Ezra Klein: Pieces Falling Into Place for Healthcare Reform

[flpoljunkie]

Pieces falling into place for vote on health-care reform



Over the past 48 hours or so, you've seen the pieces falling into place on the path forward for health-care reform. Timetables have leaked, putting passage somewhere in mid- to late March. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer has said that his chamber would move forward first so long as it had assurances from the Senate that a reconciliation package would be expeditiously passed. Today, Sen. Tom Harkin emerged from a meeting with Reid, Baucus, Dodd, Durbin, Schumer and Murray and said that the Senate is onboard with that strategy, and will offer "a convincing gesture" to assure House Democrats that they'll uphold their end of the bargain. Kent Conrad, who will run the reconciliation process, has been loudly defending it, and even Lieberman is professing himself "open" to reconciliation.

In an added bit of good fortune, Sen. Jim Bunning's decision to highlight the inanity of Republican obstructionism has made it easier for Democrats to explain why they need to turn to reconciliation to assure the up-or-down vote that the White House is saying health-care reform deserves. And Barack Obama is scheduled to give a speech soon in which he'll say, "I don’t know how this plays politically, but I know it’s right. And so I ask Congress to finish its work, and I look forward to signing this reform into law.”

I've said many times before that health care passes in a vote or dies in silence. If Democrats didn't think they had the numbers, they wouldn't bring the bill to the floor. Instead, they'd swear their fealty to the project but turn their attention to other priorities and schedule their speeches on other subjects. But that's not happening. Democrats are setting up their process, giving speeches and interviews, adding Republican ideas, and setting new deadlines. They're bringing this to a vote. And that means they're confident that they'll win the vote.

Photo credit: Getty.

By Ezra Klein
March 3, 2010; 1:56 PM ET

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2010/03/pieces_falling_into_place_on_h.html

[impik]

1. I love Ezra. He's terrific

[flpoljunkie]

3. He's a brilliant young man--often on MSNBC and was just hired by Newsweek to write a column.

Besides the blog and columns he writes for the Washington Post. He came from the American Prospect, where he was an associate editor, to the Washington Post economics blog.

I also really like Christopher Hayes, with The Nation. He's often on with Rachel Maddow.

[Jennicut]

6. I just looked up his age....he is only 25!

9 years younger then me. Wow. He seemed so much older to me the way he writes. Very smart young man indeed.

[BeFree]

5. Its good to be a Democrat

And its neat to watch the politics and the maneuvering as we kick republican ass.

Versus the Pat act bill and the way it was rushed through, the HCR bill is being perfected day by day, and will be all that much better for having been processed this way.

[monmouth]

2. And he uses the correct term "health care reform" not insurance reform...n/t

[flpoljunkie]

4. Although healthcare is not hyphenated, it can be written as two words-- health care.

[Clio the Leo]

9. the "insurance" part is targeted to those on the right and middle...

... who "dont want government messing with their health care" but DO understand that the health insurance industry is broken and needs to be fixed.

It's important not to get hung up on those words.... they aren't directed at us.

[Oregone]

10. Isn't it health insurance reform?

Im not sure how anyone can accurately construe the bulk of the bill any other way

[Cha]

7. Thanks for the reminder, Ezra Klein..and thanks Florida!

"I've said many times before that health care passes in a vote or dies in silence. If Democrats didn't think they had the numbers, they wouldn't bring the bill to the floor. Instead, they'd swear their fealty to the project but turn their attention to other priorities and schedule their speeches on other subjects. But that's not happening. Democrats are setting up their process, giving speeches and interviews, adding Republican ideas, and setting new deadlines. They're bringing this to a vote. And that means they're confident that they'll win the vote."

[ProgressOnTheMove]

8. On a local level folks have to be making the case for reconciliation and calling out GOP hypocrisy..

As long as everyone knows it was good enough for Repbulicans it's good enough for HCR, we can get it done with no political bruises.