"the only hurdle in the way of health care reform"

[ProSense]

Jonathan Cohn:

<...>

For all of the panic in Democratic ranks right now, the reality of the situation is stunningly simple. In the span of twenty-four hours, the House of Representatives -- the House in which Democrats command a huge majority, in which liberals actually have some sway, and in which leadership actually has power -- could put health care reform on the president's desk for signing.

One lousy vote. One lousy, stinking roll call vote. That's the only hurdle in the way of health care reform.

Are Democrats really willing to give up now?

Yup, one vote!

[Cleita]

1. Kiss it goodby.

Mitch McConnell is already announcing that with 41 Repugs he can filibuster anything that comes up.

[ProSense]

2. Mitch McConnell always says that. n/t

[jwirr]

3. It is time we let those bastards filibuster - hopefully we can force them

to use the old way and talk themselves silly.

[flpoljunkie]

5. A Senate patch dealing with financing would need only 50 votes+ Biden, if done thru reconciliation.

[Birthmark]

11. And the answer should be:

"Screw you, Mitch. We'll be taking a vote to end the filibuster tomorrow. You won't count, pal."

Restore democracy, end the filibuster!

[Cleita]

12. You really think Harry Reid will do this?

If he does, I will think that I stepped into an alternate universe.

[Birthmark]

14. On his own?

Never. But he should. And if he won't, then he should be replaced. Immediately. Unless someone owns a time machine we can use to do it sooner.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

21. As I understand it...

If the House would agree to the Senate version, it would go through without a cloture vote. Which means that, some minor delaying tactics aside, the Republicans would be powerless to stop it.

[yurbud]

26. Democrats seem unwilling to play procedural hardball on our behalf. They are either corrupt or

retarded as Machiavellians.

[dflprincess]

4. The other hurdle being that they'll have to come up with a Health Care bill

to replace the Insurance Profit Protection act they're currently working on.

[dgibby]

6. Hammer, meet nail! n/t

[TheKentuckian]

7. Fuckin' A Bubba

[ProSense]

8. That's the hurdle for people who chose to ignore reality. n/t

[dflprincess]

10. I think the ones who are ignoring reality are those who

think "coverage" = access to care. Ask anyone who has big out of pocket costs or who has declared bankruptcy because of bills their insurer wouldn't cover how wonderful "coverage" is.

[Cleita]

13. Exactly. The way this should have been framed was access to health care.

The minute our corporate Democrats started talking about affordable health care, I knew they were leading us down the wrong path.

[GreenArrow]

17. "affordable health care"

Did you mean affordable health insurance?

[Cleita]

19. Doesn't matter. When you talk "affordable" you are talking about lack

of access for those who don't have insurance, the right insurance or the money to get the health care that they need.

[GreenArrow]

24. Yeah, I get it. Don't really disagree.

I'd only add that it was clear that we were screwed when the focus of the debate changed from health care reform to health insurance reform.

[StarfarerBill]

18. +1

[jenmito]

9. Exactly. And Pelosi is someone who can get this done.

Let's get it signed so we can move on to other things! Anyone who wants to "start over" is dreaming. They already spent a whole YEAR on this. If it doesn't happen now, it will never happen.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

15. once its through then maybe it can be changed in the next few months

[dflprincess]

23. Yeah,

just like they changed NAFTA and NCLB :sarcasm:

[subterranean]

16. Unfortunately, I'm afraid you're right.

I would like the Democrats to focus on getting the economy back on track now, then start over with health insurance reform after the midterms and produce a bill that Americans can support -- if I believed they would actually do that.

Realistically, though, history indicates that once a major initiative by a president fails, the president never brings up that subject again. It happened with Clinton's attempt at health care reform and it happened with Bush's push to privatize Social Security.

[Clio the Leo]

20. I wish there was some way we could suddenly paint Weiner as the new Lieberman....

.... but no. He's too good of a guy for that.

[Unvanguard]

22. Apparently they are. Cowards. n/t

[asdjrocky]

25. The only real hurdle seems to be our President.