Like many of you, I watch the news each night and go online daily for the latest news on reform. Just last week we heard about a major “breakthrough”, albeit not a popular one for many people who follow this blog, as worked on by five liberal and five moderate Democratic Senators (the so-called Gang of 10) was going to ensure passage of the bill. There was going to be an early “buy-in” for 55 to 64 olds to purchase Medicare, a requirement for insurance companies to maintain a 90% medical loss ratio and asking the Office of Personnel Management to administer a program offering coverage through non-profit, private health plans. Well, two out of three already seemed destined for elimination.
These “compromises” had won the support of both liberal and moderate Democrats as well as being applauded by President Obama. But, it had not yet gained the full 60 votes needed. Independent Senator Joseph Lieberman requested that the proposed Medicare expansion program be eliminated and threatened to join Republicans in blocking any bill if that proposal was not removed. He was quoted after it appeared that this provision would be removed as being “encouraged by the direction of the bill”, though he did not formally endorse the latest revision. This was the beginning of a number of other changes that essentially caused these Senators to retreat so that they can again find a new “breakthrough” that could ensure the 60 votes that they need.
With just days to go before the holiday break, it’s hard to tell if we are closer to knowing what will happen or, moving further apart. What about the abortion issue? There has been virtual silence for a few days on this issue yet it still remains a major impediment to any solution. And, will there or won’t there be a public option? Is the OPM solution adequate to meet their needs? Democrats are looking to push any sort of health care reform bill through at this point, as long as it extends some sort of coverage to uninsured Americans. Republicans on the other hand are as equally as passionate to see that it doesn’t pass.
President Obama invited all 60 Democratic Senate members to the White House today to come to a consensus. While I look forward to reading about the outcomes of this gathering, I am less than optimistic that whatever they announce will have any lasting effect – just like the past “breakthroughs”. At this point, we still don’t know.
Which leaves me to a questions I have been asking since July – What happens if nothing happens? Does anyone really know?
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Sausage and legistion, two
Sausage and legistion, two things you never want to watch being made. This whole process is unbelievable...misunderstandings, misinformation and half-truths abound, meetings behind closed doors (transparency?), required readings of amendments on the floor just to kill them those same amendments, filibusters likely, the reconciliation threat if they can’t get 60 votes, public options in drag. Too much for the right, not enough for the left, moderates dazed and confused.
But seriously, here is what I don’t get. Depending on the poll you want to choose, as many as 53% to 57% of Americans don't want this. So why are we talking about it? How can there be such a disconnect between the public and our publically elected officials? Lincoln’s comments at Gettysburg, “of the people, by the people, and for the people,” seem to have been replaced with “of the politicians, by the politicians, and for the politicians.”
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