Senators move to remove Medicare expansion, public option from healthcare bil

[spanone]

....speechless...

Obama and the party's leadership work into the evening to pacify Lieberman and other centrists to solidify the 60-vote coalition needed to overcome an expected Republican filibuster.

Senate Democratic leaders, scrambling for the 60 votes they need to pass the healthcare overhaul, moved Monday to strike a controversial proposal for expanding Medicare and proceed without a new government insurance program.

"It's a matter of getting 60 senators," Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., told reporters after an evening meeting of the Democratic caucus at the Capitol.

Even several leading liberal lawmakers appeared resigned to the collapse of their dream of including either a new "public option" or an expansion of the existing Medicare program that would allow Americans ages 55 to 64 to buy into the popular government insurance plan.

"There's enough good in this bill that even without those two, we've got to move it," said Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, who succeeded the late Sen. Edward Kennedy as chairman of the Senate Health Committee. "It's a giant step forward. Changing the paradigm of healthcare in America."

President Barack Obama, who is pressing for Senate action on the bill by Christmas, plans to host an unusual meeting with the entire Democratic caucus at the White House on Tuesday to build more momentum behind the legislative push.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-health-senate15-2009dec15,0,6521519,print.story

[BeatleBoot]

1. Get out!

this is news to me!

:sarcasm:

[Luminous Animal]

2. Let them fucking filibuster you fucking asshats.

[dflprincess]

3. I guess times have changed

"We must continue Paul's journey for justice in America! Will you stand up, join together and board that bus? Say yes! For Paul Wellstone, will you stand up and keep fighting for social justice? Say yes" - Tom Harkin at Wellstone's memorial.

Harkin also urged us to "Stand up, keep fighting"... Apparently he's decided it's easier to "Roll Over! Cave in!".

I guess we'll just have to keep fighting without you, Tom.

[27inCali]

4. what a bunch of worthless pussies

I know some people find that word derogatory towards women, but it's just so descriptive of what's going on here.

[corpseratemedia]

5. actually impotent dicks would be apt

since most of them are male

[Warren Stupidity]

6. "pacify Lieberman and other centrists" center of what?

They are corrupt rightwing hacks. They are not at all 'centrist' or 'moderate''