Debate is over and the Health Care Bill passed!!!
Some arguments were especially compelling. I hope the senators paid attention to some of them, especially the ones coming from the Democrats.
Today was the first time I have watched C-SPAN and witnessed a vote and debate in the House of Representatives. But what a debate, what a vote! I will be able to say, I was there I saw it.
During the debate every Republican that spoke pissed me off, and every Democrat except for stupid Stupak & his followers let me to breathe a sigh of relief. And sometimes they would even get me excited and energized.
But I had a few favorites among the good democrats and I wonder, after listening to the 4+ hour debate: Who was the democrat who most effectively brought our point across?
I made a list of the democrats who got most "yeah, you go!" comments in the Live blogs. But if your pick is not in the list add it below.
Whose arguments were most effective and won you over?
Steny Hoyer
Never again will you be denied coverage because you have diabetes, asthma, or are pregnant!
He came out strong against the motion to recommit:
"Will the gentleman yield?" He was asked and responded: " I will not! I ask our party, I ask each one of us, reject this motion to recommit and pass this bill!"
Rosa DeLauro
We saved seniors from poverty when we passed medicare.
About Stupak amendment: This amendment takes away the freedom of conscience of a woman even if they pay with their own money. It violates the law of the land. Health care is a question of life and death let’s not imbue it with issue of abortion.
John Larson
The fear mongers stood on the steps of the capitol and told us to be afraid
Chris Van Hollen
This is why the seniors organization AARP and the doctors organization AMA have endorsed this bill
Henry Waxman
One serious illness away from debt or death for the underinsured or uninsured
He said about GOPer Shadegg holding a baby and talking about the GOB wishes of the baby: Shadegg is a great ventriloquist!
Frank Pallone
Maintain a broken system or make it better?
Charles Rangel
I agree with the GOP gentleman in that this is a historic moment, therefore I urge him to take the time to think about their decision.
Rangel schools Boehner on the legislative process
God is good...He gives us the responsibility to do this... It is surprising that the answer of the other side is NO. It is a shame that we can’t afford to take care of our own people... We only have this one chance to get it right... Members of congress already have health insurance.
Lois Capps
As a nurse, mother grandmother I feel privileged to vote for this bill today
Mike Doyle
on their meme that the bill will hurt seniors...
-closes donut hole
-stops recisions
-extends Medicare solvency by 5 years
-bill endorsed by AARP
G. K. Butterfield
Let’s reject the false claims and false rhetoric. This bill will not increase the debt, nor cut medicare, nor increase unemployment.
Donna Christensen
As a nurse... Let’s make history together and vote yes
Jan Schakowsky
Women need health care reform.
Against Stupak amend: Ridiculous since no woman plans an abortion. We do not seek to marginalize woman. This is an insult to millions of women in this country.
Tammy Baldwin
We have seen the Injustices of our current system, we have let years go by while people suffer. Enough is enough. Every American deserves health care and every American shall have it.
Kathy Castor
Americans have been doing everything right paying copays and premiums.... Etc
Patrick Murphy
Blue Dog democrat. This bill reduces health cost.
Christopher Murphy
Most compassionate nation in the world it does not make sense that we cannot afford for comprehensive healthcare reform.
John Salazar
blue dog in favor. This bill will help people in rural communities
Betty Sutton
Yes, Mr. Speaker the American people have been waiting for this.
Tom Perriello
Maternal pre and post natal care is included in the bill.
John Sarabanas
We are going to curve the abusive practices of health insurances. This is a good bill and it makes sense. I urge its passage.
Bruce Braley
Speak truth to fear. We saw a beautiful baby, I am going to tell you about something about another beautiful baby who has an illness
Elijah Cummins
We have a moral authority to help our fellow citizen
Debbie Wasserman Schultz
If I lost my job tomorrow I could not buy health insurance because I have a preexisting condition. Let’s fight not just for liberty but for justice for all.
Jerrold Nadler
I would have preferred single payer system but I will support the public option. This is monumental and historic and I am proud to support it.
Urged to vote no against the Stupak ammendment
Sheila Jackson Lee
Texas has 6 million people without health insurance. I am standing with American and voting for America.
Pete Stark with grandchildren.
I defy you to tell these people in your district that you voted to deny them affordable health care
John Lewis
History will not be kind to any of us if we don’t act. Be not afraid. The time is always right to do what is right.
Richard Neil
Remember the party that stood with social security and remember the party that stood with medicare!
Allyson Schwartz
Today is a great day for America
Joseph Crowley
Make history today.
Bill Pascrell
Let’s pass historic legislation.
Danny Davis
Healthcare ought to be a right not a privilege
Brian Higgins
The sad state of Health care (infant mortality, ...) is unacceptable in America. Most Americans are rooting for the reformer.
Quoted Machiavelli:
It must be remembered that there is nothing more difficult to plan, more
doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to manage, than the creation of a
new system. For the initiator has the enmity of all who would profit by the
preservation of the old institutions and merely lukewarm defenders in those
who would gain by the new ones.
— Niccolò Machiavelli
Barbara Lee
Let us rise to the occasion
Carolyn Kilpatrick
Named every organization who supports this bill. It will be valuable and as popular as social security and medicare today.
Gregory Meeks
Will we create history tonight? How long before we control the costs of health care. How long until all Americans can have access to health care. Not long!
John Conyers
Same naysayers when we passed social security, same with medicare. The same people saying no again
Rob Andrews
Let's clarify incorrect statements! It will reduce the deficit. This is not a government takeover but a consumer takeover of health care.
Reminds the GOPers that AARP supports the bill, Cancer association supports the bill, so does AMA.
He was calling out all the lies as they happened!
