Healthcare Reform Thread II

[Ecofarm]

Mellow dramatic? I'm about the worst speller in the world but think about that for a second, guys, jeez.

[Drake Tungsten]

Here's yet another analysis from Douglas Holtz-Eakin on the shady accounting involved in our soon to be passed new healthcare system. There's no way to stop this now, but we might as well take a good look at this **** sandwich before we all take a bite...

ON Thursday, the Congressional Budget Office reported that, if enacted, the latest health care reform legislation would, over the next 10 years, cost about $950 billion, but because it would raise some revenues and lower some costs, it would also lower federal deficits by $138 billion. In other words, a bill that would set up two new entitlement spending programs — health insurance subsidies and long-term health care benefits — would actually improve the nation’s bottom line.

Could this really be true? How can the budget office give a green light to a bill that commits the federal government to spending nearly $1 trillion more over the next 10 years?

The answer, unfortunately, is that the budget office is required to take written legislation at face value and not second-guess the plausibility of what it is handed. So fantasy in, fantasy out.

In reality, if you strip out all the gimmicks and budgetary games and rework the calculus, a wholly different picture emerges: The health care reform legislation would raise, not lower, federal deficits, by $562 billion.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/21/opinion/21holtz-eakin.html

[Hauldren Collider]

They don't have the votes yet, I think, even though they're constantly saying that they do. I'd still put this as a toss up. Still, it's down to the wire, and I'm nervous...Let's just all hope that the Stu Pack pulls through.

And yeah, the CBO scores are bull****.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKQ9dC2JdJk&feature=player_embedded#

"If you manipulate the bill, you can manipulate the score."

[Drake Tungsten]

Stupak is a yes. Game officially over.

[DinoDoc]

When did he say that? NYT still has him being coy.

[Drake Tungsten]

When did he say that? NYT still has him being coy.

BREAKING: House Democrats have picked up critical health reform “yes” votes from a group of anti-abortion lawmakers, including Michigan Rep. Bart Stupak, according to senior Democratic aides. Democrats believe a breakthrough with Stupak's group - based on the promise of an executive order to be issued by President Barack Obama reinforcing a ban on federal funding for abortion - will help give them the 216-vote majority needed to pass reform on Sunday.

http://www.politico.com/politico44/

Stupak. . . [Daniel Foster]

. . .is a yes, NRO's Bob Costa tells me from D.C. But the situation still appears very fluid.

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=ZGJiZjNiZjNlY2I4MjUxOTljMjEwNDZjMmQxNjAxYjQ

NRO updated with a denial from Stupak, but I'm not buying it. He's been looking for a way to vote yes all week.

[DinoDoc]

[DinoDoc]

NRO updated with a denial from Stupak,...

Please let that be true.

NRO's current vote tracker: TOTALS: Ayes: 211 Nays: 212 Undecided: 6

[Theben]

I think if someone really wanted to torpedo this bill, they'd agree to it early on and say no when the actual vote came up.

Out of curiosity, does anyone know what will happen to states whose health plans are already better than the federal one (Hawaii & Massachusetts)?

[DinoDoc]

Out of curiosity, does anyone know what will happen to states whose health plans are already better than the federal one (Hawaii & Massachusetts)?

They get to pay for both plans.

[Theben]

Nytimes tracker has 211 for, 208 against.

[DinoDoc]

This may litterally come down to the question of Stupak Dems believing rediculous claims of a promised executive order and the Senate saving thier asses by changing the Senate bill after the House makes it law.

[-Jrabbit]

Stupak is allegedly in the "yes" column now.

[DinoDoc]

Stupak is allegedly in the "yes" column now.

From NRO:
In the Last Hour [Kathryn Jean Lopez]

The Hill got confirmation that Bart Stupak is still a no vote.

And in the last 15, I can tell you Stupak could be seen with Susan Muskett from the National Right to Life Committee and Peggy Nance from Concerned Women for America. Both groups oppose the executive-order strategy, knowing it to be a sham.

[Theben]

Times still has him undecided.