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StumbleHarry Reid, Dems meet to keep health bill alive
60 votes becomes difficult without Sen. Joseph Lieberman’s support
AP Photo/Harry Hamburg
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nev., left, and Senate Budget Committee Chairman Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D. walk on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 10, 2009, following the Democratic policy luncheon.
Published Monday, Dec. 14, 2009 | 4:22 p.m.
Updated Monday, Dec. 14, 2009 | 4:31 p.m.
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WASHINGTON -- Senate Democrats huddled tonight in a quickly-called meeting and will head to the White House en masse Tuesday to salvage the health care reform bill.
Chances for the legislation's passage seriously dimmed when Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, said Sunday he could not support the latest proposal.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid needs all 60 members of the Democratic caucus on board or he must win support from across the aisle. But the lone Republican who has been heavily courted, Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine, has also said she has concerns about the new proposal to expand Medicare eligibility to those 55 to 64 years old.
Options are running short as Reid must begin a complicated series of votes by mid-week if he hopes to pass the legislation by Christmas.
Republicans were capitalizing on Democratic discontent. Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the minority leader, suggested one Democrat could halt the bill.
"We need just one Democrat, just one, to say, 'Mr. President, I'm sorry,'" McConnel said on the floor as Democrats met.
The latest proposal was a delicate compromise between moderate and liberal senators that swapped out the controversial government-run public option in favor of the Medicare expansion.
The latest proposal was a delicate compromise between moderate and liberal senators that swapped out the controversial government-run public option in favor of the Medicare expansion.
Gutting the Medicare proposal now to appease Lieberman would be a blow to progressive and liberal members who fought for a public-run alternative to private insurance. Losing their support would dismantle the 60-vote majority needed for passage.
Progressive groups have long battled Lieberman over his opposition to the public option plan and they quickly turned on him again today for threatening the latest compromise.
The Progressive Change Campaign Committee enlisted its members to sign a petition pushing for use of the procedural tool called reconciliation to pass the bill with just a 51-vote majority. They also stepped up their pressure on Reid.
"Polls show that Reid would be committing political suicide -- and slapping the overwhelming majority of Nevadans who support a public option in the face -- if he caves to Joe Lieberman," said Adam Green, co-founder of the group.
Green repeated his call to take away Lieberman's chairmanship "to teach a lesson to others." Reid has so far refused to do.
Experts though have said reconciliation would be a cumbersome process with potential pitfalls.
Polls show Americans are mixed on health care reform, disapproving of President Barack Obama's handling of the issue. But majorities, including a slim majority in Nevada, say they support a government-run option to private insurers.
Reid looked downcast as he opened the Senate this afternoon, but appeared more upbeat this evening as he delivered a speech on the floor about the bill's provision to expand prescription drug coverage for seniors by closing the so-called donut hole, which now leaves older adults paying out of pocket costs until they hit a threshold and Medicare coverage kicks back in.
The Senate was in session for a second weekend. Reid's majority leader's office off the Senate floor has been the hub of negotiations throughout much of the debate. White House officials were under the dome Sunday and senators filed in and out of Reid's office today.
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According to Rasmussen Reports, 56% of Americans now oppose the health care plan proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats.
What's it matter if you have health care or not when YOU'RE OUT OF A JOB! These Dems have their priorities so far out of whack it's almost comical.
I totally agree with JPM...and if they put the penalty in, where if you dont take it you must pay a penalty - WHEN NO ONE IS WORKING is really intellegent !!!!
As a hard working American, I hope that this does not pass! Employeed, or unemployeed, this bill will do more harm than help for me and the future generations that have to pay for it.
call joey "i love israel more than america" lieberman...
express your outrage...
what a maggot he turned out to be...
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Just one of the numerous reasons "all" of Harry's challengers for the 2010 election are leading him in pre-election Nevada voter surveys.
SEE YA HARRY!
Let's make that FORMER Senator Harry Reid.
-- and slapping the overwhelming majority of Nevadans who support a public option in the face --
What planet does this guy live on? I don't know one person who wants this. But, I don't hang with social parasites or illegals either.
"Green repeated his call to take away Lieberman's chairmanship "to teach a lesson to others." Reid has so far refused to do."
That will teach Liberman for standing by his principles instead of following orders from Boss Obama. What a joke!