With this bill, a new day will come. The special interests and lobbyist and the insurance companies they all had their day, but today is not their day.
Today is the day for uninsured Americans, for hard working Americas, for a new day where every American will get the health care they deserve.
Carolyn McCarthy
Is just had surgery and got drugs prescribed and don’t need to pay anything until January because I have healthcare from the federal government.
David Wu
We have been waiting for this since Roosevelt. Since .. since Clinton. It is time to stop the waiting and start to act.
Lynn Woolsey
Recalled not having health care when she had 3 small children
Joe Sestak
spoke about the care they themselves get. And why we take care of not only our vets, but all of us.
Carol Shea-Porter
Today we vote for a bill where getting sick doesn’t mean losing your home. We don’t discriminate aginst pre existsing condition.
Nancy Pelosi
Innovation, Competition and Prevention. Affordability for middle class, security for seniors, will not add a dime to the deficit. No cap on benefits. Being a woman will no longer be a pre-existing condition. It works for small business owners. It works for consumers, keeping insurance companies honest with a public option. No longer will insurance companies come between you and your doctor. It reduces the deficit by millions of dollars in the next years. And more than 300 groups, representing tens of thousands of Americans, support this bill ... John Dingell had gavelled Medicare into law...
Senator Kennedy called Health Insurance Reform "the great unfinished task in our society"
President Obama gave them Hope, we will give them Health.
Jared Polis
We spend more and get less health care.
Tim Bishop
Reducing corporate welfare. A thoughtful approach to make sure medicare works better for our seniors. Vote yes!
Judy Chu
Gave three examples of children who are underinsured, a child with no vision care, a 24 diabetic who is past the age of coverage of their parents insurance.
Rush Holt
We cannot afford not to pass this bill.
Yvette Clark
It is a shame that some are satisfied with the status quo, satisfied with people being denied coverage.
Russ Carnahan
The time is now to fix health care in America
Bill Owens NY-23
I came to congress to move America forward
Donna Edwards
I was once uninsured.... (Dkos people like her)
Eddie Bernice Johnson
If this bill said anything as bad as what the Republican are saying I would not support it. I don’t know what bill they are reading. I urge you to support this bill.
Susan Davis
In the health care industry millions of consumers are taken advantage of and have few rights. This bill puts consumers and puts Americans first.
Sam Farr
Calls out the fear mongers! I know the fear of a mother who does not know how to take care of her child. I saw it when I worked in the peace corps in South America.
Steve Cohen
This is part of a 97 old debate. Today we can accomplish something worthwhile. Something worthwhile to be remembered. An opportunity to do good.
Diane DeGette
On Stupak amendment: Greatest restriction of a woman ‘s right to choose. This bill does not spend one federal dollar on abortions. We are here to pass healthcare reform, let’s not sacrifice reproductive rights in pursue of that goal.
Lois Capps
On Stupak amendment: This is a bill which restricts a woman’s ability to find a legal medical procedure. Vote no.
Nita Lowey
Strong opposition to the Stupak amendment: This is a distraction of the goal of the bill. Abortion should be legal and safe. To reduce abortions we should provide contraceptives and information.
Barbara Lee
I remember the times of back alley abortions. This is outrageous. We are a democracy we are not a theocracy. And low income women will especially be affected by this ammendament.
Louise Slaughter
Against Stupak ammendament
Paul Tonko
The Republicans have a bill but ... Their bill does not reduce the number of uninsured. Does not stop price gauging by insurance company. Our bill does that. I urge passage of the Pelosi bill.
John Tierney
Our bills covers 95% of Americans. With the Republican plan you pay less because you get less.
Bobby Scott
All afternoon we have heard about the "freedom" to be uninsured.
George Miller
If their plan was an evacuation plan it would be like Katrina where they left everybody else behind. With their plan you are guarantee to be left behind.
Jim McDermott
Mentioned Katrina. Republicans want you to be free to be uninsured
Lloyd Dogget
The weak tea parties brewed up by the insurance lobbies... The GOP health bill is as skimpy as a hospital gown! GOP plan: Do something for 5% nothing for 95%. Republicans want the freedom to go broke. Our bill is a life saver and a dollar saver. Republicans have chosen again to side with the big insurance companies.
Edward Markey
GOP plan is: You are on your own. They have their own pre-existing condition, a heart of stone. GOP: Grand stand, oppose and pretend (to offer a solution).
Anthony Weiner
This is what members of congress get, but they don’t want the American people to get (holding a brochure). They say they want to save Medicare but they were against it. They want medicare because they want to take take and take, but they don’t want it for you!
John Dingell
When you go to bed and wake up in the morning you know you will have healthcare insurance. A health care insurance that cannot be canceled, as it can be now. It was a tough vote in 1935 when we passed social security. It was hard in 1965 when we passed medicare.
Bruce Braley
Regarding the motion to recommit for some stupid GOP amendment against medical malpractice suits: All day you have not heard one word about patient safety. Who will speak for the patient? The cost of medical errors add millions of additional cost of treatment.
POLL
Steny Hoyer *
Rob Andrews *
Rosa DeLauro*
Henry Waxman*
Charles Rangel*
Debbie Wasserman Schultz*
John Lewis*
Richard Neil*
Brian Higgins*
Gregory Meeks *
John Conyers *
Nancy Pelosi*
Eddie Bernice Johnson*
Diane DeGette*
Barbara Lee *
George Miller*
Edward Markey*
Anthony Weiner*
John Dingell*
Lloyd Dogget*
I picked the democrats who got most "yeah, you go!" comments in the Live blogs. But if your pick is not in the list add it below. I would have added all but Kos poll only allows up to 17 options.
Opinions may vary, but pick the democratic representative with the best performance from the list below.