Monday, March 22, 2010

The Most Divisive Vote in History

On March 21, 2010, the United States House of Representatives has passed what I believe will be remembered as the most divisive vote in our country's history. We all know that I am referring to the vote to pass the Senate's version of Obamacare.

The disastrous effects of the passage of this bill are obvious: and their most disastrous effects will not be related specifically to health care. The real negative effect is that this vote will further divide this nation. With this vote out of the way, everyone is gearing up for the November elections. I can already hear the cries of "Repeal the Bill" from those opposed to this bill (myself included). Meanwhile, I'm sure the 46% of people who were in favor of the bill and those who think it didn't go far enough to strip us of our freedoms, drive up our taxes, or provide handouts for freeloaders will come up with some clever one-liner. The point is that the next election will be bitter and divisive (despite also likely being a decisive victory for the GOP). And, assuming the Republicans re-take the House of Representatives (a very likely outcome), their response to their new majority status will probably reflect the divisive nature of their victory. Immediately taking up a bill to repeal this disaster, only to face a Presidential veto will only widen the partisan and ideological divide.

Let us hope that Republicans can break this chain of events and run campaigns in 2010 that are based on more than just repealing this disaster, but on principles and ideas that can go deeper than this single issue, and unite us as Americans. Otherwise, I think our country is in grave danger, because

United we stand, divided we fall.

Who knows, maybe this is exactly what the progressives want, for we cannot throw off the yoke of tyranny as a people divided.

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