Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander, formerly Secretary of Education under the first President Bush, and two time seeker of the Presidency in 1996 and 2000, always had an image of being reasonable and decent among fellow Republicans in the Senate until now, when he is opposing health care reform in irresponsible ways.
Alexander seems unwilling to understand how important health care reform is, and has been flirting with the far right in his party, and in the process, harming his moderate reputation from the past.
He now predicts that if health care reform passes, it will be “Armageddon” for Democrats, leading to the loss of both houses of Congress by the Democrats, and immediate action to repeal the legislation.
This is hyperbole, which has no basis. Could the Democrats lose control of both houses, as they did in 1994? Yes, in theory, but highly unlikely, although certainly the party out of the White House DOES gain a lot of seats, typically, in a midterm election.
Would there be immediate action to repeal what had passed both houses and been signed into law by the President? Again, theoretically yes, but when the people get away from the hyperbole and hysteria and realize how much good will come out of the extension of health care, and reforms in areas such as preexisting conditions and lifetime limits, it will lead to growing support for the reforms.
Of course, there will be opposition, but that does not mean that the hysteria and propaganda will lead to repeal, as it is rare to repeal legislation once passed into law, and besides, the President could veto repeal, and to imagine a two thirds override in both houses is beyond any sense of reality.
In truth, the GOP could very well suffer for their refusal to cooperate in necessary reform, as there could be a counter reaction against them.
So, Lamar Alexander, you are much too loose in judging Armageddon, as if we need more religion context in government! How about leaving religion out of government context, except to point out that a truly religious person would wish to deal with a basic human right, to decent health care, not fight against it and show lack of concern for those who suffer from lack of such coverage!