Healthcare Hypocrites: Democrats Demand ‘Show Us the Bill’ Before It Passes

US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York, and House Democratic Leader
SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images
Dr. Susan Berry

In a move that many Americans will no doubt view as the height of liberal hypocrisy, Senate Democrats are planning to bring their chamber to a halt Monday to protest what they view as the Republicans’ closed-door process in writing a health care proposal to repeal Obamacare.

“Democrats plan to object to routine requests to let the chamber operate – whether it’s scheduling votes or allowing committees to meet for extended hearings – in a move aimed at escalating the fight over health care,” CNN reports.

Using the Twitter hashtag #ShowUsTheBill, Democratic senators and their special interest supporters – such as Planned Parenthood – are protesting what they are calling the Senate GOP’s “mystery” bill:

Democrats’ demand to see the GOP healthcare bill before it comes up for a vote reveals a decidedly different tone from one former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi adopted in 2010 when Obamacare was passed by her party.

Pelosi – now famously – said prior to the passage of Obamacare, “We’ll have to pass the bill so that you can find out what’s in it.”

Democrats have also consistently refused to work with Republicans on fixing Obamacare.

In January, former President Barack Obama urged Democrats not to “rescue” Republicans by helping them pass a replacement to his signature legislation.

Similarly, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said, “Not a single Democrat is negotiating” on health care reform. Last month, Schumer continued to defend an imploding Obamacare, saying, “Until they [Republicans] back off repeal, there’s really nothing we can talk about.”

Planned Parenthood is encouraging its supporters to write to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to protest the “secrecy” behind the measure:

If Senator McConnell gets his way, the American people won’t see his secret health care repeal bill until right before he forces a final vote. That’s not how you do things in a democracy. The American people have a right to know what a small group of extremists intend to do to the health care of millions and millions of people.

Show us the bill!

The nation’s largest abortion provider – which stands to lose funding from a repeal of Obamacare and a possible provision to eliminate its taxpayer funding in the GOP health care bill – recommends the following letter be sent to McConnell:

Dear Senator:

The American people have a right to know what Senator McConnell intends to do with the health care of millions of Americans, including whether he’ll cut Medicaid patients off from care at Planned Parenthood health centers. I demand that Senator McConnell release the Senate’s health care repeal bill now, and I expect my own senators to demand he do the same.

The small group of senators the majority leader has tapped to write this legislation have been working in secret, and it’s clear that Senator McConnell intends to keep the bill under wraps until the very last minute. The only reason to do this is to avoid public scrutiny and debate of a deeply unpopular bill before forcing a final vote.

Our elected representatives shouldn’t legislate behind closed doors — especially not on a bill that will affect health care for every single American.

Senate Republicans are reportedly negotiating among themselves and may bring their measure directly to the floor next week, leaving behind the route through committee hearings and votes.

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