I thank you so very much for all the clarification. And I understand that this rule about cloture versus simple majority vote works across the board so I consider myself educated and nuanced on the matter.
I hear you about the House and the conference but the White House today, via Politico put out that it would seem that the House is inclined to pass the senate version of the bill, something I think is a lie. This silly falsehood was used to justify the bill not being ready for Obama to crow about at the SOTU...that Obama wasn’t worried, that the House is going to rubberstamp the senate bill, that he would just emphasize creating jobs in his SOTU and the health care bill will likely be rubberstamped by the House in February.
I read, via my longish screed above somewhere, this to mean that the WH is covering the best in case health care dies...a “it’s no big deal” kind of thing. Heh.
Like you, I think the conference will be filled with rancor. Stupak doesn’t like the abortion thing and the last number I heard about 40 other Dems are against it. The Dems have a majority in the House but that thing just barely squeaked by last vote. The LA Vietnam guy’s supposed to be a real Repub this time and we’re supposed to believe that this what squeaked by last vote will sally forth fluidly WITH an abortion provision in the bill?
All this after those goes go home and get their ears filled over the holidays?
I stand by my assertion that it dies. At best, there might be some thing passed like no denial of health care for prior conditions, which will raise the cost of premiums but that’s it...at best.
I see a thread has been posted about the new February date I’ve been commenting about.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2414086/posts
It will only die if the public continues its outrage and opposition to the bill. Otherwise, the RATS can and will cut a deal. BO still wants this.