Clyburn: GOP ought to read protesters their bill

Republican voters protesting House Democrats' healthcare work ought to read the bill their GOP congressman are pitching as an alternative, Democratic Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) stressed Thursday.

Although Clyburn praised protesters for banding together to petition government -- a democratic activity, he added, that he remembers distinctly from the '60s -- he cautioned them from blindly supporting the GOP's effort, which Republican leaders debuted two days ago.

"I would hope, though, that [Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.)] would read them the bill that the Republicans put up," Clyburn told MSNBC. Bachmann organized Thursday's rally, to the chagrin of Democrats.

"It's kind of interesting. They keep talking about our bill. They won't talk about theirs," Clyburn added. "Why won't she read them their bill and find out why it is that people with coverage are allowed to have their insurance rates continue to go up?"

House Republicans' alternative has provoked mixed reactions from both sides of the political aisle. While some are satisfied with the bill's cost, others fret that it only extends healthcare coverage to 3 million uninsured Americans -- a number that pales in comparison to the 36 million House Democrats' bill is projected to cover.

Clyburn, however, seemed to suggest Thursday that Republicans were hiding that key coverage detail, as well as the fact the party omitted hard rules that prevent providers from discriminating against patients based on preexisting conditions, he told host Andrea Mitchell.

"And so, I suspect that she ought to be sharing with her party people there exactly what it is the Republicans are offering as an alternative," Clyburn said. "It's a shameful piece of legislation, and that's why they aren't talking about it."