Is it going to happen? I’m with Kuccinich. The bill is not very good, but Obama is too big to fail. If it passes, he will have accomplished something that has eluded presidents for decades. If it doesn’t pass, then his time in office will be short. It looks like it’s going to pass, but who knows what may happen.
I’m wayyyyy to the left on Health Care Insurance reform, including the so-called “public option”, but I think they’ve thrown enough sweeteners in for both left and right Democrats, so unless Republicans pull a magic rabbit rule out of their hat, I think it passes.
Once it passes and it shows an overall improvement in the system, or at least shows that the worst BS of both sides is untrue (see health care lies here), then over the next 5-10 years, it can be incrementally built on maybe, unless unemployment gets worse and people finally demand the public health insurance they should have already…
[quote=“TwoTongues”]I’m wayyyyy to the left on Health Care Insurance reform, including the so-called “public option”, but I think they’ve thrown enough sweeteners in for both left and right Democrats, so unless Republicans pull a magic rabbit rule out of their hat, I think it passes.
Once it passes and it shows an overall improvement in the system, or at least shows that the worst BS of both sides is untrue (see health care lies here), then over the next 5-10 years, it can be incrementally built on maybe, unless unemployment gets worse and people finally demand the public health insurance they should have already…[/quote]
My sentiments exactly.
Yes, I’m hoping it passes so we can force open a door that has been held firmly shut by conservatives for a century. If it doesn’t pass, it’ll be another generation before the healthcare issue even crosses legislators’ minds.
The bill, as far from perfect as it is, is a foundation upon which improvements can be made, until one day we can truly have universal healthcare in the US. Social Security and Medicare also started out with relatively crappy legislation, but have been greatly improved on (Medicare Part D, passed by Republicans–surprise, surprise–in the middle of the night, being a major exception) over the decades.
Another way of looking at it is that if the Republicans are howling and doomsday screeching, and Glenn Beck and Limbaugh are seething and teetering on the edge of irredeemable insanity, then something must be good about this bill.
It’s far from perfect, but there really is now way to have a perfect bill that encompasses so much. There are just too many factors and each one is a hornets nest. They could bicker about this for ages and never accomplish anything. Time to get the ball rolling in the right direction.
This vote is actually making me nervous, I think the bill absolutely needs to pass. I agree that it’s far from perfect - I don’t think it really addresses the root causes of our screwed up health care system. But it does have some great provisions in it. I am most likely going back to the US one day, and it would be nice to know that nobody can deny me insurance based on a pre-existing condition. Because right now, if I (or any of us Americans) got sick, we’d have a hard time going back.
I’m pretty sad that the public option didn’t make it in, but I think that the amount of discussion and support it got is a huge step forward. Future bills will be starting from a place that is much closer to a true public option.
Good luck to you all in this most worthy of fights.
Things are looking good. I’m not sure I’ll believe it till it happens, but various news outlets (CNN, BBC, etc) are now reporting that the votes are in the bag.
Once this is done, I’m kind of curious to see what bogeyman the right takes up next.
[quote=“zyzzx”]Things are looking good. I’m not sure I’ll believe it till it happens, but various news outlets (CNN, BBC, etc) are now reporting that the votes are in the bag.
Once this is done, I’m kind of curious to see what bogeyman the right takes up next.[/quote]Several states have their attorney generals preparing legal challenges to it to declare it unconstitutional.
I turn 48 this summer. I think most US insurance companies already consider that a pre-existing condition, or at least otherwise price you right out of the individual market.
[quote=“Okami”][quote=“zyzzx”]Things are looking good. I’m not sure I’ll believe it till it happens, but various news outlets (CNN, BBC, etc) are now reporting that the votes are in the bag.
Once this is done, I’m kind of curious to see what bogeyman the right takes up next.[/quote]Several states have their attorney generals preparing legal challenges to it to declare it unconstitutional.[/quote]
Those efforts will be as successful as the Confederacy.
I wonder why all of a sudden reconciliation is unconstitutional. After all we just passed 3 tax bills with it under Bush and 2 tax reduction bill (later vetoed) before that.
[quote=“Elegua”][quote=“Okami”][quote=“zyzzx”]Things are looking good. I’m not sure I’ll believe it till it happens, but various news outlets (CNN, BBC, etc) are now reporting that the votes are in the bag.
Once this is done, I’m kind of curious to see what bogeyman the right takes up next.[/quote]Several states have their attorney generals preparing legal challenges to it to declare it unconstitutional.[/quote][/quote]
Those efforts will be as successful as the Confederacy.
I wonder why all of a sudden reconciliation is unconstitutional. After all we just passed 3 tax bills with it under Bush and 2 tax reduction bill (later vetoed) before that. Also, what about COBRA? That was a reconciliation bill
voting now
Good speech by Pelosi.
Also by the orange guy, but his was based on lies.
The late Tip O’Neill once said all politics is local, and a lot of Dems, should this pass, will be defeated in November by voting against the sentiments of their constituents.
Rush is packing his bags.
216+ :bravo: :discodance:
Final vote announced to accept the Senate bill… Now for reconciliation…
219 yea
212 nay
[quote=“CraigTPE”]219 yea
212 nay[/quote]
Yay! 
The back of the Republican Party has been broken. Snap!!
See you in Costa Rica, Rush!