Digby On The Health Care Battle

Very funny:

"I have a moral objection to paying for any kind of erectile dysfunction medicine in the new health reform bill and I think men who want to use it should just pay for it out of pocket. After all, I won't ever need such a pill. And anyway, it's no biggie. Just because most of them can get it under their insurance today doesn't mean they shouldn't have it stripped from their coverage in the future because of my moral objections. (I don't think there's even been a Supreme Court ruling making wood a constitutional right. I might be wrong about that.) [...]

I realize that many people disagree with my moral objections to men getting erections which God clearly doesn't want them to get, but my principles on this are more important to me than theirs are to them. So too bad. If you want a boner, pay for it yourself."

Pelosi's Miscalculation

Tucked in the health care bill is a bit of a poison pill for dems. In it is the Stupak ammendment, named after Bart Stupak, dem from Michigan, that would not fund abortions in the public option but also not pay for private plans that fund abortions. (A HUGE overreach by government)

There is a provision already on the books that's called the Hyde amendment that bars using federal funds for abortions. (passed in 1976) This simple amendment could have been used and all would have gone gingerly. But in trying to win support from about 10 house dems to pass the bill, she might have inadvertently sunk the bill.

To many progressives, even myself, this is way too much. If it is going to be in the bill, it needs to be scaled back to the Hyde amendment and not such a big reach into the private lives of women.

What are the consequences for putting this in the bill? From Politico:

"Abortion-rights advocates are calling in the cavalry to help fight off an anti-abortion provision House Democratic leaders swallowed in order to win passage of their health care reform bill. Planned Parenthood summoned 80 progressive groups to plot strategy for keeping the anti-abortion amendment — named for sponsors Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) and Joseph Pitts (R-Pa.) — out of a final health care bill."

Pelosi has a HELL of a job to do. To try and navigate this huge bill through the house while trying to appease everyone in her caucus is a huge task but you really don't want to be fighting your base in this debate. Pelosi, in her zeal to get the bill passed, might have miscalculated.

House Passes Health Care Bill

The house passed a sweeping health care bill on saturday. Not since Medicare in the 60's have dems been able to pass any major health bill. It was a monumental moment and the words like "historic" get easily thrown around. People should really take a step back and look at what is going down in Washington. It is real legislation. A type that only comes around in a generation. This is history and it feels good to be watch it transpire and being apart of it in some way.

Nancy Pelosi knocked it out of the part. The ball is in Harry Reids court.

Lost Amongst The Election

From Politico:

"It shouldn't have come as a surprise, since Republicans have lost 20 of the past 29 House special elections, dating back to January 2003. And in perhaps the most worrisome aspect of the trend, the GOP lost its fifth consecutive competitive special election in Republican-friendly territory."

Unemployment Hits 10.2%

More than anything else this number is Obama's challenge. If he can't get it down, no matter how bad Bush was, he will never get re-elected or get dems re-elected in the midterms or the general election in 3 years.

This is the barometer that will let us know if Obama is going to get re-elected.

AMA and AARP Come Out For Health Care Bill

Two large organizations are now supporting the health care bill. AMA and AARP, both representing large groups of people, have come out in support of the health care bill. This is big b/c it keeps the momentum going for the the bill. Especially after the elections when some dems might be squeamish about supporting it.

Now, we just need to pass this darn thing.

After Election Thoughts

Well, of the 4 big elections (NJ gov, Virginia Gov, House election in Cali and NY) dems lost the govs and won the special elections. The house special election in NY the dems never should have won but thanks to the crazy turf war going on in the repub party, the dem won. Not since the civil war has NY-23 seen a dem house rep.

The repubs are using this as a referendum on the dems. After reading exit polls, it seems that it was not. 58% in NJ and 48% in Virginia said it was not about Obama. The repubs are using this as a weapon but don't be scared. There is a year before the midterm elections and if health care gets passed and if Obama can get those unemployment numbers down, then dems can turn around their approval rating (which by chance is still much better than repubs.)

But dems do need to get stuff done.