Also, there was nothing secretive about Hillary trying to push Healthcare back in 1993. It was covered all the time by all major news outlets. It was mainly defeated because of the backlash people had against Hillary. People were saying we voted for her husband and not her. That's why the bill never passed.
As far as perpetuating racial tension, that has been the mark of the Republican Party for many years. Because of the Great Depression, Republicans were finding it hard to get back into power. THey were not a force for many years until they split the Democratic Party during the Civil Rights Movement. The fact that many Republicans call Sotomayor an affirmative action appointee is further proof of their opposition to someone because of their race. Just hear their rhetoric against Obama and Sotomayor and you will see a party that is alienating people of color.
But while it's true that a lot of Republicans -- and more than a few Democrats -- simply didn't like Hillary, the major opposition to the bill came from the same interests who are fighting health care reform today: the insurance companies, HMOs, and the pharmaceutical industry.
Very little has changed from then to now. In fact, the proposals we're seeing today are very similar to what Hillary proposed. The main things that have changed are that Hillary isn't involved in the discussion, and the right is less afraid of appearing indecent today than it was then.
