|
|
|
Health care reconciliation -- in the final analysis, will Scott Brown matter? |
|
|
In an election that was watched closely worldwide, Republican Scott Brown defeated Democrat Martha Coakley in the special election to fill the Massachusetts Senate seat of the late Edward Kennedy. (Kennedy was the Democrat who had championed the cause of health care reform for decades who died last summer.)
The Democrats lost their filibuster-proof majority in the Senate, but does it matter? Should it matter? Or should the rest of the Democrats just get down to business and do the right thing -- pass a comprehensive health care reform act that mirrors the kind of affordable, quality health care that is available to every citizen of every other industrialized and post-industrialized nation (and the American visitors to those nations)? Do it using the reconciliation process if necessary, but just do it. Remember, when George W. Bush passed his tax cuts, he did it with 51 members of the Senate (a mixture of Democrats and Republicans).
Concerned about the costs? Our biggest expense as a nation remains our military and its overseas adventures. Pelosi Watch suggests that we take a good, soul-searching look at ourselves and wonder why 19 men would hurl themselves to their deaths at American icons -- and then we should start cutting our military budget and pulling back the borders of our empire ...
The sanctity of military spending
Administration officials announced last night that the President, in
tomorrow's State of the Union address, will propose a multi-year freeze
on certain domestic discretionary spending programs. Salon; January 26,
2010
Murphy in final push for health care bill U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy, D-5th District, said Friday he is pushing
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to include a provision in the health
care reform bill compromise. This provision would require members ...
Bristol Press; January 15, 2010
Pelosi: It's not about Massachusetts
Nancy Pelosi denied Friday that the marathon negotiating sessions at
the White House — including last night's, which extended until nearly 2
a.m. — were prompted by increasing fears among Democrats ... Politico;
January 15, 2010
Hollow promises from Pelosi, Hoyer on health care bill
It's maddening that Democrats are acting in secret to seal a final
health care reform deal. And it's infuriating to see how smug House
Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats are as a vote approaches.
Kansas City Star; 1/15/2010
What Are Democrats Planning for Health Care Reform if They Lose the Massachusetts Senate Race?
Congressional Democrats and White House officials negotiating health
care reform are paying close attention to the Massachusetts Senate
race, where Republican candidate Scott Brown has said he will be ...
ABC News; Jan. 16, 2010
Let’s make a deal…with other people’s money
President Obama, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid,and House Speaker
Nancy Pelosi are buying votes in Congress to pass a Health Care
“Deform” bill that the majority of the American people do not want. The
North Star Nat'l; January 17, 2010
Pelosi: Mass. Election Won’t Stop Health Bill
With Democrats increasingly anxious about the special election in
Massachusetts on Tuesday and what it will mean for their big health
care legislation, the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi ... NYT; January 18,
2010
Health Care Bill May Be Ready For Cost Estimate This Week
... The issues expected to be hashed out in conference by a group that
includes Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., the Senate majority leader, and Nancy
Pelosi, D-Calif., are compromises ... National Underwriter; January 18,
2010
'Cadillac' tax deal in the works
"Unions tentatively struck a deal Tuesday to exempt collectively
bargained healthcare plans from a tax on high-cost plans expected to be
used to help raise revenue for the ... " CongressDaily reports. The
Medical News; January 18, 2010
Pelosi says Congress will pass health overhaul
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says that Congress will soon produce a
health overhaul bill, regardless of who wins the Massachusetts special
Senate election. Washington Post; January 19, 2010
Democrats vow there will be a health care bill
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters Tuesday that there will be
health care legislation, even if a Republican wins the U.S. Senate seat
in a special election in Massachusetts ... Washington Post; January 19,
2010
House Leadership Scrambles To Contain Fallout, Right Course On Health Care
It is now evident to House leadership that their plan to amend the
Senate health care bill and toss it back over to the upper chamber for
final passage has been scuttled. TPMDC; January 20, 2010
Gillibrand After Mass.: Pass Health Care
Sen. Gillibrand is not adopting the let-it-die stance on health care
that some of her colleagues are as they read the lesson book from the
Massachusetts election. She sounds more like Nancy Pelosi ... MotP;
January 20, 2010
Pelosi's Fantasia
Last night, Nancy Pelosi continued to express optimism that health care
reform was on track. "We will get the job done," she said as she left
her office just before midnight. "I am confident of that. ..." WSJ;
January 20, 2010
The Democrats Need to Find Some Spine and Pass This Bill
In the 1998 midterms, Democrats actually gained seats. A rare thing for
the president's party to pick up congressional seats in a second
midterm election. Huffington Post; January 20, 2010
US House unlikely to pass Senate health bill-Pelosi
U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Thursday she
does not think the Senate's version of healthcare reform has enough
support in the House to pass without changes. Reuters; January 21, 2010
Pelosi: House can't pass Senate healthcare bill
.... Now, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appears to rule out, for now, what
might have been the best chance for getting healthcare reform passed
anytime soon. Thanks to Brown's victory ... Salon; January 21, 2010
Pelosi: House Will Not Adopt Senate Bill
The House speaker, Nancy Pelosi of California, said on Thursday that
Democrats remained committed to passing far-reaching health care
legislation, but she said that the House ... NYT; January 21, 2010
Obama health plan in doubt as Dems reject fast fix
... "We have to get a bill passed," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi,
D-Calif., because her party would have no excuse for failing to revamp
health care when it controls Congress and the White House. AP; January 21,
2010
Pelosi: There Aren't Enough Votes To Pass The Senate Bill
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi just told reporters that she does not
believe she has enough votes in the House to pass the Senate health
care reform bill as-is -- at least not yet. TPMDC; January 21, 2010
Newt: GOP would be "clever" to work with Pelosi
Newt Gingrich thinks exultant Republicans might meander into a
post-Brown partisan trap if they aren't careful. I spoke with Gingrich
for a my story today about the huge burden on Nancy Pelosi ...
