Harry Reid, D-NV, majority leader, addressed Republican FEAR this morning. He called McConnell, R-KY's remarks and his attitude as "Orwellian" in his opening remarks this morning. Why be afraid to vote to debate health care when we have 50 million people without health care?
"What is there to be afraid of? Why be afraid to dissuss this problem?
Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-VT.
"Let's not hide under our desks because we are afraid to debate health care."
REC THIS IF YOU WANT TO LIVEBLOG HERE. See child diaries listed below.
UPDATE:
The debate will go alternate hours, Dems 10-11, GOP 11-12 and so on until 6 pm and then back and forth until 7:30, then summaries. Vote at 8 pm to be able to start actual debate.
UPDATE 2: This diary now "closed." See next installment/child:
Child #1 (NOW UP): Doctor Who
Child #2 : Christian Dem in NC
Future children will have to get along on their own since I have to leave now. See you later kids.
Mark Udall, D-CO.
"When you hear the special interest rhetoric, or turn on cable tv you can understand why people are afraid it won't work. People know the current system doesn't work. This bill represents a substantial improvement over the current system. Most importantly, it's paid for." He talked about the Bush administration contribution to our 12 trillion debt and concerns about that. This bill is paid for, unlike the Medicare prescription program (Republicans passed). The current system has been a complete disaster. People are paying more and getting less. Small businesses are being crippled by this system today.
People don't understand what is happening today. Fewer people are able to get business provided health insurance. These people end up in the ER or Medicaid. We have a public option now, but it's least effective and expensive. This will... cut our costs.
Michael Bennett D-CO
We need a public option. The House went astray: I oppose the Stupek ammendment. I'm for making our businesses more viable.
People want options for making things work for their families. My focus ison the families. We should pass this bill. Tonight we need to vote to debate this bill. We are here to honor the legacy of our parents and grandparents and provide more opportunity for people, not less. We need to put special interests aside.
Ron Wyden, D-OR
To fix this we have to have affordable coverage for everyone. It is my intent that when this bill gets to the floor I am going to work very closely with our our collegues to get beyond this polarization. That's not American. And this is such a challenge. Fixing the American economy and fixing healthcare are the same problem. This is our big challenge. The Senate must get beyond this (polarization). This promotes Accountable Care Organizations, which we've been doing(something similar) in Oregon.
Today with cherry-picking, insurance companies send people they do not want to insure into government care and select out the good risks. This is very real reform.
One last point. A lot of Americans wonder why we areturning to HC. Fixing the economy and fixing HC are two sides of the same coin. We have to rein in costs to increase the take-home pay of Americans and keep American workers competitive in this world. I'd like to do it in a bipartisan way.
Tom Udall, D-NM
Every American has something to gain from this reform. New Mexicans have a lot to lose if it does not pass. Our state cannot maintain the status quo. A family of four in my state can in 2016 expect to pay $28k a year for health care. We have the second highest uninsured rate in the country.
Reform will benefit NM small businesses. Our state ranks last in employer sponsored insurance. It's just too expensive, they say. I say help is on the way. About 700,000 are rural in NM and they have a hard time finding any health care. This legislation will help get them the service they need. When it comes to health care, many New Mexican families are living on the edge of a cliff, teetering. The status quo is not an option to New Mexicans. This is a line-line to them. This is an historic moment.
Republicans offer lunacy:
Kit Bond, R-MO:
This bill is the cause of our jobs problem.
We see evidence of government being able to make decisions on whether you can get a mammogram, what your health care will be.
This will kill jobs.
Jeff Sessions, R-AL in essence he is saying (not a quote):
Democrats lie, lie, lie. It's all lies. I don't like it one bit.
Republicans are saying it's a shell game, a Ponzi scheme, Madoff move over type stuff. It's kinda the end of the world.