Too easy, they saw how unpopular it was when the Democrats tried it under Clinton. In case you didn't know, only 20% of Americans consider themselves as liberals and go for these massive entitlement programs. Just because you saw people cheer for it at Obama campaign rallies doesn't mean that's what most people want. People don't go to rap concerts if they don't like rap. What you saw were Obama ideologues and curious onlookers cheering him on. That, plus a little distraction called 9/11 played a role.

But let's put the question back on you, why didn't Democrats pass HC in the time prior to the last republican controlled congress? Democrats had control of the House from 1955 - 1995 (uninterrupted) and the Senate from 1955 - 1994 (with break from 1981 -  1987). I guess 40 years of House and 34 years of Senate control was not enough time for them. But they did get abortion!

Pretty easy when you're looking in from the outside, wouldn't you say?

I distinctly recall rebulicans trying to pass tort reform (limits on litigation in cases of malpractice)... something that is the #1 cause of high cost in the USA and that europe and canada all have... Did you happen to forget that bit? the democrats wanted none of that, and it just so happens that the obamacare bills didn't include that, and that when asked directly, obama flat out refused to support that... oh, and he got lots of money from the american trial lawyers associations.

How to fix the system?

1. allow buying of insurance between state lines; if you move you lose your insurance. What if you have cancer or other serious illness? if you try to get a new insurance, you either can't get any, or it is consider a preexisting condition and you do not get treatment; this means that anyone who is ill cannot move, and anyone who moves must find a new quality care provider... republicans are pushing for portability

2. decouple employer and insurance: democrats coupled them in the first place... and engineered the HMO while we are at it... it was touted as "compassion" to force employers to pay for insurance, but that means that people cannot afford such programs, because they are paid less money... so you are stuck with the insurance of your employer, and if you move or get fired or quit you lose insurance... This is another thing republicans are pushing

3. tort reform... limit the lottery of punitive damages for malpractice. Payment should be for medical treatments to fix the damage and maybe a minimal preset compensation fee, not a jury trial with an unlimited pot... Last I read, the average doctor pays more than 50% of their revenue to their malpractice insurance. That is... a doctor that pulls in 300k is putting more than 150k on malpractice insurance. Tort reform can easily cut down prices by nearly half (they still need malpractice insurance, but the premiums will be lower). - this is another thing republicans are pushing... even bush pushed it back when he was president.

there are a variety of other ways but i don't have all the time in the world to list them all. these above 3 should be a good start and massively reduce costs and improve coverage for all.

This is laughable, But not unexpected.  Cykomyr after all is not an american (just 2nd best being an Aussie).  But if you were here and had to go through the 4 years republicans had control (they did not have it from 2001-2002 as democrats controlled the senate, and did not have it after 2006), you would have read daily how when republicans tried to "reform" social security (an existing program) that is going bankrupt, they were vilified and sabotaged at every corner by the very liberals that want to change (not reform - again you miss the mark on why reform) health insurance.  I for one am under the (apparent mistaken) belief that before you take on mountains of new obligations, you fulfill the ones you already have.  No democrat has ever done that with Social Security OR Medicare (the current version of what you Aussies call Socialized medicine).

Both are going bankrupt, and now, medicare is being abandoned by major hospitals because of its inefficiency, fraud, waste and malfeasance.  And you wonder why Americans dont want the same to happen to the rest of their health insurance?

I thought he was our northern neighbor?

I can never tell Canucks from Aussies.  They all look alike to me.

I apologize to Cikomyr for my mis-representation of his nationality.  Ok, 3rd best then.

I've got an idea. How about the peeps of USA work towards Gov't reform. 

1.) Fire em all and start over.  If you were in office you cannot re run.

2.) Term limits

3.) Congress cannot be expempt from the laws that they wish to impose upon the populace (ie health care, taxes,etc)

its called http://www.blowoutcongress.com/ adventure-dude

True, but if you're going to play US politics you better know the rules.

This is the very reason why I don't play Canadian politics.

I dont either (or Aussie politics), but I do like to watch.  It is second only to the NFL for a spectator sport!

speaking of... how is the great firewall of australia coming along?