This behemoth that is congressional health care may be the mother of all green legislation. The green-ness will come not from it being passed on St. Patrick's Day, nor it being environmentally friendly nor it being energy saving. No, the green-ness of this debacle may very well be in the form of the dollars to be won, lost and allocated in this fight for our nation's health future.
Litigation is almost assured at every level.
Our health-care system will most certainly change. Those who believe their health care has taken a turn for the worst and those who conversely believe they did not get a big enough share of the pie will most certainly find sympathetic lawyers who will be willing to pursue their client's disrespect and seek a monetary salve for their wounds. It will be the courts that ultimately determine the future of health care in this country. Definitive legislation in our society today is an anathema to professional politicians who want to absolve themselves of blame and responsibility, the 30 pieces of silver in their pocket not withstanding.
The real question surrounding this passion play is the whole constitutionality of the melodrama. Article 1 Section 7 of the United States Constitution proscribes that " all bills raising revenue shall originate in the house of representatives." The House is set to vote on the Senate bill, written by Senator Max Baucus, and thus discard their own bill, which would never pass muster in that more deliberative body. The tax increases contained in this bill, regardless of to whom they apply, would certainly seem to fall within the parameters of the "raising revenue" category. Seeking to have the Senate avoid voting again on an amended version of the Senate bill, which would run the risk of a filibuster, the constitutional requirement of revenue bills originating in the House of Representatives seems to be nothing more than an inconvenient truth to this Congress. It is simply reduced to one more opportunity to cash in, presented by the Democrat leadership to one of their preeminent patrons, the trial lawyers. Congress does know how to spread the green.
There is much green coming from this legislation. Unfortunately, there is also much green flowing in to this legislation. On which end the American public resides will be for the voters to decide.
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