Sen. Orrin Hatch, Republican of Utah, is flagrantly lying about both the nature of the healthcare reform legislation passed through the Senate and about the process of negotiation, in which the Democrats repeatedly made serious substantive changes to the legislation in order to win Republican support. Hatch falsely claimed that Democrats did not "ask the opinion" of even one Republican and asserted that the bill is just a way to cloak unnecessary tax increases. 

While he has spent most of the year haranguing the Democratic leadership about needing to make sure healthcare reform legislation is "paid for", Hatch now complains that there are "new taxes" in a bill that reduces the federal deficit, while resolving one of the most intractable and complicated economic crisis situations in our nation.

When confronted with the facts of Republican obstructionism, by MSNBC's Contessa Brewer, Hatch obfuscated, alleging that he and his Republican colleagues had not been deliberate obstructionists. Brewer reminded him that Democrats accepted changes to their proposals on Medicaid, Medicare and the public option, even accepted severe new limitations on funding for abortion, yet not one Republican senator voted in favor of the provisions they approve of, a clear sign of decisive, orchestrated obstructionism.

She stopped short of reminding Hatch of his party's declared campaign to "kill the bill", but Hatch sought to deny it anyway, alleging that even Sen. Olympia Snowe, who had flirted with voting for passage, citing concerns over the public option and cost, voted against the legislation, "because she felt they did not work with us".

Hatch's interview is indicative of the new Republican tactical trap: how do they continue to wage unrelenting attack against Pres. Obama, even as he celebrates a major legislative victory, in which they have had literally no productive role? They blame everyone but themselves for their unwillingness to sign on and negotiate for policies they believe in.