Uncategorized

Today’s Health Care Checkup

By Kate Pickert | @katepickert | February 3, 2010 | +

Here’s the latest on the prospects of health care reform:

* President Obama is still publicly pushing hard for reform.

* According to Greg Sargent, the White House wants the House to pass the Senate bill, with a reconciliation fix.

* But then again, Republicans may have found a way to filibuster reconciliation.

* There is not much political help or harm to Democrats if they actually do pass a final bill. Critics of the legislation say this is proof the plan is not worth passing. Supports say its proof the Democrats should pass it.

* Lobbyists are still focused on health care reform, if only because they are worried that without it, their industries could face even larger cuts.

* While comprehensive reform remains stalled, Nancy Pelosi is trying to set up a politically winning health care vote, any vote, for her Democratic members.

* And, not related to reform in an obvious way I can think of, but use the Wii Fit balance board with caution.

Related Topics: Health Care, health care reform, Nancy Pelosi, reconciliation, wii, Uncategorized

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  • nflfoghorn

    Good for the Wii-wielding wife to know.
    .
    In a related story, I can’t bend my 2nd right toe from the big one ever since an extension cord wrapped itself around it while I was walking in the living room. Some Swampers like to play hurt.

  • shepherdwong

    “* According to Greg Sargent, the White House wants the House to pass the Senate bill, with a reconciliation fix.”
    .
    Unfortunately for them, it doesn’t really matter what the White House tells anyone, they’ve lost most credibility with the people who once believed them. We’re all waiting to see what they do.

  • deconstructiva

    Kate, thanks for thehill piece on HC lobbyists and some of them now realizing that HCR failure will hurt some (but not all?) of their interests. Does this mean they’ll pay off, I mean, pressure some R’s to abandon the infinite-amendments strategy? Or will this split the lobbyists’ influence into halves / nots? What have you heard about this, Kate? thanks for your thoughts

  • http://forgottenlord.livejournal.com forgottenlord

    At this point, they’re one amendment away from getting screwed…. Which of the two Democrats do you pity more right now, Pelosi or Reid?

  • pafro

    There is not much political help or harm to Democrats if they actually do pass a final bill.
    You are getting into bad habits like some of your co-workers.
    A poll that asks whether you are more of less likely to vote one way or another doesn’t explain the real way elections are won.
    Last night the turnout for Democrats in the Illinois primary was something like 29% lower than it was in the off year elections of 2006. If Democrats in Illinois turn out at depressed levels in Nov. then Republicans will win. If they are excited and turn out, Democrats will win.
    Passing a healthcare bill and getting a historic-style win for Democrats would do a lot to increase Democratic turnout from the depressed levels we have seen in IL, MA, NJ, and VA.
    Republicans are already itching to vote at like 80% turnout levels. They have little turnout upside.
    If you think that having high turnout among Democrats is not “political help”, then you are dumber than former Time employee Willy Kristol.

  • spob

    http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_IMMIGRANTS_DIALYSIS?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US
    .
    We can start reducing healthcare costs by deporting these people.

  • Cliff

    So you’re saying you’re for death panels, then.

  • stuartzechman

    Thanks so much for this valuable reporting, Kate Pickert.

  • rustyreturns

    Hate to break it to you fro and to kate pickert. Health care is lost. Dead. Done. Over.
    .
    Obama’s waterloo has already happened. He is a one time, one hit wonder boy.
    .
    Progressivism and Liberals in general are also out. The American people have seen a real awakening, and they are not chosing you.
    .
    Democrats will be voted out of office en mass. No longer shall we have to listen to the far left’s idea of “political correctness” or any of the other bull crap that you nutballs spew.

  • spob

    And your solution is? Part of the whole “rule of law” thing is that it is, you know, enforced. If laws are simply ignored, then you undermine democracy. Illegal aliens with serious medical problems should be deported. We should tie foreign aid to those people getting medical care once deported, but they should not be allowed to remain in the US.

  • rustyreturns

    Gee our dear Leader wants us to turn off our computers, quit blogging, quit watching TV in particular CNN, MSNBC and Fox.
    .
    Is the heat in the kitchen gettin’ HOT Barack???
    .
    Just tell Rahm to give the finger to a few more handicap people, that should make it all better, buddy!!

  • stuartzechman

    Rahm gave the finger to liberals, not the mentally challenged, Rustydog.

  • Cliff

    SZ, he equates those two terms.

  • kevin
  • rustyreturns

    Pretty much Cliffy, but I do draw the line by disparaging mentally challenged individuals who had no choice in the matter to be born with their affliction.
    .
    Rahm should be fired. “F-ing retards”? Really classy choice of words man, really classy.
    .
    Not surprised that you all remain silent about it too. Hypocrits.

  • kevin

    So in the span of 40 minutes, Rusty (a) complains about liberals forcing political correctness on this country and then (b) whines because Rahm Emmanuel isn’t politically correct.
    .
    We’ll all step back and let you debate yourself for a while, Rusty.

  • Cliff

    Do you not like them because they’re illegal immigrants or because they’re costing the health care system money?
    .
    Because chucking taxpayer money at their governments after kick them out seems to defeat the purpose.

  • maverick2k9

    Rusty, Looks like your brain has rusted after a long period of disuse. Now you have started to sound like Glenn Beck himself.

  • apr2563

    pafro, don’t know what this means, but yesterday evening I checked TPM and with 98% of the Illinois vote in, 185,000 more Dems had voted in the Senate race than Republicans. 296,000 more Dems had voted in the Governor race than Republicans. There were 2,909,000 total votes (rounded numbers). Totals include all candidates running as Dem and Rep.
    Senate
    Dem 798,000
    Rep 613,000
    Governor
    Dem 897,000
    Rep 601,000
    So, I don’t see that there was a huge Rep motivation to vote in the primary. The main election may be entirely different.

  • jcapan

    “I also think that Democrats really don’t like to govern because it makes them feel exposed. They have prostituted themselves to business and adopted neo-liberal principles, but they have to pretend that they are representing working people and the poor. They haven’t developed the skills the Republicans have for that kind of inconsistency and they just seem confused and weak.” – Digby

    Wow, that’s spot-on

  • destor23

    “Lobbyists are still focused on health care reform, if only because they are worried that without it, their industries could face even larger cuts.”

    Maybe, but I doubt it. The lobbyists are probably worried about losing the mandate, which amounts to an industry subsidy worth hundreds of billions over time.

  • Matt

    Health care reform is not dead, but anything comprehensive is out of the question. But a stalemate is surely coming because Dems need some sort of reform bill to pass to have a chance in the fall while the GOP cannot allow that to happen.

    http://www.political-buzz.com/

  • spob

    the aid is out the door anyway . . . .

  • pafro

    @Rusty, a week or so ago you were saying you hoped health care passed because it would mean more Democrats losing. I asked for your help in calling Congress and you ignored me. Are you throwing in the towel on epic Dem losses so easily?
    @apr2563, Something like 1.2 million Dems voted in the 2006 primary, and Dems hold around a 2:1 advantage in registration in IL. Dem turnout is depressed. A historic win on health care would help change that. And though Pickert doesn’t mention it, that poll she mentions shows that passing health care shores up support among independents.

  • apr2563

    pafro, thanks for putting the numbers in perspective.

  • http://brianlv.wordpress.com brianlv

    Politically correct Liberals? it was Sarah Palin who complained
    And the definition of Retarded is: delay or hold back in terms of progress, development, or accomplishment

    He called the plan retarded, not the people who made the plan. So yeah, the plan is retarded, much like Sarah Palin”s comments on anything.

  • stuartzechman

    Sure is.

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