Health Care Reform In Peril; Lieberman Threatens Filibuster Over Medicare Buy In

[Ildem09]

Source: Talking Points memo

Health Care Reform In Peril; Lieberman Threatens Filibuster Over Medicare Buy In--In a move that senior leadership aides say has left them stunned, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) has told Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) that he will filibuster a tentative public option compromise unless it's stripped of its key component: a measure that would allow people aged 55-64 to buy insurance through Medicare.

The development casts substantial doubt on whether or not a health care reform bill can pass in the Senate, and even more doubt on whether a bill that does pass the Senate will be reconcilable with substantially more progressive House legislation in such a way that a final reform package can once again pass in both chambers of Congress.

Read more: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/12/health-care-reform-in-peril.php

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Honestly is this a surprise!??! Grow a pair Reid and ram it through

[Eric68601]

1. yeah really

The only SURPRISE in this topic, is the use of the word "STUNNED"

Stunned? Really now? That would be "STUNNED" like having a fly land on your thick blanket while your in a coma "stunned".

[Triana]

2. Why isn't that useless ninny GONE yet? And REID - WILL HE RAM it through?

DOES HE HAVE THE fortitude either? Likely not.

Having these "representatives" in Washington is about as useful as having saran wrap as a 'bulletproof vest'. Why the hell bother?

[Kablooie]

3. Why doesn't Congress just admit that they are all just worthless shills and go home.

We don't have a government here in the US.
We just have corporate overlords. Why fight it?

[FormerDittoHead]

7. I'm tired of the compromise be recursively compromised. Let our current system fail and start over.

From what I can see, the effect of the current bill (w/o an effective gov't plan) will be to eliminate the free market (ie: people must buy insurance) and then subsidize the insurance companies so they can maintain profitability.

The apparent "good side" is that by giving them a oligopoly, the overlords think they can contain costs by then dictating to doctors and hospitals what procedures they can do for a given illness, and how much they can charge.

If you don't see the inherit problems with giving that much control over to the insurance companies I've got a feudal state to sell you.

on edit to expand:

We know of systems that work. Just look at what other countries are doing, and we're not looking at the Swiss model of tight regulation of the insurance companies, as is being suggested.

We know what works. Single fucking payer. What pisses me off is that we can't just do it because our system is corrupt because politicians need money to win elections, and it's turned our gov't into an auction.

We're setting up a shitty plan and putting our name on it and the alternative will be worse.

[Hubert Flottz]

4. Somebody needs to slip some viagra into Harry's pink lady.

Okay let's just forget the whole healthcare thing and get on to some real deregulating and war dancing like card carrying republicans usually do.

[mmonk]

5. Reconcialition will beat the Democratic Party's Republican Party members.

[eridani]

6. In peril? Anything likely to pass is not worth having

There is no "reform"--only a plan for mandatory underinsurance.

[classysassy]

8. The expendable american

the greed in congress is greater than the welfare of the american citizens,thoser bastards don't give a good damn about the poor citizens of this country,just their vote.