Senate Democrats Claim to Have 60 Votes!

[GHook93]

Senate Democrats assured of 60 votes to debate health bill - CNN.com

If this is true they will defeat the filibuster. Although I think a public option is a good thing, this bill is a disaster! Its puts so much pressure and financial responsibility, on the already pressed and cash strapped, small businesses. It's not going to be pretty. Hit the business community any more and we could be headed towards a depression.

 

[slackjawed]

But this vote allows debate, not passes it. I think that debate should be encouraged by both sides, it baffles me to see any kind of block to debate. But the again, that is exactly the type of behavior that makes me refer to them as our 'so-called leaders' most of the time. Both sides should be calling for debate on the issue.
bring on the debate.......

 

[GHook93]

But this vote allows debate, not passes it. I think that debate should be encouraged by both sides, it baffles me to see any kind of block to debate. But the again, that is exactly the type of behavior that makes me refer to them as our 'so-called leaders' most of the time. Both sides should be calling for debate on the issue.
bring on the debate.......

Debate is good, but unlimited debate as a means for the minority to stall a vote is equally as bad!

 

[slackjawed]

There rules in place that deal with debate. One may not agree with them, but there are rules in place.

 

[Oddball]

Senate Democrats assured of 60 votes to debate health bill - CNN.com

If this is true they will defeat the filibuster. Although I think a public option is a good thing, this bill is a disaster! Its puts so much pressure and financial responsibility, on the already pressed and cash strapped, small businesses. It's not going to be pretty. Hit the business community any more and we could be headed towards a depression.

It's only a vote on whether or not to debate the bill, not on cloture to cut off the debate and vote for passage.

There's a long way to go yet.

 

[Navy1960]

I don't think its very much in doubt as to the 60 votes to debate the bill. In fact the Sen. from La. who stands to get 100 Million for her state if the bill is passed and all the talk in if she is going to vote yes or not was actually funny. As was rightly pointed out, this is not a vote to cut off debate and vote, so we have a ways to go. Even with it's passage you have at least 4 years before you see any benefits from it other than the taxes, in thzt time it faces an uphill climb in court from the numerous and glaring constitutional issues in the bill. So in short you are in the 1st Quarter of a very long game. This has more to do with getting the President a win more so than anything else and has very little to do with actual healthcare reform. Need an example, well ask yourself this question, we have a Govt. run healthcare program already that is close to bankruptcy, so rather than fix that and expand that and make it affordable for those that want it and need it, what do you do? you take 500 billion from it to leverage the creation of a new department that does the same thing as the existing one. Again , this has little to do with healthcare REFORM and more to do with getting an agenda win and expanding employment in the Federal sector.

 

[Chris]

Arkansas Sen. Blanche Lincoln: "I believe it is important to begin this debate"

(CNN) -- U.S. Sen. Blanche Lincoln said Saturday that she supports bringing the health care bill to the floor for debate, giving Democrats the 60 votes needed to prevent a GOP filibuster.

Speaking on the Senate floor hours before the 8 p.m. procedural vote, the Arkansas Democrat said she would give Majority Leader Harry Reid and President Obama the crucial vote required to move the Democrats' contentious health care measure forward for debate.

Senate Democrats assured of 60 votes to debate health bill - CNN.com

 

[EriktheRed]

Arkansas Sen. Blanche Lincoln: "I believe it is important to begin this debate"

(CNN) -- U.S. Sen. Blanche Lincoln said Saturday that she supports bringing the health care bill to the floor for debate, giving Democrats the 60 votes needed to prevent a GOP filibuster.

Speaking on the Senate floor hours before the 8 p.m. procedural vote, the Arkansas Democrat said she would give Majority Leader Harry Reid and President Obama the crucial vote required to move the Democrats' contentious health care measure forward for debate.

Senate Democrats assured of 60 votes to debate health bill - CNN.com

Lincoln's essentially locked in her vote against a bill with a public option.

 

[code1211]

Senate Democrats assured of 60 votes to debate health bill - CNN.com

If this is true they will defeat the filibuster. Although I think a public option is a good thing, this bill is a disaster! Its puts so much pressure and financial responsibility, on the already pressed and cash strapped, small businesses. It's not going to be pretty. Hit the business community any more and we could be headed towards a depression.

It's only a vote on whether or not to debate the bill, not on cloture to cut off the debate and vote for passage.

There's a long way to go yet.

There has been no talk about the cost that the individual must pay to get his health insurance whether it is the public option or the mandated acceptance insurance carrier type.

My understanding is that all healthcare policies, whether the public option type or not will still need to be purchased by the policy holder. It might be a good time to make this clear to everyone.

I think that most of the public thinks that the insurace policies they will hold will be gratis.

Freedom ain't free and insurance isn't either.

 

[SFC Ollie]

Hopefully during the debate , all the true facts will come out and enough Democrats will walk away from this bill. The major fact of this bill against its passage is that we cannot afford this bill at this time because of the cost to the tax payer and the cost in jobs.

 

[Meister]

Hopefully during the debate , all the true facts will come out and enough Democrats will walk away from this bill. The major fact of this bill against its passage is that we cannot afford this bill at this time because of the cost to the tax payer and the cost in jobs.

Yep, this bill as it stands will only get 94% of people into the program, their bill was at one time going to insure everyone. So the way that I look at it is, that 10 million will pick up insurance, 20 million will still be without and a price tag of nearly 900 billion, if we want to accept the the lowball figure. 900 billion=10 million insured. Sounds like government spending at its finest...yeseree Bob...

 

[SFC Ollie]

Hopefully during the debate , all the true facts will come out and enough Democrats will walk away from this bill. The major fact of this bill against its passage is that we cannot afford this bill at this time because of the cost to the tax payer and the cost in jobs.

