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I'm not sure why President Barack Obama and the Democrats are acting like the sky has fallen and that the health care bill is dead after Martha Coakley lost the Massachusetts Senate race to Republican Scott Brown.Democrats, despite losing their filibuster-proof 60 vote super majority, have enough options open to them to pass the bill without, as some commentators have speculated, alienating the general public.
According to the New York Times:
House leaders signaled that they had effectively ruled out the idea of adopting the Senate bill, which would send it directly to the president for his signature. Yet close advisers to the president said such a move was still on the table. Mr. Brown's victory in Massachusetts on Tuesday denies Democrats the 60th vote that they need to surmount filibusters and advance a revised health measure. Senate leaders said they would not risk antagonizing voters by trying to rush a bill through before Mr. Brown could be sworn in, and Mr. Obama agreed. "People in Massachusetts spoke," the president told ABC. "He's got to be part of that process."
Brown can still be a part of the process after the Senate bill is adopted by the House. Paul Waldman of The American Prospect writes:
Obama would sign it, and the infrastructure of reform would be in place. Then they could attempt to correct some of the Senate bill's weaknesses in the reconciliation process, which only requires 51 votes (though it does limit which parts of the bill can be addressed).
These days, some Republicans seem more interested in planning for the midterm and presidential election as opposed to enacting desperately needed health care reform. Other Western countries can't believe that we don't have a system in place already. People who go to work every day are without proper coverage and health care costs are hurting the economy by dragging some businesses under.
Seven presidents have tried to adopt health care reform. This may be the last best chance for another generation.Can you imagine what this country would look like if politicians had buckled and not passed Medicare or social security? Our country is a better place for the elderly because of those two programs, even though they, like health care reform, are far from perfect.
As Kevin Drum of Mother Jones points out, the attitude of Democrats is similar to the 2000 recount. Instead of fighting for a full recount effort and being eager to at least examine the public's concerns, Democrats were more concerned with maintaining a sense of decorum and a façade for the world. I'm not sure Republicans would have taken the same tact had the shoe been on the other foot.
Drum writes:It's time for House liberals, labor unions, lefty activists, Blue Dogs, Democratic pro-lifers, and fence-sitting centrists to all face reality: The only way to pass healthcare reform of any kind is for the House to pass the Senate bill and then work to improve it later during the budget reconciliation process, which requires only 51 votes in the Senate. That's it. That's the choice.
Although Massachusetts voters may have had health care on their minds in voting for Brown, what role did local issues, such as property taxes, play in the vote? How about Coakley's reported lackadaisical campaigning and her failure to get her message directly to the voters? Did she effectively articulate to voters why she's in favor of the health care bill?
As Waldman points out using a crude numbers game: If Brown wins, Democratic senators supporting reform will represent 193 million Americans (63 percent), while Republicans opposing reform will represent 113 million (37 percent). It would be hard to argue that that small change means Democrats no longer have a right to enact their agenda.
If Democrats back down, they lose anyway. You can feel Republicans trying to use this momentum to knock down a raft of issues that deserve examination and change in this country, such as regulating the financial markets, our energy consumption and global warming.
African Americans voted for progressive change. As consistent supporters of the Democratic Party, we should demand that Democrats stop over thinking the issue and push forward with health care reform.
Comments: (42)
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By: Mike on 1/25/2010 10:01AM
Amazing to me that there is such a difference of attitude between the races on this blog. Blackmoose, you are wrong, this country is becoming more socialist every day. Health care is not a right. It will not pass. Earners are sick of paying for bad behaviors like paying for your babies, paying for your cell phones, paying for your rent, paying for your food, paying for your jail time, paying for the damage caused by criminal activities and not least, paying for your health care.
There should be drug tests every time someone tries to cash a government check...any drugs in your system, no check.
I have been homeless before, I have been flat broke. I know what it is like to have only what you can carry and now, 30 years later, I have enough money to put my daughters through college and I own my home...I worked hard and got an education. The only reason you don't have more is because you won't work for it.
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By: BlackMoose on 1/25/2010 2:07PM
Hey Mike, let me hit you with some good ole American Facts: First, the people in this country that’s using all the government programs are WHITE. The majority of people who are in the prison system are WHITE. The majority of people who have babies out of wedlock are WHITE. The majority of people who are on drugs are WHITE. So when you say that you are tired of “you people,” then you’re tired of WHITE people, not black people. Second, universal health care will eventually pass in that it’s just a matter of time. As the minority becomes the majority universal health care will defiantly pass. So enjoy your white majority while it last!
Mike, you assume that black people on these boards don’t have more. Your assumptions are flat wrong! Not only do we work hard and own houses, we currently own the White House! You see Mike its people like you that said black folks will never be able to compete with our white counterparts. Turns out you were wrong! Not only did we excel against all odds, we have surpassed your average meth smoking binge drinking trailer trash Tea Party white American. No offense Mike, but I can see how a minority in America can end up homeless. However, what I can’t understand is how could a good ole “Earner” such as you could ever be homeless. Idiot! Is the first word that comes to mine, but not because you were homeless. Because you know how it feels to have no health insurance, but yet you still pass judgment on others and write them off as being just stupid and lazy. Just because you were stupid and lazy Mike when you were homeless doesn’t mean that others are like you who don’t have health insurance.
Mike, you insinuate that “Earners” such as you have made it out of homelessness while blacks have chosen not too. News flash Mike, many more black people are homeless than whites and more blacks than whites have worked hard and made it out of homelessness. You see Mike over coming adversity to the black community is like second nature in that we are use to it. You need to stop listening to Rush Limbaugh and read the facts of black history. The black community did not get where they are without dedication and hard work. However, you come on our boards and insult us by insinuating that blacks just want to rely on the government for a hand out. Black folks in America built the government, the infrastructure, and have fought in every war. We did this in spite of the American oppressors. So save your homelessness speech Mike and sit back and comprehend, you may just learn something.
However Mike, I am just curious about your homelessness: What was it, Acid or Meth? How does it feel when someone makes assumptions about you?
Actually mike it is not that amazing that there is such a difference of attitude between the races on this blog. The minority and the majority of this country have different histories and therefore different viewpoints. The real question becomes: why do you think that is?
The BlackMoose
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