John Kerry: Health Care Bill's Too Complicated & Confusing To Post Online Before A Vote

Kerry tried to aim an attack on Republican senators, but it landed on the rest of the American public, instead.

Sen. John Kerry, Massachusetts Democrat, said during a Senate Finance Committee hearing Wednesday that the Republican push to start putting pieces of legislation online before they are put to a vote isn't as sincere at is might seem.

Republican senators on the committee were supporting a measure to put health care legislation on the Internet in a way that would be available to the public for three days before holding a vote on it, which upset Mr. Kerry. "

This is fundamentally a delay tactic," the 2004 Democratic presidential candidate said. "I mean, let's be honest about it. The legislative language, everybody knows, is relatively arcane, legalistic, and most people don't read the legislative language."

Apparently, the elitist liberal Democrat doesn't have much faith in the intelligence of the American people. Since the bill is in with "relatively arcane, legalistic" verbage, there is very little chance anyone can understand it. Therefore, most people won't even risk a migraine to try and read it. So why should we even bother reading it.

Don't forget, Kerry, one of Obama's main pledges during the campaign was transparency. In fact, Obama released a memo stating:

Government should be transparent.

Transparency promotes accountability and provides information for citizens about what their Government is doing.  Information maintained by the Federal Government is a national asset. My Administration will take appropriate action, consistent with law and policy, to disclose information rapidly in forms that the public can readily find and use. Executive departments and agencies should harness new technologies to put information about their operations and decisions online and readily available to the public. Executive departments and agencies should also solicit public feedback to identify information of greatest use to the public.

That means that you must "disclose (what's in the bill) rapidly in forms that the public can readily find and use". After all, it's a "national asset". So, please, "harness new technologies (like the web) to put information about their operations and decisions (like any health care reform bill)online and readily available to the public.

Secondly, why are Democrats so afraid of the 72-hour wait that would give Americans time to decide whether they like it and tell their congressmen their thoughts on the legislation? It almost sounds like they're scared of what they might hear. After what they heard over the August break at the town halls, I guess I can't blame him too much for being scared, but it is against the policy of the Obama White House to do otherwise.

Besides, the public option won't go into effect for years, anyway. So, three extra days won't hurt anybody. In fact, during the campaign Obama promised five days of public viewing before the passage of any bill. So, if they only give us only three, they'll be getting off light.