Health Care Reform Bill Passes

This is the holy grail for dems and they got it. Amazing day for dems. While there was no public option, there were laws implementing fairness.

Some highlights:

-Insurance companies can't deny coverage due to previous conditions like cancer.

-Insurance companies can't drop someone b/c they got too sick.

-Gives 32 million more Americans who didn't have health insurance access to insurance.

-closes medicare donut hole (a hole making seniors pay for some drugs.)

-creates insurance exchanges allowing states to combine and promotes competition between insurance agencies

That and much more. Check out the Times website.

What's next. The reconciliation bill. Two bills were passed on Sunday. One goes to Obama to be signed. The other bill (reconciliation fix-it bill) goes to the Senate to be passed. It's chances are very good.

For the GOP they totally gambled and lost. They are now spouting "repeal" which is the most asinine thing I have heard of in a long time. Take away peoples insurance and safe guards. They are really digging their hole as deep as possible.

Immigration Reform Time

With Health Care about passed, it is time to bring out legislation that will show how crazy the GOP really is.

"Days before a planned march in Washington, D.C., two U.S. senators announced their framework Thursday for a bipartisan immigration bill that would increase resources for border enforcement, create a biometric Social Security card to prevent forgeries and legalize millions of undocumented immigrants."

Why do this now? First, it was a campaign promise. And a good one. Our country needs reform. But also, like last time with Bush pushing for reform, the legislation brings out the crazies. This is one piece of legislation that repubs wish would get passed quickly. Watch what happens. There will be some aspiring repub who comes out strong against it and s/he will starting whipping up the right into a frothy frenzy for all of America see. If dems drag out the vote on this a little longer and have it pass in august, people will get a good view of the extremism on the right. It could definitely buffer the major losses heading the dem's way in November.

Soooo Close

Good news on Health Care

"I have always thought that the key is to get within four or five votes. Once you're there, you're very likely to win. Why? Because then the White House and Democratic leaders can concentrate all their attention on a few holdouts. And they can make an irresistible argument: If you don't vote for this bill, you will be responsible for the political and moral disaster that ensues. I just don't think anybody is willing to be the person who kills health care reform. They may hold back, they may want to see if the bill is going to die anyway, and they may want somebody else to go first. But when the finish line is in sight, they won't say no."

God I hope so!

Huge Week For Dems, GOP and Health Care

This kind of sums it up.

"This is a week for the history books, one way or another. The participants understand that, which helps to explain the intensity of the procedural maneuverings. But some are disinclined to focus on the broad impact, if only because they are too anxious to consider the ramifications if their side fails."

Reid Growing A Pair

Look at Reid getting all badass.

"As I told the Republican leader last week, If you want to vote against health care and health insurance reform, that's your privilege to do so, but don't shut down the Senate. Stand up and vote. Don't threaten to stand in the way next time, just because you didn't get your way the last time. And when you make political calculations, don't forget the American people,"

Wow, I would love to see more of this.

GOP To Campaign On Repealing Health Care

Please god let this be true.

"Under pressure from conservatives, the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee said today that GOP candidates will coalesce around a pledge to repeal a health care bill that’s passed by the Democratic controlled Congress this year."

Who could have imagined a party hell bent on taking people's health care away. What bottom feeders.

How An Insurance Company Helped The Dems

This was a huge lift to the health care debate. A normal everyday thing in the health care industry actually saved health care reform.

"On a warm Friday in early November, California's largest for-profit health insurer submitted a plan to regulators in Sacramento. Anthem Blue Cross was seeking double-digit rate increases for many of its 800,000 individual policyholders....

Unwittingly, Anthem helped revive Democratic efforts. Every letter it sent out was a political gift for Obama. The only thing missing was a shiny red bow."

Who would have thought that the problem of the health care industry actually revived the legislation they didn't want passed.