We’re now in the midst of four hours of final debate on the health care bill. After two hours of gabbing – double the time allotted thanks to GOP foot dragging – the House passed the rule on the bill 242-192 with 15 Dems joining all Republicans in voting Nay. The vote provided some hope for Dems that the final version will pass …
Domestic Policy
And We’re Off…
The House has just started debate on the rule on the health care bill. Thus far Rep. Tom Price, a George Republican, has objected to every speaker – mostly women Democratic representatives talking about women’s health care issues (note to GOP: the optics of Price bullying and yelling over these women ain’t great). If it’s gonna …
Tea Party Protesters Swarm the Hill
There was a moment at today’s tea party protests when an angry crowd of 10,000 stood facing the bulk of the House Republican conference on the steps to the Capitol chanting: “Throw them out!” Members looked at each other nervously, as if saying silently to one another: hopefully they mean throw the Democrats out?
With this …
House GOP Health Care Bill
After months of criticism that they’re opposing Democratic efforts on health care reform without any ideas of their own, House Republicans today unveiled a 209-page health care reform bill. It’s a little more comprehensive than depeicted in this brilliant Tom Toles cartoon. But not by much. It doesn’t aim to expand coverage for the …
About Last Night
Larger lessons? It’s always dangerous to see too big a trend in off-year elections. But there might be one for Democrats: You are on your own. Barack Obama’s popularity–or his political operation–do not transfer when he is not on the ballot. This election could make Democrats more attuned to the political rhythms of their home states, …
Bloomberg in a Squeaker
Of all the races to watch tonight, the one everyone expected to be called right as polls closed was New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s bid for a third term. After all, the man was so insanely popular amongst the five boroughs that the city actually repealed its two-term limit so he could extend his reign. Plus, Democrats put forth …
A Health Bill This Year? New Doubts
This from Harry Reid today.
Bob McDonnell – Guinea Pig?
Voting has begun in Virginia and Democrat Creigh Deeds enters today a severe underdog – trailing by 13.4 percentage points, according to the latest realclearpolitics average of Virginia polls.
While much has been made of the GOP divisions in the NY23rd race, Virginia is shaping up to be their best hope for a recipe for success. …
Chuck-ing Health Care
We’re in the grip of election fever here in DC. Could (gasp!) Jon Corzine lose the governor’s race in New Jersey? What might a Bob McDonnell victory in Virginia mean for Republicans? For that matter, what could a Doug Hoffman win in the NY23rd mean? But, just in case you forgot, there is still a national debate going on on heath care …
A Republican Health Care Plan
Better late than never, I guess. While individual Republicans have offered proposals (and hundreds of amendments), there has been no real GOP alternative to the various health care bills that are working their way through Congress. Now, John Boehner says they are going to produce one. But when you look at what the House Minority Leader …
Public Option Premiums
would actually be higher on average than those charged by private companies participating in the new health insurances exchanges. At least, that is the surprising conclusion of the Congressional Budget Office, which Politco’s Carrie Budoff Brown found in its assessment of the new House bill.:
Medicaid: The OTHER Public Option
As I noted earlier, the real surprise in the House health care bill wasn’t the public plan–we had pretty much known for days that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi didn’t have the votes to pass her preferred version, the so-called “robust” public plan, which would have closely tied its reimbursements to health care providers to Medicare’s …
4 for 2010?
House Republicans are starting to pull together an agenda for 2010. It’s not as sweeping as the Contract with America, or, even, Six for 06. But if you’re a small businessman with a commercial real estate problem or a company wondering how you’re going to pay for mounting unemployment insurance costs — than this plan’s for you. Once, …
