HC debate closed, 60-40 vote

[Pat]

The Senate took a giant step toward passing its sweeping healthcare bill early today, uniting fractious Democrats after months of debate over President Obama's promise to reduce the ranks of the uninsured.

Breaking the Republican filibuster required the votes of all 60 members of the Democratic caucus. The cloture motion, which passed 60 to 40, capped months of work by Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), who personally negotiated compromises on big issues such as abortion and taxes, as well as parochial deals for key states and industries.

But with final Senate approval of the bill expected this week, Democrats and the White House were moving to shift the focus from their dozens of concessions -- such as jettisoning a government alternative to private health insurance -- toward the momentous changes they said it would bring: providing insurance access to 31 million more Americans, cracking down on insurance practices, and beginning to curb healthcare cost inflation.

Opinion polls indicate that the public's support for the healthcare overhaul is waning. Hoping to reverse that slide, Democrats and the White House are intensifying efforts to reshape public perception of the bill as a glass half full, not half empty.

Two more procedural votes will be needed before the bill comes to a final vote: On Tuesday to close debate over whether to insert the compromise language into the healthcare bill, and on Wednesday to close debate on the bill itself.


http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-health-senate21-2009dec21,0,1920190.story?page=1


^{Please read the rules for the Breaking News forum before posting a thread.  Excerpted articles should be no longer than three to five paragraphs -- Chris}

[franksolich]

Well, we finally got unanimity from Republicans.

This is wholly a 100% Democrat bill.

[Carl]

Well, we finally got unanimity from Republicans.

This is wholly a 100% Democrat bill.

Hopefully now that it is all but a done deal the public will educate themselves as to what a disaster it is.
This is simple a stop gap intended to destroy over a few years our current healthcare system.
When the states are broke,property taxes have doubled and businesses shut down the middle class will be screaming for a "fix".
Since insurance companies will have been run off there is only one path to follow..single payer.
That is the goal and just remember folks you are owned by who is paying you.

[djones520]

This isn't the final Senate vote folks.  There is still 2 more votes that has to be done.  Republicans are going to be hammering away at this over the next couple of days trying to get someone to flip.

And even if they don't, when the House and Senate try to mesh it, it's a damn good chance that whatever it was that got those few needed will be lost and they'll vote against it's final version.

[Pat]

And even if they don't, when the House and Senate try to mesh it, it's a damn good chance that whatever it was that got those few needed will be lost and they'll vote against it's final version.

I'm under the impression that the post reconciliation bill only needs 51 votes.

[franksolich]

I'm under the impression that the post reconciliation bill only needs 51 votes.

And therein lies the trick that the senior senator from Nebraska is expected to pull.

But this time around, the people of Nebraska won't be deceived.

I fully expect Ben Nelson to vote against the fnal bill, and if he runs again, to campaign on that--"but I voted against it."

However, by his voting to lift the filibuster on the bill, the senior senator made its passage possible, lowering the bar from 60 votes to 51.

[Karin]

And no offense to our esteemed Nebraskan here, and any Louisianans who may be here, but are these special deals made to senators even constitutional?  Why should the rest of us in the country pay to let Nebraskans have medicaid at a far lower cost in perpetuity?  The whole thing stinks on ice. 

[franksolich]

And no offense to our esteemed Nebraskan here, and any Louisianans who may be here, but are these special deals made to senators even constitutional?  Why should the rest of us in the country pay to let Nebraskans have medicaid at a far lower cost in perpetuity?  The whole thing stinks on ice. 

Of course it stinks, and Nebraskans don't seem to be buying it.

I refer you, madam, to a thread I started this morning, I think in the Politics forum, about Nebraska's "thirty pieces of silver."

[Hawkgirl]

And no offense to our esteemed Nebraskan here, and any Louisianans who may be here, but are these special deals made to senators even constitutional?  Why should the rest of us in the country pay to let Nebraskans have medicaid at a far lower cost in perpetuity?  The whole thing stinks on ice. 

Absolutely...this is a form of bribery..I'm not sure it's even legal...

[Chris_]

And no offense to our esteemed Nebraskan here, and any Louisianans who may be here, but are these special deals made to senators even constitutional?  Why should the rest of us in the country pay to let Nebraskans have medicaid at a far lower cost in perpetuity?  The whole thing stinks on ice. 

So can States that have to pay for the special deals actually do anything? Such as with hold tax money from the Federal government?

[Patriot Lady]

This isn't the final Senate vote folks.  There is still 2 more votes that has to be done.  Republicans are going to be hammering away at this over the next couple of days trying to get someone to flip.

