WASHINGTON – Democratic leaders secured the last two votes to move ahead on historic health care legislation, clearing the way for a Saturday night showdown on President Barack Obama's top domestic initiative.
In long-awaited speeches, centrist Sens. Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas and Mary Landrieu of Louisiana said they would stand with their party and vote "yes" on the crucial test vote despite deep reservations with elements of the 2,074-page bill to remake the nation's health care system.
Of course, it remains to be seen if the bill sucks ass. It does have a provision that requires everyone to have insurance, which I am not a fan of at all. I think a person should be able to opt out of the whole thing entirely.
A largely overlooked provision in the Senate bill would send $100 million to Louisiana to help it cover costs for Medicaid, the federal-state health care program for the poor. In her speech, Landrieu rejected the notion that she was voting to advance the bill simply because of the money.
It costs 100 million dollars to get the Senate bill to the floor for a vote. That was the price tag to get Mary Landrieu of Louisiana to agree to vote on cloture. She'll probably vote no on the bill later.. so a stupid procedural hurdle costs 100 mil.
Landrieu is a terrible senator, and it's just as well that seat go back to the Republicans when her term is up.. or at the very least the lefties should pull a Joe Lieberman on her.
So.. while we wait for some reasonable people to dissect the bill so we know whether it will help Americans or (more likely) fuck all of us and further enrich the weatlhy people, we can giggle at the massive explosion of tears that will erupt from the Loon Brigade.
The teabaggers? Fail. The Loon Brigade? Fail. All of that bitching and moaning, and nothing to show for it. That's pretty funny.
It looks like the issue is going to be settled, and the Congress can move onto something else.. and Obama will be able to focus on something else.. like maybe starting to deliver on other campaign promises.
If it's a bad bill.. the Democrats will be toast.
3 comments:
Still has to be reconciled with the House bill, and will probably require another vote in one of the houses.
According to this
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_health_care_overhaul
They didn't vote cloture, they voted to open debate. They will still need another 60 to end it.
That seems correct. The Senate passed rules that now require 60 votes to pass anything, so now that gives just a few people power over the legislative agenda of the entire nation.
It's all so fucked up.
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