I feel like America is teetering on the edge between Democracy and Dictatorship. Doesn't public opinion count for anything anymore?
Birdiedreamin, smoke your Liberal I want more free stuff pipe somewhere else. Your comment was pure propaganda made up by you. Yet you voted for Obama who sat in Rev. Wrights "God Damn America" church for 20 years......smooth. And that's FACT not self made up propaganda.
Joseph Lieberman is just one of SEVERAL Democrats that could not support Harry Greid's Health Insurance bill.
But it serves Harry Greid to blame it on one guy.
Harry has been putting the Bums Rush on this deal for 11 months and now the gig it up
Lisa Mascaro; what are you looking at to come up with this; "But majorities, including a slim majority in Nevada, say they support a government-run option to private insurers."?
Every poll I've seen says the opposite, so where did this come from?
Meeting is now over and Gried has officially been punked by Liebergirl. Anyone with any sense of pride at all would commit harikari but this guy wants another six years from us to keep failing, flubbing, and faltering?!?
I don't really care which R emerges from the primaries. ANYTHING has to be better than this disgraceful pile of it.
it's 6:30 and Harry has sold us out again. time for him to go back to the cabin in Searchlight.
BTW, Nevada has now become a third-world-state. No education, no healthcare, no jobs.
It's citizens are moving to Mexico to find prosperity. But, a new casino was built.
Harry Reid must be either senile or have alzheimers. He continually goes against the wishes of his consituents, time and time again.
He has allowed Illegal Immigrants to take jobs from Nevada citizens or Legal immigrants during these economically depressed times without opening his mouth or doing something to correct it.
He has become a bigger CLOWN than HIS President (not mine). He will become "Former Senate Majority Leader and Former Senator" very soon.
Just like "Rubber Stamp Titus". Titus campaigned on that Jone Porter was a "Rubber Stamp" of Bush. She is MUCH, MUCH, MUCH WORSE WITH oDUMA err Obama. She will be able to go to UNLV in 2011 save her a spot.
He is taking credit for numerous things that he had absolutely nothing to do with. He has hurt the state not helped it and only has lined his pockets.
In addition, you see him when he Comes to the Fasion Outlet Mall at Primm to shop at Neiman Marcus. He and his Entorouge park in the fire lane against the curb, this is against the law. A couple of his guys walk the sidewalk and when
Security asks them to leave they say "we're with Senator Reid. Yeah, and what's your point??????
Guess Harry Reid thinks he's above the Law just like Bozo Obama.
50%+ DON'T like involvement in Afghanistan so let's pull out. Joe. And dump Joe from his committee assignment.
Lisa Mascaro apparently either doesn't read polls or she just feels it's OK to lie about American's preferences.
Why does everyone feel it's OK for Harry Reid and company to put pressure on fellow Senators (or bribe them) to change their vote? This practice is to say that your convictions and the will of your constituents is simply invalid - it's more important that you vote with me than to vote your conscience.
Is there any integrity remaining in Washington?
larry5: the simple answer to your question is "no." The hedonistic inside the Beltway crowd doesn't care about the rest of the country and our role in the world anymore than the Las Vegas Sun does.
Joe Lieberman is the poster boy for selling out his constituants in favor of BIG insurance, BIG pharma and anyone else who will grease his rails. Democrats are a big disappointment in this health care mess because they don't have the balls to stand up to losers like Lieberman or any of the right wing wing nuts. Lieberman says he's an independent, caucuses with the Democrats and snuggles up with the Republicans, yet the Dems say and do nothing.
Health care reform will fail all Americans until we weed the dirty BRIBE money from the hands of corrupt politicians on both sides of the aisle. Voting simply opens the door for the corrupt to forget who put them at the trough, and from then on its a feeding frenzy to see who can take as much dirty money as possible.
Until Americans find a way to stop our elected from accepting BRIBES nothing will go our way or solve our country wide problems. Until we find a way to eliminate the lobbyiests and return to civilized government the elected will continue to fail us. Until we find a way to implement TERM LIMITS on the corrupt politicians we will see failure.
Our system is broken and this health care fiasco is visual proof. Nothing is getting done because our leadership on both sides would rather gore us than gore BIG insurance or Big Pharma who have been goring us for decades and will continue to do so as long as our elected are sell outs to those corporations.
