Someone pointed this out to me earlier and it seems pretty obvious:
1) The goal of every elected official is to get reelected above all else 2) The Republicans probably could have blocked or stalled the bill if they'd really, really wanted to 3) It helps Republicans get elected a lot more if they run against a hated opponent rather than running on the "I stopped the healthcare bill" 4) People will hate Republicans regardless, but if they hate the Democrats more for a brief stint, they can win back congress 5) Given all this, do you really think they put forth their best effort to block the bill?
Don't fall into the trap. Reps would've passed this bill (or one close to it) too if they were in power, just like they passed the Medicare Drug plan and all that other crap.
Next time you go to the polls, just remember who these assholes are, ALL of them. (136,018)