Yep, this bill as it stands will only get 94% of people into the program, their bill was at one time going to insure everyone. So the way that I look at it is, that 10 million will pick up insurance, 20 million will still be without and a price tag of nearly 900 billion, if we want to accept the the lowball figure. 900 billion=10 million insured. Sounds like government spending at its finest...yeseree Bob...

I am still stuck on how adding nearly a trillion dollar program will reduce the deficit. Especially with the Governments track record of making every thing they touch cost double the estimate.

 

[asaratis]

Open debate on the Senate floor will inform the listeners of the intent of the bill. Intelligent thinkers will reject it and express their views.

It's the closed-door sessions and the deliberately tricky language that concern me most.

 

[Rozman]

There will not be much the Republicans can do. This mess will go through. We all will start to pay additional taxes and the benefit if you want to call it that will not be felt for at least another 4 years.
the Libs will be patting themselves on the back on the Sunday talk shows tomorrow.

 

[Rozman]

Open debate on the Senate floor will inform the listeners of the intent of the bill. Intelligent thinkers will reject it and express their views.

It's the closed-door sessions and the deliberately tricky language that concern me most.

I heard a statistic recently that bills like this that get the votes usually get passed.
I think this bill is going through.

 

[SFC Ollie]

Lets hope your think is wrong. Or we are all screwed for many many years.

 

[saveliberty]

But this vote allows debate, not passes it. I think that debate should be encouraged by both sides, it baffles me to see any kind of block to debate. But the again, that is exactly the type of behavior that makes me refer to them as our 'so-called leaders' most of the time. Both sides should be calling for debate on the issue.
bring on the debate.......

No, just let it die here. Maybe you don't mind drifting ever closer to economic ruin. I prefer to keep the lemmings away from the cliff.

 

[Liability]

But this vote allows debate, not passes it. I think that debate should be encouraged by both sides, it baffles me to see any kind of block to debate. But the again, that is exactly the type of behavior that makes me refer to them as our 'so-called leaders' most of the time. Both sides should be calling for debate on the issue.
bring on the debate.......

You have failed miserably to see the point.

Without the filibuster the "debate" may proceed to a vote. No filibuster can now prevent that vote. Since all that is required now to pass the legislation is a majority, it will pass. Period. It will NOT be in the same form as the House shit, but that is of no moment. For, in the end, the two different bills will have to go to "reconciliation." There, in the Senate, per its rules, there will no longer be any filibuster possible. On the reconciliation, the vote will thus AGAIN be a mere majority required. Thus, all that will be needed in the Senate is 50 votes (there are 58 Democratics). With just 50 votes, several Democratics can do the old bait and switch by pretending to vote "no." It won't matter. The vote that counted was the one to end the debate TODAY. The Tie-breaker can be Vice President Biden.

It is a done deal as of today's determination in the Senate to "debate" this shit.

Thus, the final monstrosity will be passed and of course signed.

The law it puts into effect does NOT actually go into effect for about 4 more years. But -- to my complete lack of surprise -- the taxes will kick in immediately.

Thus, before the socialists now running our government get excoriated by the voters for the horrors this disastrous bill will inflict on America, they will have been safely insulated by a re-election campaign that gets completed BEFORE the horrible effects of the legisaltion take effect.

Reid is a total fucking scumbag, but he sure as hell DID successfully cram this shit down the throats of all of us. If we don't want it -- tough. The liberal Democratics have spoken. It is finished.

 

[xotoxi]

Senate Democrats assured of 60 votes to debate health bill

This is FUCKIN' AWESOME!!!

It means that ihopehefails needs to pack his bags and fuckin' LEAVE!!!

 

[Jon]

But this vote allows debate, not passes it. I think that debate should be encouraged by both sides, it baffles me to see any kind of block to debate. But the again, that is exactly the type of behavior that makes me refer to them as our 'so-called leaders' most of the time. Both sides should be calling for debate on the issue.
bring on the debate.......

You have failed miserably to see the point.

Without the filibuster the "debate" may proceed to a vote. No filibuster can now prevent that vote. Since all that is required now to pass the legislation is a majority, it will pass. Period. It will NOT be in the same form as the House shit, but that is of no moment. For, in the end, the two different bills will have to go to "reconciliation." There, in the Senate, per its rules, there will no longer be any filibuster possible. On the reconciliation, the vote will thus AGAIN be a mere majority required. Thus, all that will be needed in the Senate is 50 votes (there are 58 Democratics). With just 50 votes, several Democratics can do the old bait and switch by pretending to vote "no." It won't matter. The vote that counted was the one to end the debate TODAY. The Tie-breaker can be Vice President Biden.

It is a done deal as of today's determination in the Senate to "debate" this shit.

Thus, the final monstrosity will be passed and of course signed.

The law it puts into effect does NOT actually go into effect for about 4 more years. But -- to my complete lack of surprise -- the taxes will kick in immediately.

Thus, before the socialists now running our government get excoriated by the voters for the horrors this disastrous bill will inflict on America, they will have been safely insulated by a re-election campaign that gets completed BEFORE the horrible effects of the legisaltion take effect.

Reid is a total fucking scumbag, but he sure as hell DID successfully cram this shit down the throats of all of us. If we don't want it -- tough. The liberal Democratics have spoken. It is finished.

Exactly. Now all the Democrats need is 51 votes to pass this bill. That means that of the 60 that voted to allow debate, 11 have to change their mind. It will never happen. This bill is a done deal.

Blanche Lincoln has successfully lost my vote, which will be relayed to her personally the next time I see her back home. She was already teetering on the brink of losing her seat, now she's all but guaranteed it. To make matters better, the likely candidate she's up against is actually a reasonable guy.