Obama: “If You Want Something Done Right, Do It Yourself!”
After a year of paralysis, President Obama has finally realized that the hired help just isn’t working out. Senate Republicans have been sitting there all year with their arms crossed and their lower lips thrust out, stamping their feet and screaming “NO” in unison. And the Democrats have spent a year doing their hilarious imitation of a deer caught in the headlights. Except it isn’t funny any more.
When you have a dumb cashier who can’t figure out how to operate the cash register, the store owner eventually has to come over and work the cash register himself. And this is what Obama is finally doing.
He’s putting together his own health care reform legislation. It’ll be a comprehensive bill, designed to bridge the differences between the bills in the House and Senate. And this bill is being written in a way that it can be attached to a budget bill and avoid a filibuster. Just 51 votes — not 60 — is all it’ll take to pass it. Reconciliation! Yay!
Now — Can we find fifty-one Senate Democrats with the spines and cojones to vote Yes? Whatever amount of armtwisting and blackmailing is required: Do It!!
The president’s proposed bill is expected to be posted online this Monday.
posted by Tom Harper @ 11:52 AM
12 Comments:
Two stumbling blocks, 1: Abortion and continuing a woman's right to choose. 2: Financial penalties on people who don't buy insurance. Both of these points could create hell.
I could see a whole bunch of teabagger types who would taunt whoever would enforce the fines. Perhaps somebody had better explain to me how this would work without creating a chaotic situation.
Holte: And those are big stumbling blocks. I'm glad Obama seems to be finally taking the reins; but there will be chaos.
The insurance industry just handed us a big present with their enormous cost increases. I posted an article by Paul Krugman about it today.
I'm really happy the president is taking charge of this issue now.
J: I saw that same article that Krugman was talking about, where that Fox talking head was blasting the HMOs for jacking their premiums way up. Not because he gave a fuck about patients' medical care, but because of the timing. "Why the F%^&!#$! did you raise your prices NOW, you F$%^&!#$#!$%&!, you just gave more ammunition to that Kenyan terrorist and his commie bureaucrats!"
"Now — Can we find fifty-one Senate Democrats with the spines and cojones to vote Yes?"
It seems like we can find those, but if you saw Countdown on MSNBC tonight, you now know there's more to it. Lawrence O'Donnell explained that leading up to a final vote that needs 51 ayes to pass there are several procedural votes, some of which would require — better sit down for this — 60 votes.
Somehwere, no matter his politics, Rod Serling must be smiling about this, because it would make a perfect Twilight Zone script.
"Whatever amount of armtwisting and blackmailing is required: Do It!!"
My sentiments exactly. If Obama and the Dems have to go down, it better be while putting up the best fight they possibly can. People can live with that, especially if they show the spunk to come back and keep trying.
Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now. Keep it up!
And according to this article, I totally agree with your opinion, but only this time! :)
This might just work. What the hell, it's worth a try. They have to do something. If this fails, the insurance companies will take their revenge.
SWA's comment is why I am of the 'oh ye of little faith' crowd. I'll believe in Dum spinefulness when I see it on a consistent basis.
IT is best to cast aside the notion of a "bi-partisan" solution to health care reform, as the GOP has shown that in order to appease the whiter elements of their party they must shoot down every Democratic piece of legislation.
SW: Well, that figures -- needing 60 votes on a procedural vote to make the reconciliation process possible. Somehow Dumbya never seemed to have this problem when his henchmen rammed through so much legislation. Yes, this would make a good Twilight Zone episode.
Bee: Yup, it's worth a try. And you can count on the insurance industry extracting its pound of flesh.
Randal: "Dum spinefulness" -- it occupies that same parallel universe with the Lochness Monster and the Yeti.
Lew: Bipartisanship is a thing of the past. The sooner the Democrats grasp this and make the necessary adjustments, the better.
Part of me wonders if this was the Obama plan all along, let congress paralyze itself so that he could swoop in to the rescue.
I don't believe it, though, as much as I'd like to. I don't think there are any politicians with that much savvy left.
Thomas: I've wondered the same thing, whether Obama has purposely given the Republicans enough rope so they could spend a year hanging themselves.
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