Pulling the Trigger
In their usual slimy fashion, “moderates” in the House and Senate seem to be coalescing around the idea of a public option with a “trigger.”
This is bad news for us because we want to stop ObamaCare regardless of whether it has a public option or a “trigger” for that option.
Do we have the votes to stop it in the House and Senate?
In the Senate, assume that:
•Democrats will probably be able to win over one Republican – Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME).
•All other Republicans vote No.
•Ted Kennedy’s seat is filled by an ultra-liberal senator in the next few weeks.
•Robert Byrd continues to be unable to vote because of illness.
•Vulnerable Democrat senators like Blanche Lincoln (AR), Arlen Specter (PA), and Harry Reid (NV) are willing to throw their futures away over ObamaCare.
ObamaCare will have 59 votes, one short of the 60 needed to break a filibuster!
Now assume that Democrats somehow manage to convince one more Republican to break ranks and vote for ObamaCare. Can we stop it in the House?
Assume that:
•Republicans all vote No (the “moderates” were all dethroned in 2006 and 2008.)
•64 ultra-liberal members of the House have pledged to vote against any bill without a public option. Of those, 16 have pledged to vote against any bill if it has a trigger for the public option.
•At least three other Democrats – Gene Taylor (MI), John Adler (NJ), Eric Massa (NY) – have said that they will oppose ObamaCare, with or without a public option and/or trigger.
So there are at least 19 Democrats on very public record saying that they will vote against ObamaCare with “triggered” public option.
All we need are 19 more, and ObamaCare will die in the House.
There are 70 House Democrats who are vulnerable in 2010. Each of them will a choice to make: Vote for a partisan ObamaCare bill, or save themselves in 2010.
In the end, principled liberals and principled conservatives might end up killing ObamaCare. That’s as it should be.
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September 11th, 2009 at 7:30 pm
“In the end, principled liberals and principled conservatives might end up killing ObamaCare. That’s as it should be.”
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Hope you are correct, Poli!
September 11th, 2009 at 9:59 pm
I’m shocked that WC Varones didn’t publish my link earlier in the day saying that a pro life demonstrator was killed earlier today in Michigan. Also I emailed Power Line and they didn’t publish it as well. So much for so called conservative blogs sticking up for the pro lifers. It’s funny how Fox News can air the Detroit charter school story, but can’t air this one when I watched earlier today.
http://www.detnews.com/article/20090911/METRO/909110400/Abortion-protester–businessman-slain-in-Owosso–man-charged
September 12th, 2009 at 5:19 am
Jim Webb has sais that he will not vote for Obamacare…we’ll see!
September 12th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
Can’t wait for that public option. Knowing first hand that the health care system is driven by profit just like any other enterprise it is hard to believe that there are many Americans that believe what we have now is in our best interest. Lets see, paying 1500$ a month for an average family plan (today, years from now will be more 2000 – 3000) or having your taxes increase a couple of hundred-maybe only if you make a bundle of money ( by the way most of those responsible for the financial fiasco will see their taxes increase-because they ripped off the American people already, HELLO), mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm what is best mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm tough decision. No I prefer to keep paying the health-care system 40% of my income, yes that sounds excellent.
September 12th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
Can’t wait for that socialist option. Knowing first hand the government’s success in running things, my health care is gonna be great! They don’t care about profits (heck, why should they? they can print money!) so the cost will always be cheap for me. Deficit? Who cares! Government debt & inflation out the whazoo? It won’t affect me – just “the rich” uh-huh! Taxes? Heck those will never affect me. My taxes are never gonna go up – obama said so, and I believe everything he says. I know the government panel assigned to my case and to fund me will always take care of exactly what I need. It’s worked for Cuba, so we know it will work great here. I <3 obama care!
September 12th, 2009 at 9:25 pm
Public schools are also socialist options mmmmmmmmmmmmmm maybe that’s why some people don’t make good use of them because nothing socialist most be good.
And that’ why letting big corporations ripping you off sounds much better, at least they are not socialists. By the way, part of the rip off is keeping us sick, so that’s why they don’t spend any money educating the people on how to prevent diseases. What the heck I enjoy visiting my hospital that looks like a hotel, I can spend the rest of my retirement doing these visit, this is fun…..