The Democrats' New Plan

“This bill is a starting point and a path to success.”

On Tuesday House Democrats unveiled their plan to overhaul the nation’s healthcare system.

They point to the 97 percent of all Americans it will cover.

Republicans point to the $1 trillion cost.

We’re taking a look at who’s saying what about the plan.

First, CNBC media and technology editor Dennis Kneale details exactly who’s going to be paying for what, and how much.

His opinion?

“Ouch!”

“We’re going to have 2 million to 4 million people pay for all of this when they are already paying 70 percent or 60 percent of all the tax income in this country. Where does this make sense?”

The plan actually isn’t going to cost as much as originally estimated says NPR’s Julie Rovner on PBS’ NewsHour.

Thanks to their big majority, Democrats:

“…really had to cater to their more moderate members, and so this is not really the -- the big liberal bill that a lot of people expect it to be. It's a much more moderate bill than I think a lot of people expected.”

Writing in the Financial Times, former Clinton administration budget official Matt Miller can’t understand why the Republicans are attacking the plan.

After all:

“…the likely outcome is an affordable reform that embraces Mitt Romney’s blueprint from Massachusetts and funds it with John McCain’s best idea from the presidential campaign.”

“Only in America can you co-opt Republican thinking and have critics label you ‘socialist.’”

USA Today, on the other hand, calls the price tag “eye popping.” It asks, just how much is $1 trillion anyway?

“It’s a huge sum – a ‘1’ followed by a dozen zeroes… (It’s) the annual gross domestic product of South Korea. Enough to buy 222 U.S. Navy Nimitz-class aircraft carriers.”

Do you think this is a good plan? If not, what do you think needs to be done to tackle America’s healthcare crisis?