Senate Dems Get 60 Votes For Health Care Reform
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Senator Ben Nelson’s announcement moments ago that he will vote to end debate on the Senate health care bill puts Dems within striking distance of the first major progressive legislative achievement of the 21st Century, even if the legislation is deeply flawed.
But Nelson also issued a stern threat, designed to put House liberals on notice: If you change the bill in conference, I reserve the right to sink it later. Translation: Don’t even think about trying to add a public option or Medicare buy-in, and don’t even think about putting your grubby hands on my abortion compromise.
Still, the Senate has taken a major step towards passing something that, as problematic as it is, could form a foundation for future reform and could even start to rewrite the relationship Americans have with government.
32 Responses to “Senate Dems Get 60 Votes For Health Care Reform”
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© 2000-2011 Oliver Willis
Ben Nelson is such a charmer
It’s a huge defeat for Republicans and that’s enough for me.
“Don’t even think about trying to add a public option or Medicare buy-in, and don’t even think about putting your grubby hands on my abortion compromise.”
So.
As long as we sign this and promise to never ever turn healthcare reform into anything positive or enact actual reform, we’ll barely have enough votes to actually let it pass. Wonderful.
Future’s so bright its giving me cancer.
They stopped everything they wanted, keeping only the funneling of taxpayer money to the Insurance companies that contribute so much to them, and get to look heroic to their constituents as they boldly proclaim that they opposed socialized medicine, all the while the plan will do nothing to make the nation healthier.
What defeat, again?
A mandate to buy health insurance without a public option or Medicare buy-in. Excuse me if I can’t see this as a victory for anybody except the insurance companies and big pharma.Half a loaf of bread isn’t better than no loaf when the bread is poisoned.
Hey! We can always wait for President Truman to introduce a better plan after the 1952 elections.
Amen. I am so disappointed.
I will have to give money to the mobsters who run our wretched system or I’ll be in violation of the law? Um… hurray?
Wonder if there will be protesters who refuse to buy insurance and are ceremoniously carted off the jail, Thoreau-style.
Against the bill: MoveOn, Keith Olberman.
For it: Ted Kennedy’s widow, Paul Krugman, Gail Collins of the Times (read Sat. column).
I’ve shifted my view in favor of passage, but am feeling a bit nauseated.
We live in interesting times. Gawd, do we ever.
anti: left out Howard Dean.
Oliver may like this:
http://comics.com/mike_luckovich/
Ha, that’s a good one.
Freedom from eventual government control of US Citizens by this bill not being passed as libs so desire. Why is it so difficult for Libs to see?
We really need to change the rules for cloture in the Senate.
ps: welcome home Mr. President to global warming in Washington DC today. Could it be a ‘sign’? knaw.
Plus 1 to Wilbur. The Constitution has half a dozen references to majority rule. Nowhere in it will you find “super majority”.
Please Oliver, tell how this was a win for anyone other than the insurance industry or the GOP.
You’re actually excited by Nelson being happy?
God, you’re a fucking joke.
Have fun finding a job when the progressive left doesn’t drop some money in to Media Matters any longer.
Nelson’s bribe:
“…the federal government will forever cover the costs of Medicaid expansion in Nebraska. Taxpayers in every other state will forever be responsible for the expanded Medicaid program in Nebraska.”
And
“Sen. Nelson also secured an exemption from a new insurance tax for non-profit companies in his state. Mutual of Omaha and Nebraska’s Blue Cross/Blue Shield won’t have to pay a tax other companies will be required to pay.”
http://www.politico.com/livepulse/
Exactly!
I’m sure Nelson won’t mind if we close a few military bases and stop buying parts for weapons systems from a few Nebraskan defense contractors to recoup the costs of that.
I wish Senators would hold more long-term grudges against their more prima-donna-esque members.
Oh, yah, biiiig win for the GOP. That’s why they’re all voting for it.
Don’t you get it? Its everything they want, and they get to vote against it. Abortion Restrictions, $125-Bil to the Insurance Companies, No expansion of Medicare or the Public Option, an Exchange with consumer reporting tools that the industry itself will be in charge of to keep things ‘Fair,’ Christ there’s even talk about putting Christian Faith Healing in it. It has everything they would put in a bill they were writing themselves, and its going to pass without them even having to vote for it.
They get to put out fundraising letters constantly talking about how valiantly they’re fighting the good fight, get to complain about how Franken holding Lieberman to his 10 minutes is the most offensive thing history has ever witnessed, get to elicit sympathy from their base, get to sell tickets to Sarah Palin’s speeches and Glenn Beck’s Horrible Christmas Bullshit Movie/Play/Thing, all while being given everything they want.
I say now, without any irony whatsoever, that clearly, this IS great news for the republicans.
This is nothing but their win, and the left is so desperate for the Dems to have “We Passed Healthcare Reform Aren’t We Lovely Yippeewahey!” as a talking point they don’t even care what the hell’s in it anymore. Nelson could change his ming again and say “well okay, but now I’ll only agree to even let it come to a vote if we agree to make male nurses illegal, and all tongue depressors have to be shaped like my penis” or any other arbitrary bullshit thing, and it’ll go in. It’ll have to, because fuck it, hell or high water we absolutely must pass some kind of what the fuck ever bill that has the words Health Care Reform in the title, and if you don’t like it you’re just being unrealistic and immature and wanting more than what’s really possible out of your naive hope that, after all this is done, you might be able to fulfill your selfish need to see a doctor when you get sick.
Not only that, the Republicans can gloat about getting it down under a Democratic majority power with the help of some selfish Bluedogs and Democrats with no spines. This is truly an embarrassment how the Democrats got played. And they(Democrats) turn their backs on the their own base to get it done.
If people weren’t pissed enough at the power-drunk Dems before, they likely are now…
These tools like Nelson will soon regret the day they did this for Obama, he’ll pull all them right-over the abyss with him… and the coming GOP majority will just rescind it anyway-
I really wish that conservatives would do more to encourage the learning of math within their ranks.
The hell do you mean coming GOP majority? You’re under the impression that they aren’t in charge of things right now?
The Republicans appear to be only marginally less inept than the Democrats. At least on the subject of Health Care “Reform”.
Six months from now, being able to say “we didn’t vote for this piece of crap” will be a badge of honor. I expect there will be more than a few Democrats on the campaign trail wishing they could make this claim.
Let’s try one more time, and see if you don’t run away from this one like your compatriots did.
Dave, when was the last time you were right about anything?
Dave, when was the last time you were right about anything?
Zython, when was the last time you responded to a non-liberal with something other than “you just want brown people to die”?
Get bent.
I expect there will be more than a few Democrats on the campaign trail wishing they could make this claim.
Hey, looks like there may be one less Democrat making that wish.
Rep. Parker Griffith switches to GOP
Question stands. When were your kind right about anything?