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News & ArtsMonday, December 21, 2009
Health Ok. Let's Say You're a Democratic Senator.
Posted by Eli Sanders on Mon, Dec 21, 2009 at 4:18 PM
You have three days—and several more key votes—left until the health care reform bill clears your chamber. It's missing a public option. It's infuriating some on the left with its mandates and abortion funding restrictions. But it's also, overall, a good bill that's poised to cover 30 million Americans who currently lack health insurance, end the practice of denying coverage for preexisting conditions, and in general make history.
And, at this point, there are really only two choices before you: pass it or kill it.
So, senator...
What are you gonna do?
1
Gee, I guess it's too bad I'm not a Democratic Senator, because it's just mental masturbation otherwise.
2
Please don't kill this because it isn't perfect. What is proposed is better than what we have and future presidents can always expand coverage when they have a better economy or a more amenable Congress
3
At this point, all that could be done is done. Pass it and let us never speak of it again unless we're at the dinner table accusing each other of failing to be progressive enough and why can't you look your mother in the eyes when she is speaking to you? Do you hate your mother? Do you hate me? Why do you hate me? You hate me! I'm going to my room and may I live to see another day because so help me g-d you're trying to put me in my grave and just so many days after Hanukkah, your father would be so ashamed to see this, rest his soul, and I would have half a mind to speak to him directly in my prayers tonight if I thought for one moment you could be moved by even the almighty himself, let alone your poor dead father rotting beneath our feet while you excuse this tripe you call a "health care reform bill", you ingrate.
4
@3 "What is proposed is better than what we have and future presidents can always expand coverage when they have a better economy or a more amenable Congress"
Do you really believe this? When the economy is doing well the first thing they will say is that you don't want to ruin the good economy with more taxes.
Also this bill is so watered down I worry that it will satiate the appetite for health care but really just pass off less than the people deserve. The health insurance industry loves this bill because they know it will take the urgency out of the health care debate and nothing more will be changed anytime soon.
Do you really believe this? When the economy is doing well the first thing they will say is that you don't want to ruin the good economy with more taxes.
Also this bill is so watered down I worry that it will satiate the appetite for health care but really just pass off less than the people deserve. The health insurance industry loves this bill because they know it will take the urgency out of the health care debate and nothing more will be changed anytime soon.
5
Pass the damn thing. You can always amend the bill later and add either the public option or single payer health care to the damn thing.
6
While I could totally see Cantwell and Murray voting in a "best we could do", but the fact they got Bernie Sanders (I) to go along, makes me hopeful this is as much judo as just getting something passed.
7
I hate it, but it's a step in the right direction, and until the American people start wising up about their representatives and whom the reps and senators really serve, I think we gotta take what we can get.
Maybe bills more later?
Maybe bills more later?
8
I'm willing to bet $ if you took this poll last week the entire poll would be a mirror image of what it is now.
9
I sorta feel like this country has grown too large for any government to adequately represent the population.
10
But since the Democratic Party really wants this bill signed, they need EVERY VOTE. And without the kind of "punishment-based" system the Republicans have for NOT toeing the party line, what's to stop me from saying I'll sign it ONLY if they also throw in a rider promising that they'll pay for an transit tunnel for our waterfront? Plus, for the 48 hours that I'm the lone holdout, all the news stations will pay attention to MEEEEEEE!
11
You do what is most likely to get you re-elected.
If we were closer to the 2010 elections, that would definitely be to kill it. Opposition in the general electorate is over 60% and you can always tell your far-left base that you did it because it was a give-away to the evil corporations.
But the 2010 elections are still 11 months away, and the party bosses who fund your campaign have longer memories than voters, so that probably means pass it.
If we were closer to the 2010 elections, that would definitely be to kill it. Opposition in the general electorate is over 60% and you can always tell your far-left base that you did it because it was a give-away to the evil corporations.
But the 2010 elections are still 11 months away, and the party bosses who fund your campaign have longer memories than voters, so that probably means pass it.
12
Pass it. Part in spite of the gop, part because I'd be scared sirtless to the thought of loosing my seat.
13
My vote was # 666. I am now happy. (And, yes, I voted to pass the damn thing, so it now has the force of the mark of the beast on it's side.)
