While Washington dealt with a heat wave this week, it’s nothing compared to the hot air House Republicans will be blowing on health care next week.  In this forecast, unfortunately, the American people, who are asking the GOP “Where’s your jobs plan?,” get burned and the special interests and insurance companies get the benefits.

Here are the facts:

Americans are telling the GOP: “Move on and get to work on jobs.”

The latest poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation shows Americans—including more than half of independents who don’t lean toward any political party—don’t want more time wasted on yet another vote to repeal patients’ rights and benefits.

Republicans are putting their insurance company friends first when they prescribe this disaster for middle class families, taking away their protections:

Republicans are not only taking away protections they enjoy as Members of Congress, they are defending “free riders.”

“Free riders” have been costing insured families around $1,000 a year, but thanks to the Affordable Care Act this hidden health care tax will be a thing of the past.  Former Governor Mitt Romney agrees: “No more free riders. Everybody is part of the plan. And that way, we get the costs down. We let people know that they never have to worry about losing their coverage.” [CNN, 2009]

“The health law, if it works as the nonpartisan government analysts expect, will provide more tax relief than tax burden for middle-income Americans.” [Washington Post, 7/6]

“Here’s the reality:  just 2 percent of the population will face a penalty for failing to get health coverage, according to an Urban Institute study.” [Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 6/29]