A Gracie Allen quote: (with apologies to unbelievers, bear with me!)
Never place a period where God has placed a comma.
Here's my version of Gracie's quote:
Never place a period where the Senate has placed a comma.
We CAN AND WILL fill in the space after the comma in due time.
We fill in the space with Medicare for all, or a Robust Public Option, or pick your own "fill in".
But in the meantime, we MUST NOT ALLOW THE REPUBLICANS TO WIN.
IF WE DON'T PASS THE HEALTH REFORM BILL
All 117 of the Republican Representatives that voted yes on this sick, sick bill in April, 2009....WILL WIN
http://www.democraticunderground.com...
They cast that vote on April 2 in support of a GOP alternative budget plan that would have converted Medicare from an open-ended entitlement that guarantees seniors virtually unlimited access to care into a voucher system that provides future retirees only a fixed sum of money to purchase private health insurance. House Republicans backed the GOP budget including that plan to phase out conventional Medicare this April by a vote of 137-38, but it was rejected amid unanimous Democratic opposition.
Michael Steele, Dick Armey and the Tea Party WILL WIN
http://www.politico.com/...
Steele and former House Majority Leader Dick Armey will hold a joint press conference call on Monday morning to discuss efforts by both the RNC and the conservative grass-roots to stop health care reform.
The call will be the first joint effort between Steele and the tea party movement — which Republican candidates have been trying to court since the widespread anti-tax rallies in April that launched the populist uprising.
Senator DeMint WILL WIN
Dear Senator DeMint had this to say about healthcare bill:
http://www.politico.com/...
"If we’re able to stop Obama on this it will be his Waterloo. It will break him," he said.
From "My Friend", John McCain, I present you some of the things he has done for health care. JOHN MCCAIN WILL WIN
http://www.aflcio.org/...
McCain Voted to Cut Billions from Medicare. McCain voted for the budget reconciliation bill that reduced spending on Medicare by $6.4 billion by requiring that beneficiariespurchase medical equipment and cutting payments to home health care providers. [S. 1932, Vote #363, 12/21/05; Congressional Quarterly, 12/26/05]
McCain Missed Critical Vote to Bargain for Lower Prescription Drug Prices for Seniors. McCain missed a vote to amend Medicare Part D so Medicare could negotiate lower prices for prescription drugs, just like the Department of Veterans Affairs does. Prices for prescription drugs under Medicare Part D are 50 percent higher than those for veterans because the VA can bargain. [S. 3, Vote #132, 4/18/07; New York Times, 4/19/07; Families USA, 1/07]
McCain Voted for Steep Increases in Seniors’ Medicare Premiums. McCain voted against protecting seniors from steep increases in their Medicare Part B premiums. Seniors faced the premium increase because Congress increased Medicare payments to physicians but failed to enact savings from Medicare payments to private health plans. [S. 1932, Vote #287, 11/3/05]
McCain Voted to Raise Medicare Eligibility Age. In 1997, McCain voted to support provisions that would increase the age for Medicare eligibility from 65 to 67 and impose a new $5 co-payment for home health care visits. [S. 947, Vote #112, 6/24/97; S. Amdt. 445, Vote #115, 6/25/97]
I could go on and on, Youtube til I was blue in the face of all the horrible things the Republicans have said and done. But, you know the stories, you've become just as angry as I have over the right's shennanigans.
So, what are the odds that the Health Reform Bill will pass?
According to Daschle: http://www.npr.org/...
Mr. DASCHLE: Oh, I think we still have some major hurdles. You know, we probably are at about 70 percent chance of passage, but we still have to go through a conference with the House, and there's still issues that have to be resolved
Or, if you believe Axelrod:
http://www.politico.com/...
Axelrod: Well, we're way deep in the red zone. We're right on the 1 yard line. That doesn't mean that we're in. Once the Senate passes this bill, obviously there's work to be done. The House has its version; the Senate has its version. They have to agree, and we're going to have to go through one more round." ...
It occurs to me that Daschle is being the realistic one. If the progressives in the House won't roll over on the public option, Daschle's 70% seems even a little high.
If the House does a "you betcha" to the Senate, then Axelrod is right about the 1 yard line.
We each have a choice to make:
- Hold our noses and work to pass the bill, knowing that we will fill in the space after the comma before too long. But above all, it will keep the Republicans from winning.
- Give up on the Democrats... Obama, Franken, Grayson, and all the rest.
This will just about guarantee a win for the Republicans. Would that make you happy?
And now my most important benefit (not counting the beneficiaries of insurance) if the bill passes. We improve on it.
We pressure for additions, corrections and reconciliation for Medicare or public option. Besides improving the bill....we could then look Joe Lieberman in the eye and tell him that WE GOT THE LAST LAUGH, SUCKER!