I voted for Obama and as yet see no real change. I'm dissapointed in him too. If he really thinks bi partisanship is going to work with this breed of Republican he's delusional. They work with no one but their lobbyiest. I'm also dissapointed in his take on investigations of the Bush Cheney Crime family,...the appointed administration that brought the endless problems we face to our country. Obama is far to timid to do whats right and show these people to a jail cell.
In the end nothing gets done, nothing is being fixed. Obama fiddles while Lieberman mumbles and counts his dirty Aetna cash.
One word comes to mind that could change this: REVOLUTION, but that depends on how many people can skip Dancing with the Stars & American Idol to concentrate on it.
I hope that Harry strips Joe Lieberman of his committee chairmanship. It would show Joe who was the boss.
Joe Lieberman could then go back being an Independent and tell Harry to go suck an egg.
Kill the Bill
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Well I see quite a bit of change in his proposals but i see a bunch of good ole boys in the GOP just opposing everything because thats how they operate. They dont want change. That would make too much sense.
If Harry spent 1/4 of the time on issues in Nevada that he does on trying to ruin the country, we might have better drinking water. Please dont let Harry get his way.
Well it seems Joe Wilson's screams of "You Lie" weren't enough to shock any of the Democrats. Come to find out that the house bill H.R. 3962, Sec.1311, makes American citizens pay for the illegal immigrants portion of the health care bill.
In the senate bill, Sec. 1501, Americans are fined and jailed for not purchasing a certain level of insurance while illegals don't have to purchase insurance as the American citizen's will be taxed to cover the cost.
This really makes sense. An American citizen who may not have a job has to pay for his and an illegals, insurance, and if he can't pay for his insurance he will be fined? How can he pay a fine if he can't pay for insurance? Oh, thats right, can't pay a fine, go to jail.
Now the illegal who doesn't have to pay for his insurance will either have the citizen pay for it , or not pay at all and have the hospital absorb all charges and fees(which is not reimbursed by the government).
This is shameful that our President and members of the Democratic House and Senate are allowing these bills to contain this language in the written sections. Harry is this why you are in such a hurry to get this bill through? Harry is this your description of campaigning for re-election? I've been a Democrat and voted Democrat for 38 years. It seems that it is the Democrats turn to take a little bit more away from the citizens' rights and freedoms. Why does it seem that the destruction flip flops back and forth from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party? Oh, yeah, I forgot, it's a bi-partisan effort.
Liberals make up their own statistical numbers that have nothing to do with facts or reality so that they can push forth their agenda and they call it "truth". Like someone already said, "I haven't met one person yet democrat or republican alike that is in favor of Obamacare".
@fremmasmind,
Good post!! Not all democrats are liberals, and not all republicans are conservatives!!
Liberals are screwed up in the brain. If you think healthcare reform is about Ostalin caring for people then you are even dumber than what you have already projected in your posts. Barack Hussein Ostalin wouldn't piss on a liberal if he were on fire!! This bill has nothing to do with caring for your fellow American, the primary issue behind this bill in the large picture is amnesty for "illegals". This is the 1st step towards granting amnesty to law breakers. Healthcare reform is simply a smoke screen. Liberals=socialists want absolute power without any resistance and they believe that can be achieved with 30 million illegals on their side. Any real American can see this for what it really is.
Obama yesterday afternoon had yet another closed door meeting and again only Democrats were allowed to attend. For someone who spoke of transparency he now holds this country's record for having none. They've reached the point of passing anything just to say they passed something. As their bill stands it will cut HALF a $Trillion from Medicare and add $400 Billion in higher taxes and higher premiums for everyone else. Although there's been no mention of cutting out the $300 Million dollar blackmail they put in for the YES VOTE of the Senator from Louisianan.
Everyday this administration proves it's adept at being inept. My hope is for change in 2010.
The push to insure everyone is... a decision to endorse a risk-averse society. There is little question that if every uninsured family in America were offered a cashier's check in the amount it will cost to provide that family with health insurance--checks that could easily be in excess of $15,000 each year--and simultaneously offered the chance to sign the checks over to purchase health insurance, many, many families would elect to take their chances and do something else with the money...
Perhaps these families would use the money to start a small business, send a child to college, go to night school, or save a child from a horrible inner-city public school system. Is there any basis for thinking that paying for health insurance is morally superior to helping a family in any of these ways?
Bring back torture for Joe.