If the health care plan is SO great why do Republicans not want it?

For the same reason they were against the Kansas Nebraska act of 1854 - that was the last time a vote of this magnitude was force fed to the American people by the Democrats - that time it was under the leadership of Stephen Douglas.

In a similar arm-twisting, bribe-laden party line vote, the Missouri Compromise was repealed, leading to violence that ultimately became the Civil War, and oh, yes - the birth of the Republican Party.

Back then, the Democrats thought slavery was a pretty good idea, but the Republicans were ideologically opposed to it. Same as now - the Republicans are ideologically opposed to the debt, (the US credit-card limit was just raised to accommodate this plan - did anyone notice?) the unconstitutionality (can anyone show how requiring all Americans to purchase a product or service from a government-selected private company is constitutional?) and the intrusion of the federal government into every aspect of our lives.

Do not be fooled - this bill is not about providing healthcare for all Americans - it leaves out at least 18 million of us. It is not about saving money - we will be taxed for four years BEFORE this plan ever takes effect, just to offset the trillions of additional dollars it will cost. This bill is not about restraining the health insurance companies - their stock skyrocketed after the vote because their state-to-state monopolies are protected. Even Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders (a Socialist) decried the bill for how much it will benefit the health insurance companies.

This bill is about power.

The partisan vitriol in this country is pretty bad - I wasn't around in the 1850's but I have studied the Civil War, and this isn't too much different politically.

Simple: The Republicans have actually sat down and plowed through the health care plan and have seen it for the disaster it is. Every American who makes over $30,000 a year will have his/her taxes raised for the next five years to pay for this health care plan that won't even go into effect for five years, so we're giving Uncle Sam a five-year interest-free loan while getting nothing in return. It is also designed to put health care into a single-payer system, thereby eliminating insurance companies and putting the government in complete control of our health care. Can you say Socialism? It didn't work in Eastern Europe and it sure as heck won't work here.

BTW, voting against the health care bill is going to save careers. It wasn't widely publicized this year, but the Republicans won every major election held this year. It's also not widely publicized that the undecided vote has now swung completely over to the side of the GOP. This is the best indicator that an awful lot of Democrats are going to find themselves out of a job after the 2010 elections, and the health care bill is the primary reason -- the American people don't like Big Brother forcing us to have health care and ramming their plan down our collective throats.

I think it would also be important to add "why don't the Democrats in office want it for themselves?" I remember watching a story about this on the news. The Congressmen and Senators (especially the Democrats, for that matter) want to keep the health care plans they have now. They only want their socialized health care to cover the rest of us. Republicans, however, know that it is a terrible idea, and that is why they were trying so hard to fight it.

The healthcare plan is a giveaway to the insurance companies

they are the only ones happy with it

Along with all the "very well thought out" responses prior, no one has read the HUGE bill and indications are that it will be one of the final nails in the financial coffin of the United States. Of course, if you are one of "the government exists to take care of me" and "I can't find employment/career that doesn't interfere with my social life" folks, I suppose socialized medicine is your cup ot tea.

Soap it's all about money! The health care industry is huge business. They make campaign contributions to politicians in exchange for favors, ie voting against socialized medicine. Sen. Lieberman is the perfect example, he's against it because he gets huge bucks from insurance companies based in Connecticut.

Can just one of you neo-cons explain why you're against welfare for the poor but don't say a peep about corporate welfare or bail outs?

because i'ts not great. it's filled w/ graft and corruption and it will fail. but they're trying to put language in it that keeps it from being changed, ever. which is unconstitutional, but those wiley libs will try anything in a 2500 page bill.

they're gambling its a bad plan, only because desperate gambles are the only way they've got a remote shot of getting back in power

it doesn't benefit the insurance companies that fund the election campaigns of many republicans so they have to be against it our else the will not have enough money to get reelected

because they didn't come up with it.