And even if they don't, when the House and Senate try to mesh it, it's a damn good chance that whatever it was that got those few needed will be lost and they'll vote against it's final version.

This is the biggest fiasco to ever come out of DC. As for me- I am getting the word out to everyone that I know. We THE PEOPLE have to keep the heat on! There is hope for us yet!!!!!!!!

[lovemyusadoyou]

ARE YOU AN ANT OR A GRASSHOPPER?
The ant works hard in the withering heat and the rain all summer long, building
his house and laying up supplies for the winter.
The > grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and
laughs and dances and plays the summer away. Come winter,
the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and
demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed while he is cold and starving.
CBS, NBC , PBS, CNN, and ABC show up to provide pictures of the shivering grasshopper next to a video of the ant in his comfortable home with a table filled with food.
America is stunned by the sharp contrast.
How can this be, that in a country of such wealth, this poor grasshopper is
allowed to suffer so?

Kermit the Frog appears on Oprah with the grasshopper and everybody cries when they sing, 'It's Not Easy Being Green.'

ACORN stages a demonstration in front of the ant's house where the news stations film
the group singing, We shall overcome. Then Rev. Jeremiah Wright has the group kneel down to pray to God for the grasshopper's sake.

President Obama condemns the ant and blames President Bush, President Reagan,
Christopher Columbus, and the Pope for the grasshopper's plight.

Nancy Pelosi & Harry Reid exclaim in an interview with Larry King
that the ant has gotten rich off the back of the grasshopper, and both call for an immediate
tax hike on the ant to make him pay his fair share.

Finally, the EEOC drafts the Economic Equity & Anti-Grasshopper Act retroactive to the
beginning of the summer.

The ant is fined for failing to hire a proportionate number of green bugs and, having
nothing left to pay his retroactive taxes, his home is confiscated by
the Government Green Czar and given to the grasshopper.
The story ends as we see the grasshopper and his free-loading friends
finishing up the last bits of the ants food while the government house he is in, which, as you recall, just happens to be the ant's old house, crumbles around them
because the grasshopper doesn't maintain it.

The ant has disappeared in the snow, never to be seen again.
The grasshopper is found dead in a drug related
incident, and the house, now abandoned, is taken over by a gang of
spiders who terrorize the ramshackle, once prosperous and once peaceful,
neighborhood.

The entire Nation collapses bringing the rest of the free world with it.

MORAL OF THE STORY: Be careful how you vote in 2

[bkg]

Absolutely...this is a form of bribery..I'm not sure it's even legal...

guest on Fox said it would be illegal anywhere but DC.

[Karin]

On the MSNBC site article on this, there are over 2,000 comments.  Maybe 2 are in support.  The rest are HOWLING.   

[bkg]

On the MSNBC site article on this, there are over 2,000 comments.  Maybe 2 are in support.  The rest are HOWLING.   

that says a lot...  'especially on MSNBC

[Hawkgirl]

that says a lot...  'especially on MSNBC

 

[Pat]

Please read the rules for the Breaking News forum before posting a thread.  Excerpted articles should be no longer than three to five paragraphs -- Chris
« Last Edit: Today at 08:54:30 am by Chris »    

bleh....on issues of this magnitude. The entire, unedited article should be disseminated to all.

[TheSarge]

bleh....on issues of this magnitude. The entire, unedited article should be disseminated to all.

That's why we ask you provide a link to the rest of the story.

That way our members can click it to continue reading.

*tips hat* just a bit of advice from your friendly neighborhood Moderator.

[TheSarge]

[Oceander]

That's why we ask you provide a link to the rest of the story.

That way our members can click it to continue reading.

*tips hat* just a bit of advice from your friendly neighborhood Moderator.

It has to be that way; otherwise, it gives the liberal oppressors grounds to sue us for copyright infringement - Freerepublic just settled a lawsuit against them by, inter alia, WaPo and AP - even just the costs of defending such a suit would in all likelihood kill off the Conservative Cave.

[Oceander]

My commentary on Reid and the Democrats:

[Pat]

It has to be that way; otherwise, it gives the liberal oppressors grounds to sue us for copyright infringement - Freerepublic just settled a lawsuit against them by, inter alia, WaPo and AP - even just the costs of defending such a suit would in all likelihood kill off the Conservative Cave.

have fun then. I'm not playing that bull shit game

mod's your welcome to kill off my membership, I'm going back to the gulch.

[TheSarge]

have fun then. I'm not playing that bull shit game

mod's your welcome to kill off my membership, I'm going back to the gulch.

Really?  You in the habit of cutting your nose off despite your face?

[Chris]

 

[Mike220]

Following copyright law is a game? Who knew?