Health insurance reform opponents have reached a new low. This morning, Steve Champlin, a lobbyist for America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) — the insurance industry lobby group who recently paid for a thoroughly debunked report criticizing reform — urged Congressional Republicans not to vote for health insurance reform saying it would be “giving comfort to the enemy”:
There is absolutely no interest, no reason Republicans should ever vote for this thing. They have gone from a party that got killed 11 months ago to a party that is rising… on the turmoil of health care…So when they vote for a health care reform bill, whatever it is, they are giving comfort to the enemy who is down.
It is clear Mr. Champlin and Congressional Republicans aren't listening to the American people and are misrepresenting the facts.
According to a recent CBS News poll, 84 percent believe the health care system needs fundamental changes at the very least and 61 percent said they would be disappointed if Congress does not pass health care reform this year.
By a wide margin, Americans trust President Obama to handle major changes to the nation's health care system more than they do Republicans.
Washington Post/ABC News, 10/19/09:
Nearly 8 in 10 Americans lack confidence in Republicans to make the right decisions for our country's future.