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Dems have votes to start health debate
November 21st, 2009, 11:51 am · 35 Comments · posted by Dena Bunis, Washington Bureau Chief
Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark.
Sen. Blanche Lincoln said minutes ago that she will vote to let the debate start on health care reform.
The Arkansas Democrat was the last holdout Majority Leader Harry Reid needed to start deliberations on the most massive overhaul ever of the nation’s health care system.
“Although I don’t agree with everything in this measure,’’ Lincoln said, she believe its more important to start debate “rather than simply drop the issue and walk away.’’
Lincoln represents a state where polls show the public opposes the sweeping changes Democrats want to make in the health care system. She is facing a tough re-election campaign next year.
Lincoln said that despite the $3.5 million that has been spent by groups outside her state to try ands sway her vote, that her decision is not based on her re-election chances.
Like Sen. Mary Landrieu, who also announced her intention to vote yes on the motion to proceed to debate, expected at 5 p.m. Pacific time, Lincoln said her vote to proceed in no way means she will vote yes ’s a yes when the bill comes up for a final vote.
“I am opposed to a new government administered health care plan as a part of comprehensive health insurance reform,” she said. “And I will not vote in favor of the proposal introduced by leader Reid as it is written. Click here to read the Democratic bill.
Lincoln said she would also block further progress on the bill if the public option is not removed. She’s not alone in that. Independent Sen. Joe Lieberman, who has been aligned with the Democrats, also said he will vote to block substantive votes on the bill if it includes a government-run plan.
Today’s vote to allow Reid’s $848 billion bill to come to the floor is a key first step in this signature issue for the Democrats and President Barack Obama. Not one Republican is expected to allow debate to start.
GOP lawmakers say they oppose what they say is a government takeover of health care, a bill they say that includes massive tax increases and will lead to premium increases.
Reid needs 60 votes because of the rules of the Senate that govern the way bill are brought to the floor. And he’ll need 60 votes to get a final vote on the bill, something Obama would like to see done by the end of the year.
Here’s a recap of what the two sides said yesterday about the health bill.
Democrats say their will has changes such as removing pre-existing condition as an impediment to health insurance, bans on health insurers dropping people who get sick, allowing parents to insure their children under age 26, creating an insurance exchange with a public option for people who have no other way to get insurance and more coverage for preventative care.
But Republicans say Democrats aren’t being straight about the costs. They have been on the Senate floor today saying the ill will cost trillions in the next decade, raise premiums and that the mandates in the bill will lead small businesses to either cut workers or refuse to give raises because it ill mean increased costs. And GOP lawmakers also say that the measure will lead to cuts in services for the nation’s Medicare recipients.
More on health reform
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DENA BUNIS, Washington bureau chief, 202-628-6381 or dbunis@ocregister.com
BRIAN JOSEPH, Sacramento correspondent, 916-449-6046 or bjoseph@ocregister.com
JENNIFER MUIR, County government reporter, 714-796-7813 or jmuir@ocregister.com
JOEL WALSH, Washington bureau intern, 202-628-6381 or jwalsh@ocregister.com
MARTIN WISCKOL, Politics reporter, 714-285-2867 or mwisckol@ocregister.com twitter.com/MartinWisckol
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Just remember when your holding your family members hand and your told it will be months before they get care. It happened to my husbands cousin in England, it took 4 months before they cut out her breast cancer. Of course you have to wait until your 50 for a mammogram and that would never happen here, Oh wait it has already.
She died before her first grandchild was born.
Obama Care is NOT what our country needs.
Well. For once tell us what we DO need and how to DO it.
All of your DON”T and NOT is merely pathetic obstructionism without some constructive solutions.
How “Blinded by Science” you Republicans are!!!
Yes, lay it all on the Repulicans. You might usually hide under a rock, or you might be trying to obfuscate the truth, but the Repulicans ALSO have a Health Care Bill (HR 3962 - Affordale Health Care for America Act) that will never reach a congessional floor due to the Dems majority that can prevent the Bill from reaching congressional discussion. Talk about obstructionism !!
