option of keeping their children on family insurance plans until they are 26 years old.

Consistently remind the American pubic of these (and other) popular elements of the bill, and the Republicans can eat their words about full-scale repeal.  And they will have a much harder time chipping away at it.  And, it's good politics.