ObamaCare Future Timeline (What are your predictions about legislative future of an ObamaCare bill?)

Self | September 18, 2009 | PJ-Comix

[PJ-Comix]

Okay, the Baucus Bill looks like it is DOA. Liberals hate it. Conservatives hate it. Yet they will waste a lot of time (a good thing) now in the Senate marking it up. However, it looks like it will ultimately fail due to the massive opposition to it.

Okay, I'm curious. What happens if/when the Baucus bill fails as it now looks like will be the likely outcome? Can the Senate as a whole cobble together a new ObamaCare bill and how long would that take? As to HR3200, it appears that the House wants to wait until the Senate puts out their bill first because too many congressmen don't want to commit themselves before the 2010 election.

Soooo... What are your predictions for an ObamaCare bill timeline? I don't have an exact prediction, just the hope that all the wrangling goes on and on into next year until it is too late to pass any ObamaCare bill before the next election.

[PJ-Comix]

It will be interesting to compare your predictions to what actually happens to ObamaCare. Hopefully, the fate of ObamaCare runs smack dab into the elections next year.

[dalebert]

if it passes the dems are gonners

[Huck]

It looks like total failure to me. If Obama had the means to work a deal, he'd have done it already. If there were enough votes for sale, he'd have bought them by now. The initiative is so unpopular I don't see how they can dare try reconciliation maneuvers. And I think the Congress will be in no mood for a small, half-measure face saver. I think it's going to be punted. I think it won't come up again until after the midterms. And I think by then it will be happily forgotten. Optimistic? Maybe, but I just can't see how they get out of this trap. Moonbats to the left. GOPers with nothing to lose seeking political gain to the right ( I don't give them as a whole credit as anti-statists.) And mushy middle of the roaders who had their faces peeled back by town hallers, tea partiers, and the big rally on 9/12.

It's dead.

[kabar]

There will be an ObamaCare bill. Obama and the Dems need it to save face. The only question is what will be in it. I think the public option is dead, but there will be something equivalent in the bill and some form of trigger mechanism.

Obama wants a bill by October 15. I understand that in order to get the bill thru reconciliation expires, it must be done before that date. I believe we will get a health care bill before the Christmas recess.

[GeronL]

They will pass something. The media will play it up as if it were VJ Day. A gift to the American people. The most wonderful thing ever. There will be parades.

[PJ-Comix]

LBJ might have been able to get this bill thru but he was a master legislative manipulator. All Obama did was basically say to Congress, “Hey, you guys take care of this. I’m too busy enjoying Air Force One rides.” Bad move. They saw what happened to HillaryCare where she tried to dictate a bill to congress and then went in the completely opposite direction and left it all up to congress. Anyway, I’m glad that Obama has proven himself such a failure in legislative manipulation.

[PJ-Comix]

Obama wants a bill by October 15. I understand that in order to get the bill thru reconciliation expires, it must be done before that date.

That's less than a month away. I just don't think they have the time.

[PJ-Comix]

They will pass something. The media will play it up as if it were VJ Day. A gift to the American people. The most wonderful thing ever. There will be parades.

Maybe they will pass a toothless resolution. RESOLVED: Adequate Health Care is a good thing.

I could live with that.

[Huck]

Yeah, I've heard some of the LBJ tapes from the medicare era. That guy knew how to do business. He was a real huck and chucker, the old bastard. Obama is just a spokesmodel. He hasn't got the skills. He is not skilled in deal-making, negotiating, arm-twisting, back-slapping, or any of the other fine arts of politics. He's just a talker. A spokesmodel. And the Congress is just plain loony.

On the one hand, as you say, he overcompensated for the Hillarycare failure. He also failed to recognize that Hillarycare failed not just from procedural mistakes, but from the unpopularity of the idea. They keep trying, all the way back to FDR, and they all fail. Hell, if FDR couldn't get it done, you KNOW it's a tough sell.

[PJ-Comix]

Yeah, I've heard some of the LBJ tapes from the medicare era. That guy knew how to do business. He was a real huck and chucker, the old bastard.

I saw a series of photos of LBJ leaning into a small Senator until the poor guy was horizontal on his desk. The Johnson Treatment. The subject of the Johnson Treatment, he would be completely enclosed by the large LBJ. One arm around your back pulling you close in as Johnson stared at the prey just inches away from the eyes. The victims felt completely helpless. This is something the standoffish Obama would never do.

[PJ-Comix]

Also LBJ ate, drank, talked politics 24/7. He was completely obsessed to the point where everything else in the world was completely blocked off. Obama enjoys the good life (think those Air Force One rides) too much to be that involved. In fact, I think he really hates the hustle and bustle of legislative politics.

[Huck]

I think LBJ knew the business and enjoyed the game. He didn't mind getting his hands dirty. Hell, I think he liked it.

Obama understands what his strength is, and why he got elected. He understands that basically, there's a lot of people who, for whatever reason, like to hear him talk. And he knows that that's ALL he has going for him. So he sticks to that. When it came to crunch time for health care, what did he do? He didn't go into the backroom and make deals. He went out and did some campaign speeches and went on TV. He's a Johnny-One-Note. All he knows how to do is talk and try to charm people. Once his put-on air of self-confidence and moderation wears off, he's going to be completely barren.

[kabar]

Which is why I stated that I anticipate a bill before the Xmas recess.

[jcsjcm]

My predictions are they are waiting to circumvent the law in Massachusetts that does not allow the governor to appoint a Senator. Once they overturn that law, they will appoint some dumbass democrat that will follow their lead to passing this stinking bill into law.

Then the people will revolt and stop paying taxes which will in turn put millions of people in jail for tax evasion. Then they will have to pay for our housing, medical bills, support our children and it will be just a whole lot of fun. /sarc

[GeronL]

Maybe they’ll end up hiring ACORN to teach people how to buy health insurance?

[Huck]

He reminds me of some corporate manager, below VP level, running a meeting with a flip chart, trying to BS his way through it, “facilitating discussion”, when in truth he doesn’t even understand the business he works in. I’ve lived through that myself. The man hasn’t got a clue. Someone puts some sheet music in front of him and he blows his horn, but he can’t write a melody to save his life.

[cvq3842]

I hope the bill crashes and burns. but enough idiotic Republicans might help save some type of face-saving measure for Obama.

I keep waiting for Obama to “pull a Clinton” and scurry to the front of the “moderate” parade, thereby possibly saving his electoral hide. But Obama’s a true believer and I don’t see him compromising.

(Maybe the phrase “pull a Clinton” should be scrapped, but no pun was intended.)

[patriotspride]

” He reminds me of some corporate manager, below VP level, running a meeting with a flip chart, trying to BS his way through it, “facilitating discussion”, when in truth he doesn’t even understand the business he works in. I’ve lived through that myself. The man hasn’t got a clue”

Well stated. I remember the fools who believed the talk side, and the you will be part of this sales pitch....

[kabar]

LBJ had solid Dem majorites during most of his career as leader. He just had to reconcile the views of the more conservative Southern Democrats with the moderate Dems.

The 86th Congress (1959-61) -- 64 Dems/34 Reps

The 87th Congress (1961-63) -- 64 Dems/36 Reps

The 88th Congress (1963-65) -- 67 Dems/33 Reps

The 89th Congress (1965-67) -- 68 Dems/32 Reps

The 90th Congress (1967-69) -- 64 Dems/36 Reps

[Huck]

I found myself in that unfortunate situation once or twice myself, so I know it when I see it. Thankfully, that’s all ancient history, and I’m doing what I was meant to do now.