I’m not a republican, I’m a democrat who has traveled to other countries and married a man from England. That is how I know about other countries healhcare. First, how about fixing all of the fraud with medicare and medical, with the millions saved each year they could change the requirements and cover more people. I am not for big business or for insurers, I think Insurance Co. need to held up a a higher level of what they allowed to do. I think the gov proving they could do either of those things would make me a supporter of a gov run healthcare plan. At this point I see more fraud, rationing of our healthcare and pain and suffering for all. How many doctors are going to be okay with their salary level dropping since the gov won’t pay anywhere near what private insurers pay, In England and Austria a doctor only make 60k a year, how many doctor do you know are going to be okay with that?? This is something that may need to happen but lets make sure its don’t right so we don’t pay for services we don’t get. How about bumping up the number of doctor first so there is enough, how about free education so that they don’t spend 20 years paying of loans, or how about a cap on malpractice? The possiblity are endless on what can be done to fix the problems with out jumping into a program that was written in a couple of months and approved in less time. France pays 45% of their income in taxes and most of that covers their healthcare, are you okay with losing 45% of your income, that is much more that we are currently paying for taxes and healthcare.
we just need to let all our public officials know, if they vote yes, there will be a concentrated effort to make sure they are not re-elected.
these guys care more about re-election than they do the good of the people
So true Mark, Sanchez and the rest of the blue dogs are up for re-election in 2010 and we need to start working on getting them out now. I wonder what their next job will be.
I heard someone on TV say that the dems will follow their leader, “Dirty Harry Reid,” before they follow what the people who vote them in want them to do. HMMMMMMMMM, so we are not important. Boy are they going to be surprised.
Just remember when your child leaves school, cannot be covered by your group health insurance and cannot find insurance because she has asthma - think about the burden on you should she become severely ill. For all of you naysayers, I recommend you pledge to turn in your Medicare card when you are 65; tell your relatives who are veterans to decline all VA medical benefits, for friends who may be financially in a bind and have to be covered by medicaid (medical in CA) - tell them to refuse any payments and to your friends in the Senate and House - by all means let them know that you oppose their federally funded and managed health care.
Let the Dems suffer under obamas death plan.
Make it maditory for Dems ONLY !!!!!!!!!!!!
I would be fine if this was for only Democrats just as I would be fine with only Republicans fighting W’s two wars and if all retired Republicans turned in their Medicare cards.
You Republicans lost the last couple elections and are all acting like spoiled children who’s toy was taken away.
All you self-important OC Republicans have no clue how the rest of the world lives. Its a shame. Saddleback Church has messed with your minds. Keep sucking on your Binkee.
I hope you or a loved one never gets an illness, like cancer, and be told that it is your time to die. This has nothing to do with politics - we the people need to stand up and fight for our health care system. To heck with these politicians - start looking out for your family and friends who may become ill. The Obama health care is not in our best interest. Remember Obama and all these other politicians are not under this system, just you and me… they will be able to get their families covered for all their illnesses.
Sunshine I’d ask you to read the bill, but by the way your write, you probably wouldn’t understand it anyway. The bill is far from the model in the United Kingdom. With this plan you will be able to obtain insurance if you have a pre-existing condition and you won’t have to wait in line at the emergency room because the non-citizen legal residents will be required to pay for their own health insurance. The claim that premiums will increase is not true. When Anthem, United Health, Health Net and all the others find they are going to have to compete and it’s not a monopoly anymore, you’ll see premiums decrease.
Really Steve, sorry I’m writing isn’t up to your standards but its hard to write on a blackberry when I’m voluteering at a shelter. I’m sure your vast high school education doesn’t compare to my lowly college degrees. But If you have really spent anytime with this bill you would understand the problems with it and your comment about the non-citizen being required to pay, remember Obama saying if you can’t afford the plan you will still be included. With our large population of illegals in CA you will see have to see a much higher cost to cover them. Steve since I have the money to pay extra for healthcare I’m not worried about myself or my family but I feel for the people I’m spending my day with right now.
This goes beyond re-election this is it folks get ready for a whole NEW U.S. Many Americans have no idea about the change & bomb this is about to happen to them…
I can categorically guarantee that all of those who have been scared to death by Republican lies about the House and Senate bills will end up signing up for and liking our new health care system.
It’s called forced. I understand you have no idea what’s the lefts true ideology. It’s called control and manipulation. Wait for cap and tax. It has nothing to do with the so called climate debate, but pure political control.
Absolutely right! The same scare tactics were brought out when Medicare was being debated in the 60s.
I will challenge you and say NOT…
There are always some people that believe government intrusion is good, show me one govt entity that works well, other then the military. The post office is 3.4 billion in the red.I’m waiting.
Only a FOOL or naive person would believe govt run health care would be a good thing.Why don’t the politicians mandate this healthcare system for themselves? Anyone that is not a FOOL or naive knows why.
rednecks will oppose anything that is good for the country.
So central government control is good for the country.
if you really believe that, Eric, I have a bridge I would to sell you. IF this plan does go through it will ruin us and the next several generations will be buried in debt. The cost alone is staggering, and you can’t argue with that. How efficient has Medicare been, or any Government-run program, hmm? How much waste and abuse has there been? The socialist European countries that have national healthcare all have a lot fewer people to service than our 350 million or so. The higher population of the US will make it that much harder to properly serve the health needs of so many in an efficient manner. It will be a nightmare–beyond a nightmare.
