Ragnar
<--- Pic is not me
Two issues really. Abortion language being the obvious one and, more quietly, the Senate language on coverage for illegal immigrants. Two different groups of Democrats are still butting heads over the details. (see links below)
Realistically they have to be about as close as they have ever been. That's not an objective judgment but a guess by virtue of the tone of some of the media and statments by Pelosi. She has claimed to have the needed votes recently but I have no doubt if that were true the vote would happen right away. Still, one can hold out the slim hope that the whole thing might still fizzle and disappear leaving us some of the few freedoms we have left.
"Dead on arrival"? Still too soon to say. But whatever happens, how long can this dance really go on?
Immigration provision has Hispanic Caucus threatening ?no? health vote - TheHill.com
FOXNews.com - Senate Health Care Bill Dead on Arrival, Pro-Life House Democrats Say
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGFXGwHsD_A]YouTube - Monty Python: Not Dead Yet[/ame]
Realistically they have to be about as close as they have ever been. That's not an objective judgment but a guess by virtue of the tone of some of the media and statments by Pelosi. She has claimed to have the needed votes recently but I have no doubt if that were true the vote would happen right away. Still, one can hold out the slim hope that the whole thing might still fizzle and disappear leaving us some of the few freedoms we have left.
"Dead on arrival"? Still too soon to say. But whatever happens, how long can this dance really go on?
Immigration provision has Hispanic Caucus threatening ?no? health vote - TheHill.com
Since last fall, Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) members have kept quiet, at least publicly, about their objections to the immigration provisions in the Senate bill.
The Senate language would prohibit illegal immigrants buying healthcare coverage from the proposed health exchanges. The House-passed bill isnt as restrictive, but it does like the Senate bill bar illegal immigrants from receiving federal subsidies to buy health insurance.
Hispanic Democrats say they havent moved from their stance that they will not vote for a healthcare bill containing the Senates prohibitions.
FOXNews.com - Senate Health Care Bill Dead on Arrival, Pro-Life House Democrats Say
The health care reform bill passed by the Senate on Christmas Eve appears to be dead on arrival in the House, as six anti-abortion Democrats intend to join the ranks of lawmakers who plan to vote against the legislation, Fox News has confirmed.
Six new no votes would be enough to kill the Senate bill, and several more fence-sitting lawmakers are under pressure from both sides of the aisle.
Foremost among the six nos is Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., whose anti-abortion amendment to the House version of the legislation got the bill passed in that chamber last year.
In addition to Stupak, Rep. Dan Lipinski of Illinois has gone on the record as changing his vote to no if asked to pass the Senate bill, which some argue doesn't do enough to forbid tax-funded abortions. "Protecting the sanctity of life is a matter of principle," Lipinski said.
Other Democratic representatives who voted yes on the House bill but are a no vote if the Senate language remains are Reps. Joe Donnelly of Indiana, Kathy Dahlkemper of Pennsylvania, Steve Driehaus of Ohio and Marion Berry of Arkansas.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGFXGwHsD_A]YouTube - Monty Python: Not Dead Yet[/ame]