If Health Care Reform Dies, Blame The Democrats

[FarCenter]

http://www.businessinsider.com/if-health-care-reform-dies-blame-the-democrats-2010-1
John Carney | Jan. 19, 2010, 3:18 PM

It is now conventional wisdom that health care reform is on the line in the special Senate election in Massachusetts. As a practical political matter, the loss of the super-majority in the Senate would probably mean that health care reform dies.

But make no mistake. It won't be killed by Republicans. No matter who wins tonight, health care reform can be passed. That's because the health care reform bill passed by the Senate doesn't need a single Republican vote and cannot be filibustered. The only thing standing in the way of sending it to Barack Obama's desk to be signed into law is the Democratic caucus of the House of Representatives.

Ezra Klein explains:

The bill, however, doesn't have to go back through the Senate. It could be passed by the House and signed by the president. House Democrats are reticent to do that, because there are compromises and tweaks and modifications they want made. But those changes are far too small to be worth killing the bill over. And they could be added to the bill separately, through the 51-vote reconciliation process.

The bottom line here is that if the health-care bill fails, it will be Democrats who killed it, not Scott Brown. And people should be clear on that point.

[Deep13]

1. Well, them and the Republicans and the teabaggers and...

...Flush Limbaugh and Rupert Murdock and all his minions and the insurance lobby and a number of ordinary people who believe any paranoid ranting they here.

[The_Casual_Observer]

2. I doubt that this brown guy is going to stop anything & will you ever be pissed at that!

[FarCenter]

7. I've never understood how the final bill would be significantly different from the Senate's bill

Since they just squeaked out the 60 votes, any significant change was likely to peel off at least one Senator and kill the bill.

The House was always in pretty much of a "take it or leave it" position.

[Warren DeMontague]

3. So, once again, it comes down to the rest of us being willing to accept a suckier grade of suck.

Simply taking the PO, and the "medicare buy-in compromise" out wasn't enough. Now, the onus is on the house to pass the absolute worst version of this thing-- the Senate version, as is.

Look, I'm one of the people who thinks something is better than nothing. But as the Senate bill stands now, with ZERO 'minor tweaks', as you put it, it SUCKS.

The bottom line is, there IS a point at which it's legitimate to say that there is more turd than punch in this bowl. We (and by "we", I mean the Democrats) have other options. Force the GOP to actually filibuster the thing. I don't mean pretend-filibuster, make them stand there, all sweat and fat and varicose veins, and read the phone book if they are serious about stopping it. Better yet, end the filibuster for good, and lets see if we can't pass some actual solid reform, including an insurance company-pissing-off REAL public option open to everyone, with 51 votes.

The filibuster is out of control. It was never intended to mean that no legislation could move without 60 votes. All that is is a recipe for both parties to do nothing except fund raise "so we can make it to 60", all the while solving ZERO problems at home. (Wars based on bald-faced lies, like Iraq, however, will somehow always garner the requisite votes)

That's ridiculous, and no way to run a country.

[nimvg]

6. Actually...

...what ought to happen is for the Democrats to shit can the whole thing, come back in fifteen years and go for single payer.

[Warren DeMontague]

8. A lot of people can't wait ANOTHER 15 years, dude.

We can do things like force insurance companies to stop excluding people on the basis of pre-existing conditions, get some actual improvements on the ground now, none of that precludes a fight for single payer down the road.

[nimvg]

12. Actually, Warren...

...it does. If you put in place insurance exchanges, it gives the corporate side a permanent seat at the table. You're building a house you'll never be able to tear down.

[Warren DeMontague]

13. And that is different from how it is now....how?

Sorry, I support a SPHC system as the ideal, too, but holding my breath until we get one just isn't a realistic approach.

[nimvg]

14. It's Not Different...

...and it was never going to be.

I think many committed Progressives will leave the US in the next five years.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

9. Must be easier for you to say.

Fifteen years is a long time.

[timeforpeace]

4. When it comes to blame, let's not bring any mirrors into it, OK?

[ddeclue]

5. Yes but not for the reasons described.

It will be because they sold out to the corporatists in the insurance industry instead of demanding SINGLE PAYER.

[Cleita]

10. It's not going to die. Something will be passed and signed.

Obama's legacy depends on it. After the high fiving and congratulations on Capitol Hill and the White House are over, we, the people, are going to have to stage a bloodless revolution of ideas, so that real reform can be done in the future hopefully sooner rather than later.

[NeeDeep]

11. Welcome to steam rolled legislation

by extremely wealthy corporations, deceiving repubs, mutatious repub ammendments, untrue conclusions driven like a stake into the American heart by a relentless conservative grip on national air waves. Democrats are being pulled into the conservative sand trap, next will come the rest of America. I'm sad.