I keep in touch with an ex co-worker Canadian friend of mine that lives in Canada near the border and even they are upset about this new health care plan. He visits a doctor in the US because he can get fast service, but he worries that this will be gone if the US goes the same way as Canada. His heart medication is payed by Canada, but if your not feeling well its not that easy to see a doctor.
I’ve had to wait for over 2 months to get an appt. with a Dr. and that’s with top notch insurance. I support health care reform, but I get a kick out of these Canada this, Canada that. They might have health care, but their homeless population is criminal.
You may want to check on other doctors who you can get in to see. I did that and found a great doctor - also, I have a doctor who I have been a patient for over 25 years and they always get me in when I need to see the doctor. It has nothing to do with my insurance…
I attempted to make a point that even if you have private health care you still wait. BUT I just remembered it was to see an ‘expert’ in the UC system. connect the dots.
Fired up and Ready to Go!
This is an outright attack on lower and middle class america. The senate bill does away completely with the tax on the rich (>$400k income) and even takes the healthcare mandate off the employer’s back (the employer only pays a fee if the employee has an income low enough for a gobblement subsidy).
YET the senate STILL mandates lower and middle class america to buy a healthcare policy from a corporate pig - if you don’t you get fined in the $THOUSANDS$ of dollars and go to jail if you don’t pay the fine!!! hah!
This will infuse $50 BILLION into the corporatocracy (insurers and medical delivery system) ON THE BACKS OF THE LOWER AND MIDDLE CLASS FOLKS OF AMERICA!!!!
You notice these snooty politicians won’t agree to take the same HC plan that they’re giving YOU!!!!
Obama told us a year ago that he would give us the SAME healthcare plan as congress and if we made less than $250K we wouldn’t have to pay an extra dime to fund it!!!
WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT PLAN HE PROMISED US?????
HIGHWAY ROBBERY OF THE MIDDLE CLASS!!!! BEND OVER, FOLKS!!!
Watch the insurance company stock SOAR on Monday morning!!!!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!
Just heard the news. The department that was responsible for counting the number of jobs created by the stimulus will also keep track of the expenses of the new healthcare bill. After getting the new assignment, the head of this department was heard saying “healthcare will be free for all. If it is not so we will make it so. Don’t worry be happy”.
Look folks we have hardworking bureaucrats solving our problems. Now go take a trip or a cruise. All will be fine.
SDLAD, we are allowing these people to totally screw up our lives. Handing out trillions ot the wall street banksters and criminals, extorting middle class citizens to buy a commercial product (health care insurance) from a private corporation, bankrupting our states then increasing our taxes…..it goes on and on. Now watch them pass amnesty and give 20 million illegals legal residency with a swipe of a pen!!! This is truly frightening. We have complete idiots and tyrants ruling our lives!!! HELP!!!!!!!!
How much money did they bribe Blanche Lincoln with to bring her over on the ‘aye’ side???
I see they bribes the Lousiana senator with $100 million.
What’s $100 million when they are giving TRILLIONS away to the Wall Street criminal banksters???
I used to think Mexico was corrupted. Heck, Mexico’s got NOTHING on the good ‘ol USA!!!
Average Joe you asked about a government entity that works well. How about starting with Medicare - the same system that every U.S.Senator and House member is covered by if they are over 65. If they are under 65 they are covered by a federal government health coverage plan.
Ocobserver, seriously it is too late. I do not have any more hope. I am just sick to my stomach imaging the country I will be leaving behind for my two kids. The current projection is about a Trillion dollars in deficits for the next 10 years. This country will not be able to handle that kind of a debt load. Our dollar will be worth nothing. Some of us who have studied history know what happens then. Some of us who have not studied history just to a Google on Weimar Republic.
Those of you with young families - my heart goes out to your kids. SDLAD - no way can this nonsense continue. Something has to break. It’s unsustainable mathematically. But the worst part is that elected leaders are REWARDING bad and PUNISHING good. You just can’t do that in a civilized society and expect it to survive. The productive will no longer produce. What’s the use??? Why should I work my behind to the bone when I have to bail out my neighbor who took out a home equity loan to buy new cars, go on a euro vacation, buy a new boat and now can’t pay his mortgage and is upsidedown??? They expect ME - a guy who lives within his mean - to bail out this creep??? Ugh ugh. Before I do that I will break the rules so I get rewarded too!! Sorry, I am not as stupid as Joe Biden looks!
50% tax and a p*ss poor quality of care is what this is.
All because there are too many people who refuse to earn their own keep? This is so sad for this great country. The welfare mongers are going to get what they want and we will all pay.
DOWN WITH OBAMAMESSIAH AND HIS MARXIST IDEOLOGY….