House Health Reform Passes! An Early Start to the Holiday Season

We got an early start to the holiday season during an exciting and historic weekend. Obama reminded House Democrats that they have developed more comprehensive reform than any Congress in the last 70 years, and that it was a historic opportunity to pass it. Democrats responded by passing HR 3962 by 220-215 (two more votes than necessary) and with one Republican to make it “bipartisan”. Like Thanksgiving, though, it didn’t happen without a lot of carnage beforehand. Now the rude and boorish relatives are settling in until the New Year.

First, if you missed the Republican “debate” on the bill, you can see it at the end of yesterday’s post. Apparently acting like a bullying child in response to women exercising their right to free speech is what passes for public representation now. The GOP alternative healthcare reform “plan” was just as hollow, and following an amusing rant by Education and Labor Chairman George Miller, below (“Wanna buy it? Wanna try it? Wanna sell it? Come on America, buy this one. You're guaranteed to be left behind if you're left behind today."), the House duly rejected it 176-258.

Second, one destructive plan that did pass was the anti-abortion Stupak amendment, which seeks to bar abortion services within any plan participating in the Insurance Exchange, ostensibly to avoid federal funding of abortion. When the effect is to eliminate this service from private plan benefits just because some plan members may receive federal subsidies, it goes too far. You can tell the administration so here.

Third, Dennis Kucinich and Anthony Weiner had their single payer bill and amendment mistakenly lost, then deliberately fire bombed, by Nancy Pelosi. As a result, Kucinich voted against HR 3962, because it is legislation “ … in which the government incentivizes the perpetuation, indeed the strengthening, of the for-profit health insurance industry, the very source of the problem.”

Regardless of the carnage, a healthcare reform bill did pass one chamber of Congress. Truman didn’t accomplish that. Neither did Nixon, Carter, or Clinton. Now we can bask in the tryptophan glow before heeding Obama’s call to “pass the baton” to the Senate. I'm not sure what kind of relay he thinks Congress is running – the 4 x 1600 backwards mosey? The Senate, especially, is looking more like the Yankees every day.

There is a reason for that. The Senate holds lots of rude and boorish relative types, and here comes one now. It’s Joe Lieberman, opening his big mouth again. Sunday on FOX “News” he renewed his pledge to filibuster as a matter of conscience (I didn’t know he had one) if the Senate healthcare bill has a public option, because it’s just unnecessary. Yes Joe, putting effective cost containment measures in legislation does seem over the top, doesn’t it? You can tell him so here. Then brace yourself for lots of family infighting as Harry Reid tries to get the Senate bill to the floor before the end of the year.

Update: Find out how your representative voted on women's reproductive rights and take action to thank them or spank them here.

Photo Pete Souza, The White House