Rachel Maddow: Those Who Vote Against Healthcare Reform Will Regret It

Last updated on August 10th, 2014 at 05:06 pm

To See President Biden's 5 Best Jokes At The White House Correspondents Dinner visit The Daily.

On NBC’s Meet The Press today MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow refuted the GOP talking point that passing healthcare reform is fiscally irresponsible. Maddow also made a political prediction about the fates of those who oppose healthcare reform, “I think people who vote against it are going to regret it.”

Here is the video:

Maddow disputed fellow roundtable guest Ed Gilispie’s point that passing healthcare reform is fiscally irresponsible, “The idea that it would be fiscally responsible to either follow the, the House Republicans’ proposal or to do nothing I think is a problem. The idea that this is the fiscally irresponsible choice. When you look at the arc of spending that we have been enduring on health care right now, both at the public level and in terms of just what American families pay, we’ve got to do something to bring that under control.”

She also predicted that the people who vote against bringing healthcare costs down are going to regret it, “So to the extent that this is going to actually cut the deficit, to the extent that this is designed to bring health costs down, we’ve got to do something. And I think people who vote against it are going to regret it.”

I agree with Maddow. This is one of those career defining landmark votes that comes around once in a generation. As Orrin Hatch admitted last week, Republicans are so viciously opposing healthcare reform because they know that when enacted, it will be popular, and help Democrats win more elections. The Republican focus is not on doing what is right for the country, but instead trying to find an issue that will resonate with voters and bring them back to power.

This type of short sighting thinking might help the GOP with its base, and Democrats in conservative districts, but it is going to cement the perception of the GOP as the luddite party that is opposed to progress with years of future voters if healthcare reform is not only popular, but the new healthcare model becomes an institution like Social Security and Medicare. Republicans are digging their own graves on this one.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association