Posted on 12/11/2009 8:37:50 AM PST by BradtotheBone
Barack Obama’s healthcare reform, the signature policy of his presidency, looks likely to clear its most formidable obstacle by Christmas.
Within the next few days, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office will give its fiscal “scoring” of the compromise reached on Tuesday between five moderate and five liberal Democratic senators.
IF the CBO were to pronounce the package at least deficit-neutral – a big if, given the body’s Jesuitical approach to budget accounting – the way would probably be cleared for a rapid vote in the Senate. Since the House of Representatives has already passed its own 1,990-page bill, only a seismic intervention could stop it from reaching Mr Obama’s desk within the ensuing weeks.
On Thursday, aides to Harry Reid, the Senate majority leader, said they believed the latest formulation would attract the 60 votes needed to prevent Republicans from being able to block it.
In addition, the fact Mr Reid is engaging the interest of two Republicans, Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, both senators for Maine, has provided added confidence that they may be able to afford to lose one Democratic vote in the upper chamber.
“We put together a bill that we believe has the best chance to overcome a Republican filibuster,” said Jim Manley, an aide to the Senate majority leader.
But he added: “Mary Landrieu and Blanche Lincoln [centrist Democratic senators from Louisiana and Arkansas] are saying they’re not going to agree to anything until we hear back from the CBO.”
The smart money in Washington is now betting that the arduous and often unseemly legislative process is within spitting distance of a conclusion.
Len Nichols, a fellow at the centrist New America Foundation and probably one of the most experienced analysts of the Byzantine process, said: “In my judgment, the co-operation of the moderate and liberal Democrats and the fact that Snowe and Collins are in the conversation signals a real likelihood this will get through the Senate by Christmas and be on the president’s desk before his State of the Union address [in late January].”
Should the bill get the go-ahead from the CBO, Mr Reid is likely to push for a Senate vote as rapidly as possible, assuming he has garnered the 60 votes by then. After that, the bill would either have to be merged with the House version or else could even bypass the bicameral reconciliation process and go for a direct vote in the lower chamber – an unusual route but one that could circumvent the process.
Nancy Pelosi, the House speaker, who has insisted on a public insurance option, the measure that has attracted the most argument, on Thursday played down the differences between the two bills.
“We are waiting on the actions of the US Senate and hopefully we will be able to send it very, very soon to the president’s desk,” she said on Thursday.
The latest Senate compromise formed a new “Medicare buy-in” to allow people aged 55-64 to buy the healthcare coverage currently available only to senior citizens. It came at the expense of the public option.
Some liberals would fight to the finish to retain the public option, a watered-down version of which was passed in the House bill. But most Democrats are falling in line with the thinking of Rahm Emanuel, Mr Obama’s pugilistic chief-of-staff, who said: “The only non-negotiable principle here is success.”
Washington insiders believe a historic healthcare act would give Mr Obama and the Democratic party a boost ahead of next year’s mid-term elections. But polls, which show mixed support for healthcare reform, suggest the reality may not be so simple.
“All the revenue-raising measures – the taxes and fees – come up-front, while the benefits don’t kick in until 2013 and 2014,” says Robert Blendon, the leading healthcare pollster. “There would be an initial surge in support for this historic achievement, followed by quite a big backlash as the costs seep through.” Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. You may share using our article tools. Please don't cut articles from FT.com and redistribute by email or post to the web.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find only things evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelogus
I remember all the gnashing of teeth during the Republican Congressional rule about the need of bipartisanship. It’s quite lovely to see that word retired from the dictionary now that the Democrats are in power and sometimes literally locking Republicans out of negotiations. And they wonder why nobody trusts the MSM anymore!
I bet CBO staff are all getting horse’s heads on their pillows and dead fish in the mail right now...
What are the chances of getting an honest, unbiased cost evaluation from the CBO?
In addition, the fact Mr Reid is engaging the interest of two Republicans, Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, both senators for Maine, has provided added confidence that they may be able to afford to lose one Democratic vote in the upper chamber.
+++++++++++++++++++
OK, time to FLOOD their little offices, phone lines, fax lines, power lines, and wrinkle lines...
We do NOT want government takeover of health care. PERIOD. Can you get that through your THICK SKULLS?
REID THE BILL!
... then REID IT AGAIN!!
Sure, but the problem here is that IF something passes, it will be near impossible to repeal. So yeah, we can definitely reap some short term political gains off of this debacle, but we’ll be living with a politically rationed healthcare system for the rest of our lives.
This is no “reform”......nuff said.
It’s quite apparent that the Democratic majority and their allies will not listen to the public on this one. We must protest in any lawful way possible.
ugh.
Just another “Gov’t foot in the door of the private sector” is what this is all about. Banks, Auto, Internet, etc.,.. Makes for easy transformation to full Marxist Dictatorship with Obama as permanent leader. They ain’t worried about what the American public thinks because they have no intention of vacating the White House in 2012. We have a coup coming.
It was Vladimir Lenin who said, “Medicine is the keystone of the arch of socialism.” Well, socialized medicine is just step one. Since socialized medicine is the opening of the door to The Big 5: Socialized Medicine, Cap and Tax, Card Check, Amnesty for Illegals and Gun Control, we need to take a stand now, with this health care bill. If they pass this, they will make a big push for the other four. If they do all five, then it’s all over folks. America as we’ve known it, will be gone forever. Is that what we want to leave for our Grandchildren?
Senate health debate hits snag over imported drugs
So much for "inevitability".
“Sure, but the problem here is that IF something passes, it will be near impossible to repeal. So yeah, we can definitely reap some short term political gains off of this debacle, but we’ll be living with a politically rationed healthcare system for the rest of our lives.”
Ding! Ding! Ding!
We have a winner!
Not only will it never be repealed, whatever passes, no matter how innocuous it looks, will be constantly “amended” over the years until it morphs into full-blown single-payer State-run medicine. That’s why it has to be defeated NOW, when the question is not what the rules of the game are, but rather whether we will play the game at all.
sam_paine wrote:
<<
If passed, Obama’s popularity will get a bump.
ugh.
>>
*****
I hear people say this all the time, but how exactly is this so? If Obamacare is so unpopular and the American people don’t want it, then how would Obama get a bump in popularity from its passage?
Yeah, cuz that's worked real well so far. They are NOT listening to us. They have an agenda and are going to push it through no matter what we say
Anyone who believes emailing or faxing these people will cause them to stop is dreaming ... big time.
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