A Hard Sell

President Obama has been barnstorming the country trying to convince a very skeptical public that his health overhaul plan is a good thing after all. But public animosity toward ObamaCare is not budging, with Rasmussen showing that 55% still want it repealed. It shows the incredible difficulty of changing minds that are set against this government takeover of our health sector. People are not buying into the president’s sugarcoating because they understand this new law represents a fundamental change in the relationship between citizens and government.

Repeal and Replace ObamaCare

So what do we mean by that, exactly? The fallout from ObamaCare is just beginning, with news articles every day showing the damage the health overhaul law is poised to inflict on our economy and health sector. The latest Rasmussen poll found 54% of those surveyed want the law repealed. But there are real problems in our health sector that demand it be replaced with a better plan. So here is a handy guide to the key policy ideas behind Repeal and Replace, letter by letter.

It's Not Over

It has been a very difficult week of shock, disbelief, depression, and outrage -- all the phases of grief except acceptance -- among those of us who so strongly oppose the arrogant approach and method of passing ObamaCare, especially in the face of such overwhelming public opposition. Let's start with the hubris of thinking that it is even remotely possible to write 2,900 pages of legislation and get it right in overhauling one-sixth of our economy. In just the first few days, we have begun to see the mistakes.

Breaking Trust with America

Blindsided by ObamaCare?

If Speaker Pelosi manages to get 216 members of the House of Representatives to walk the plank on Sunday and vote for her health overhaul -- against the overwhelming will of the American people -- President Obama plans to immediately sign the massive 2,700-page bill into law. ObamaCare will be the law of the land, with its $2.4 trillion in new government spending, jobs-killing mandates, huge tax increases, Medicare cuts, and scores of new government bureaucracies.

Slaughter Strategy

Here's the bottom line: For health reform to become law, the 2,700-page Senate bill somehow has to get through the House. The trickery that Speaker Pelosi is concocting to get that done almost defies belief. It's aptly called the "Slaughter Strategy," after Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-NY, who cooked it up. Here's how it would work: The House would "deem" the main Senate bill to have passed without directly voting on it as long as the House approves a companion bill of amendments to the Senate bill.

One Simple Agenda

Let's cut to the heart of the matter: First, let's start by setting aside the extraordinary complexity of thousands of pages of health reform legislation. Next, let's throw out the labyrinth of details about the Senate reconciliation process. Not important. Only one thing matters. President Obama must convince the House to pass the Senate bill. Everything else, including any separate legislation passed through the budget reconciliation process, is a side show at best.

Summit Standoff

The consensus among most pundits and reporters was summed up by The Wall Street Journal's Peggy Noonan in her column today: "Boy, that didn't work." The White House expected a slam dunk, building on what it considered a triumph at the House Republican retreat in Baltimore a month ago, so it could convince rank-and-file Democrats that the time has come to get health reform done. I was at the retreat in Baltimore, invited to do a session on health reform for members, and was in the room during that remarkable 70-minute exchange.