Politico; January 21, 2010
Nancy Pelosi Under Pressure To Salvage Health Care Agenda
Scott Brown's stunning upset victory in Massachusetts has reshuffled
the Senate, but its immediate consequences have fallen hardest on House
Speaker Nancy Pelosi ... Huffington Post; January 21, 2010
Pelosi: House lacks votes for Senate health bill
Nancy Pelosi says she lacks the votes to push the Senate's sweeping
health overhaul bill through the House of Representatives, a
potentially devastating blow to President Obama's signature issue. Wash
Post; January 21, 2010
Obama and Pelosi Ignoring Public’s Message, Boehner Says
The House Republican leader, John A. Boehner, on Thursday said the
House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, and President Obama were ignoring the
message inherent in the Massachusetts election results ... NYT; January
21, 2010
Doesn't Have the Votes Yet: What Nancy Pelosi Really Said
In the 2010, ultraquick news cycle, Pelosi’s “I don't see the votes for
it at this time" comment got the pretty standard treatment:
high-ranking Democrat says something about health care ... Newsweek;
January 21, 2010
Dodd: Time to put off healthcare "for a month, six weeks"
... On Thursday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she and other members
of the leadership are "not in a big rush" now. And on Friday, the
Associated Press reports, Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn. ... Salon; January
22, 2010
Healthcare reform on the ground, bleeding
... So now Pelosi is talking about two possibilities for moving forward
on healthcare reform in the House, though it's not clear that either
will work, or that either would produce the more progressive ... Salon;
January 22, 2010
Nancy Pelosi should wake up to the people's will
Regarding the Jan. 20 article "For health-care reform, picture gets
much more complicated": Has there ever been a politician as arrogant as
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi? ... Washington Post; January 22, 2010
'Brave' Congressman Announces Opposition to Senate Health Bill...After Pelosi Drops It ... It is about local Dem. Congressman Zack Space suddenly
displaying a profile in no courage by announcing yesterday his
opposition to the Senate health care bill...after Nancy Pelosi
announces ... News Busters; January 22, 2010
Week 29: After Mass. Election, Healthcare Reform Is Anybody's Guess
... When asked at a press conference whether bipartisanship was even
possible, given the current political climate, Nancy Pelosi said
Republicans "are always welcome at the table," ... Medpage Today;
January 22, 2010
Democrats' agenda hits the wall, analysts say
... The historic win in the solidly Democratic state has put the brakes
on President Obama's and congressional Democrats' key legislative
initiatives: health care reform, climate change ... CNN; January 22,
2010
Chill Out: Pelosi hasn't given up on health reform
People are getting way too worked up about Nancy Pelosi's announcement
that she doesn't have the votes to pass the Senate's health reform bill
right now. "In every meeting that we have had, ... " Majikthise; January
22, 2010
After ObamaCare
... They argue for ObamaCare as is, perhaps with sidecar amendments
that address liberal objections. But Nancy Pelosi didn't declare on
Thursday that "I don't see the votes for it at this time" ... WSJ;
January 23, 2010
Obama Hunkers Down as Health Care Falters
... House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif. speaks during a news
conference on Capitol Hill in Washington ...
AP; January 23, 2010
Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi work to save health care reform
Struggling to salvage health reform, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi have
begun considering a list of changes to the Senate bill in hopes of
making it acceptable to liberal House members ... Politico; January 23,
2010
Pelosi And Reid Team Up For Potential Party Suicide Pact
It appears that Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid are both currently on board
with the reconciliation sidecar strategy to fix the Senate bill. This
could be a good thing. ... FDL; January 23, 2010
Stayin’ Alive: Reid, Pelosi struggle to save health care reform
The surprise election of the dauntingly attractive Scott Brown to fill
the Massachusetts Senate seat left by the late Ted Kennedy has left
Democratic Congressional leaders struggling to find ways ... The Daily
Caller; Jan. 23, 2010
Congress Continues to Work on Health Deal
Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn., says Nancy Pelosi told members to expect
something they can sink their teeth into by the caucus meeting on
Tuesday. That's the latest word on negotiations on the ... Farm
Futures; Posted January 24, 2010
Pelosi: keep Mass. voters in mind on health care
Washington Post video; Posted on January 24, 2010
Nancy Pelosi listens to Congressman Adam Smith
Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) has told us that there are not enough
votes to pass the Senate version of government health care. In fact,
she said she is "way short". Examiner; January 24, 2010
Health care: Pelosi's next move?
President Obama's advisors vowed over the weekend to continue pushing
for health-care reform. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has said that
Democrats don't have enough votes to pass the ... The Week; January 25,
2010
Health reform uncertain
... House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she doesn’t have the votes needed
in the House to pass the Senate bill, and many Democrats aren’t ready
yet to let the overhaul proposal die. Denver Daily News; January 25,
2010
Decision Looms on Advancing Health Care Bill
... “The idea that at any given time the Senate would have 60 votes was
not what we would call the most ironclad assumption,” the House
speaker, Nancy Pelosi, said at a news conference on Thursday. NYT;
January 25, 2010
Futile Concessions
Over the years, I've put myself on lots of right-wing mailing lists,
which must have been why the American Center for Law and Justice called
this weekend to inform me that the Senate's health-care ... American
Prospect; January 26, 2010
|
|
Home 
Home 