14
This is such a "good bill," in fact, that the stock prices of for-profit health care corporations are doing their best Saturn V impression.
15
It does not "provide" coverage to 30 million Americans. It has mandates in it that would require 30 million Americans currently without insurance to buy it from existing health insurance companies. There are some subsidies for low income Americans but nowhere near 30 million.
It's a shitty bill. If the democratic leadership in the senate was strong they would leave the public option in it and let the republicans spend months explaining why they are filibustering it. Instead they took out something supported by over 60% of the country.
It's a shitty bill. If the democratic leadership in the senate was strong they would leave the public option in it and let the republicans spend months explaining why they are filibustering it. Instead they took out something supported by over 60% of the country.
16
If the bill is so shitty, why is the GOP terrified of it? They know it's a foundation to be built on, and whenever health care fails it's dead for 12 years at least.
Social Security originally didn't apply to domestic workers (aka black people) because FDR needed southern senate Democrat votes. They added them in less than 10 years later. If that window had passed social security might never gave happened even though it was imperfect and not good enough for the liberal wing.
Social Security originally didn't apply to domestic workers (aka black people) because FDR needed southern senate Democrat votes. They added them in less than 10 years later. If that window had passed social security might never gave happened even though it was imperfect and not good enough for the liberal wing.
17
If this bill doesn't pass now, then we don't even deserve the chance to pass a better one. Get people basic health care first, then worry about how equitable it is, and how reasonable the details are. I have enough faith in this concept that I think that even if the bill is badly written, it will become obvious enough that money and lives are saved that that same sort of idiots who are blathering about how great our country is now because of private health care will be blathering about how great public health care is in fifty years.
Also, I think I may have made myself a bit tipsy eating boozy homemade chocolate covered cherries.
Also, I think I may have made myself a bit tipsy eating boozy homemade chocolate covered cherries.
18
@14 -- If the Saturn V had taken off like private insurers' stocks, the poor thing would have crapped out a couple hundred miles over the Atlantic:
http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2009/12/i…
@15 -- If the public option were supported by 60% of senators, it would still be in the bill, but it's not, so it isn't. Take it out on Joe Lieberman and Ben Nelson.
http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2009/12/i…
@15 -- If the public option were supported by 60% of senators, it would still be in the bill, but it's not, so it isn't. Take it out on Joe Lieberman and Ben Nelson.
19
The polls show that Americans do not want this bill.
If signed, it's a guaranteed Republican victory in 2010.
Oh wait. That's guaranteed no matter what!
The polls show that Americans do not want this bill.
If signed, it's a guaranteed Republican victory in 2010.
Oh wait. That's guaranteed no matter what!
20
I really like the mandate for all citizens to buy private insurance. I'm not sure that will stand up to a court challenge.
Why do I suspect that this was what the insurance companies wanted all along? Why do I also suspect that there will be little change in the practice of refusing to pay claims & benefits for any reason?
I haven't had health insurance for 8 years, as I work for a tiny company and am in very good health. If there had been a mandate during those 8 years, I would have wasted how much money? 20k? 40k? I would have been better off just giving that to Madoff, for all the good it would do me.
The problem is not lack of insurance coverage. It's that the system is based on making a profit from the pain & suffering of others. It's fundamentally immoral. Until we change the basic principle of for-profit health care, the not-rich population will always be at a physical disadvantage.
Why do I suspect that this was what the insurance companies wanted all along? Why do I also suspect that there will be little change in the practice of refusing to pay claims & benefits for any reason?
I haven't had health insurance for 8 years, as I work for a tiny company and am in very good health. If there had been a mandate during those 8 years, I would have wasted how much money? 20k? 40k? I would have been better off just giving that to Madoff, for all the good it would do me.
The problem is not lack of insurance coverage. It's that the system is based on making a profit from the pain & suffering of others. It's fundamentally immoral. Until we change the basic principle of for-profit health care, the not-rich population will always be at a physical disadvantage.
21
I have the feeling that the GOP aren't really terrified of it. Except for the tax increases it is pretty close to what the GOP wanted all along: No abortion, no public option, freedom for the private insurers to raise premums on pre-existing conditions in group policies, and reductions in Medicare. Like B'rer Rabbit, they've been howling "Please don't throw me in that briar patch!" So the Dems did.
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