Watching President Obama's health care speech before Congress Wednesday night, I was reminded of another President's words.
As the President flatly asserted that illegal aliens are definitely not covered in health reform, I thought of Ronald Reagan's jovial rejoinder when Jimmy Carter played fast and loose with the facts: "There you go again."
President Obama lashed at the work many have done over the past several weeks to examine actual legislation and speak the truth about it. His parrying included this visceral jab:
"But what we've also seen in these last months is the same partisan spectacle that only hardens the disdain many Americans have towards their own government. Instead of honest debate, we've seen scare tactics. Some have dug into unyielding ideological camps that offer no hope of compromise. Too many have used this as an opportunity to score short-term political points, even if it robs the country of our opportunity to solve a long-term challenge. And out of this blizzard of charges and counter-charges, confusion has reigned."
Scare tactics? Political points? There you go again, President Obama.
"Some of people's concerns have grown out of bogus claims spread by those whose only agenda is to kill reform at any cost."
Bogus claims? There you go again, President Obama.
"There are also those who claim that our reform efforts would insure illegal immigrants. This, too, is false. The reforms -- the reforms I'm proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally."
False? There you go again, President Obama.
The Medicaid provisions of the House bill, H.R. 3200, and the premium subsidy both would benefit illegal aliens. That's due to the sin of omission; there's no requirement that those being enrolled in the expanded Medicaid program or seeking the premium subsidy be screened through the same program required for more than 70 other federal programs.
No eligibility verification, easy enrollment, curbs on state scrutiny. That combo virtually guarantees illegal aliens will wind up with Medicaid or taxpayer-funded premium subsidy money.
It's the same basic loophole by which illegals get jobs in America. Claim eligibility to work here, and no questions asked, no E-Verify checks for most jobs.
When faced with amendments to plug this gaping verification loophole, the Democrats in the House Ways and Means and the Energy and Commerce committees rejected amendments requiring verification of health coverage applicants.
Further, the Hispanic Caucus told Speaker Pelosi to keep H.R. 3200 as is so that illegals would benefit under health reform.
See here for more CIS analysis of the immigration aspects of the current health care debate.