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News & ArtsTuesday, December 8, 2009
Politics Meanwhile in Washington D.C.
Posted by Dan Savage on Tue, Dec 8, 2009 at 3:25 PM
The Senate narrowly rejected an amendment that would have restricted abortion coverage in the pending health-care bill...
Good news, right? Yes! But it could wind up derailing health care reform entirely or killing the public option...
So assuming Nelson is unyielding on his filibuster threat, which seems like a reasonable assumption at this point, that means the Democrats need a GOP senator to get to 60. The most likely GOPer to defect is Olympia Snowe, but she comes with pretty high price: no public option for sure.
2
All the Democrats need to do threaten the insurance companies where it hurts. In their absurd profits. Take away their anti-trust protections. Tax the shit out of them and use the proceeds to assist low income families. Something. Anything. But don't give in to threats about abortion. And feel free to use whatever sneaky tricks you have to use. This is too important to let fail.
3
For the love of God, I don't care what anyone says- there is no healthcare reform without the public option! Anything that makes health insurance mandatory without offering a public option is a giant FUCK YOU to the American people. Ugh.
4
They only need 50 votes if the Senate Leadership forces a vote, which he can.
This 60 vote stuff is a myth and you're all willing victims of the myth.
@3 and @2 for the patriotic win. Republic Party of No socialist comrades for the epic fail.
This 60 vote stuff is a myth and you're all willing victims of the myth.
@3 and @2 for the patriotic win. Republic Party of No socialist comrades for the epic fail.
5
they're going to have to call their bluff and force a filibuster. make those old plutocrats stand up there and read the phone book until they drop cork-legged. then work with the wives who fill out the terms.
i'm starting to think Obama did this on purpose, to demonstrate how broken the Senate is. he saw it from the inside now he wants the lumpen proles to understand it too.
i'm starting to think Obama did this on purpose, to demonstrate how broken the Senate is. he saw it from the inside now he wants the lumpen proles to understand it too.
6
@5,
That kind of filibuster isn't in use anymore. They should certainly bring it back, but, ironically, a procedural filibuster would probably keep that from happening.
That kind of filibuster isn't in use anymore. They should certainly bring it back, but, ironically, a procedural filibuster would probably keep that from happening.
9
Yeah, because no public option and requiring health insurance helps those who can't afford it already. It's not just lower/middle class families. Young adults struggling to get by between college bills and regular bills certainly can't afford insurance.
10
I'm still looking - nobody is doing a literal filibuster talking for three days without sleep.
No public option, no peace.
No public option, no peace.
11
@6: they should bring it back - enough pussyfooting. i want senators beating each other with canes, too.
12
Yeah, and Olympia Snowe still won't support it without a public option, either.
The problem with all of the compromises in this debate is that they are not compromises. In a compromise, you get something in return for something else. It's a deal, a trade. In this, the American people lose everything and get basically nothing in return. The Republicans will never support any health reform for Americans, no matter how conservative. Not now. Not. Ever.
The only real choice is to vote the rest of the Republicans the fuck out, I guess.
The problem with all of the compromises in this debate is that they are not compromises. In a compromise, you get something in return for something else. It's a deal, a trade. In this, the American people lose everything and get basically nothing in return. The Republicans will never support any health reform for Americans, no matter how conservative. Not now. Not. Ever.
The only real choice is to vote the rest of the Republicans the fuck out, I guess.
13
Make them filibuster. Make them run next year on the "we killed healthcare reform" platform. Make them own it.
15
True story - Student in college gets student health insurance. Student gets cancer, and would ideally be able to drop out of school in order to get it treated. An unenrolled student loses health insurance because he is no longer a full time student. Lucky for the student that there are online classes, so he can get chemo and radiation therapy and still go to school so he can retain his student health insurance.
A public option would allow the divorce of employment or school attendance from coverage.
A public option would allow the divorce of employment or school attendance from coverage.
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