5 Myths About Health Bill Passage

Americans aren't undecided, and the public option was DOA: Cillizza
By Marie Morris,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 21, 2010 4:08 PM CDT
5 Myths About Health Bill Passage
Opponents of the health care reform bill carry a "Kill the Bill" sign as protesters begin to arrive at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Sunday, March 21, 2010.   (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

With health care reform seemingly headed for passage now that Bart Stupak's on board, Chris Cillizza looks back at the debate and finds five persistent arguments with little or no grounding in reality.

  • Scott Brown was a game-changer: "Yes and no," Cillizza writes for the Washington Post. Lacking a supermajority, the Democrats have had to tread carefully, "but the meat of the bill—an attempt at broad reform—never really changed"

  • Bipartisanship failed: It was never really in play. After the 2008 election, "the distrust and partisanship that had typified Congress in the recent past left a bitterness that no election could heal."
  • The midterm elections are at stake: A struggling economy is always the elephant in the room. "Health care will indeed be an important issue in November, but it will be secondary to Americans' concerns about jobs and the economy."
To see the complete list, click here. (More health care reform stories.)

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