WASHINGTON (CNN) - In 1994, universal health care was a key policy plan for then-President Bill Clinton. It eventually failed.
Now, 15 years later, another Democratic president is taking on the challenge, but facing an uphill battle from not only from Republicans, but from members of his own party.
Will failing to reform health care have the same consequences for Obama's administration as it did for Clinton's?
Like Obama, Clinton came into office with reforming the nation's health care system as one of his top priorities. Then-first lady Hillary Clinton, who headed the administration's task force on reforming the system, delivered a 1,000-page plan that was dubbed "Hillary Care," which required Americans and permanent resident aliens to enroll in a health plan. Other provisions included Americans below a certain income level paying nothing for care.
Republicans decried the plan as overcomplicated and used it to tag the administration as big government-loving, tax-and-spend liberals.
The plan's failure emboldened Republicans and led to huge Democratic losses in the 1994 midterm elections, allowing the GOP to take control of Congress and stymie other Clinton initiatives.
From CNN Politics
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No. The difference is Obama will succeed. The GOP are signing their death warrant with this.
better late than never...ok...now is the time to fix health care...
Republicans are the party of no, Republicans are idiots, Republicans are this, Republicans are that. Dems, don't worry about us Republicans. We're small potatos now. We're in the minority. BO (he needs to change his name so he can change those stinking initials) has to sell his policies to the Independents and they aren't buying. So to that the power of Congress and the WH will swing back to the Republicans in 2010 and especially in 2012. Barry... he gone.
I would like someone to give me Sarah Palin's position on health care.
If she is to be president she needs to weigh in with a position and an alternative.Hopefully she understands more than Mr.Steele.
Isn't that what the media and the Republicans are hoping for? I watched John King last night sit in his high and mighty chair to declare this dead on arrival. The media is enjoying every bit of this but it will be to theirs and Republicans own peril.