I’ve been out since early this morning and just got back to find that Dems are still trying to pull together the 216 votes. Like it or not, they need some of the Stupak gang. Apparently he said yes, but then he said no.
I literally cannot watch this. I will check in later to see how it’s going. In the meantime, talk among yourselves and post any news you hear.
Update: Stupak switches to yes. I think this means the thing will pass.
Several other bloggers have referenced the Frum article, which I thought was pretty insightful. http://www.frumforum.com/. The Republicans will pay for having absolutely nothing to do with the bill. Plus inciting the crazies scares most reasonable Americans. It was absolutely imperative that the Dems pass something, and it looks like they did.
See Robert Reich, The Final Health Care Vote and What it Really Means. I like big picture stuff, and get worn out with all the ups and downs and minutae.
I fortunately don’t know too many people who will be directly affected by this legislation. An old girlfriend who is too poor for health insurance will now be required to buy it; she actually resents this. I hope whatever subsidy come along changes her mind. It will be great for everyone that insurance cos can’t drop people when they’re sick or deny those with pre-existing conditions.
I’m a lot more interested in how this changes the landscape politically and culturally, down the road. Will it really be a win for Democrats and particularly for us who believe that collective action through government can make a positive difference in people’s lives? Will it help push the rotting stench of Reaganism (Government Is The Problem) out of people’s minds and over the cliff? I sure hope so.
I am certain that the GOP opposed this for far deeper reasons than those that arise from their usual myopic concerns; a success here would go a long way toward invalidating their whole I-Got-Mine-F*ck-You philosophy.
I was fond of reading Sara Robinson’s posts from Canada (she and her family, alas had to move back to the States). In Canadian culture, people view going to the doctor (thereby using government supplied health care) as a civic duty. Staying well is part of the unspoken requirements for citizenship; you don’t want to burden others with your illness. In the US, we’ve so adopted the rugged individualist view toward health care that we’re oblivious to the facts that 1) nearly everyone will have a time of need at some point, and 2) postponing or denying problems now makes them much worse and expensive for everyone down the road. This doesn’t even talk about the economic and social costs of a nation of people who limp along for years without adequate care.
As Reich points out, this won’t change the culture overnight, and even keeping these gains (if they indeed prove to be a net gain) will require vigilance against periodic conservative attacks, but at least it is a step in the right direction toward eviscerating the cultural pathology of Reaganism.
David Drier, R-Calif. is repeating all of the R’s non-systemic reform talking points. He is following a string of R’s who all reserved the right to extend and amend their remarks “regarding this flawed health care plan.” The utter failure of the R’s to develop a plan or anything approaching it since 1984 seems not to shame them. I’m only watching this so I can see the votes cast and watch the R’s expressions. Yes, it’s childish, but if they’re not ashamed, I’m not!
What will be the next “Chicken Little, The SKY IF FALLING!!!? subject for Glenn, Rush, Sean, and the rest of the right-wing shouters to SCREAM about to move their lemmings along off the next cliff?
I’m sure that they’ll continue to scream about health care. But, they’ll need to up the ante (or anti).
What’s next? How we all have to pay for the deficit the THEY created, but blame on Democrats? Or, will Obama be accused of the Priest-child abuse scandal in the Catholic Church? I can hardly wait to see how Sean, the good little Alter boy, tries to pin pedophile and pederast Priests on Obama and Rev. Wright.