Here is why the health care bill was a boondoggle.

The passage of the new health care bill in Congress in 2009 was a travesety.  Not for the bill itself, or its impact on the USA; but rather for the processes that led to the passage of the bill.  For most of 2009, Republican congressman have done everything in their power to stop the bill, delay the bill, and sabotage the bill.  While saying that improvements could be made to health care, they then proceeded to fight against ANY change to the health care system.  Amazingly, in early 2009 they publicly declared that blocking the bill was not about health care; but rather that it was about handing a "defeat" to the president.  The Republicans declared that it was in the best interest of the American people for a health care shambles rather than have something potentially labeled as another victory for Barack Obama.

But I don't write this to complain about the Republicans; for the Democrats also failed us.  They allowed the health care bill to be about a victory for the president and thus a victory for Democrats.  They too, were no longer interested in passing the best bill they can; rather they seek to pass "something" by the artificial deadline in which they can claim victory.  Republican pundits preach impatience and quick action in order to get public opinion to turn against change.  They also preach lies (such as "Death panels") to create negative impressions.  Democrats respond by trying to hastily pass a bill at all costs.  And the result of all this mess?  No one knows.  There will definitely be some winners, and there will definitely be some losers; but only time will tell (and by time, I mean 5 years, not 5 months).  But we know, as we already knew if we paid attention to bills passing through Congress in the pass, that the entire process of passing bills is flawed.