Dems Pass Health Care Bill, 220 to 215

By Jeralyn, Section Legislation
Posted on Sat Nov 07, 2009 at 09:37:21 PM EST
Tags: health care reform bill (all tags)

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Update: 9:08 pm MT: The Health Care bill passes. With 6 minutes remaining to vote, there are 218 votes in favor. Final vote: 220 yes, 215 no. 39 Dems voted no, 1 Republican voted yes. House adjourns at 9:33 pm.

Now that it's a done deal, people will want to know what's in it, and what it means for them. A good starting place, with lots of links, factsheets and more:

Question: Did the Stupak Amendment save the bill? 64 Dems voted for Stupak amendment. 39 Dems voted against the ealth care bill. Does that mean the Stupak amendment resulted in 25 yeas for the HCR bill? The HCR bill only passed with 2 votes to spare. Next question: Was the trade-off wire coat hanger amendment worth it?

****

While some fool is going on about malicious trial lawyers on the House Floor, we are waiting for the vote on the full health care reform bill, which should take place in the next hour. It's the Affordable Health Care for America Now Act. The Dems need 218 votes. The Dems think they have them. [More...]

More sour grapes from Republicans on a motion to recommit the Republican bill. Making more sense, Rep. Lloyd Duggett:

"Now at this time for a historic choice—as the Republicans again side with insurance monopolies, we choose to strengthen Medicare, we choose to stand up for the millions of struggling families, who have been denied health access for far too long. Our Democratic plan is a lifesaver for 12 times as many Americans and a dollar saver—responsibly reducing the national debt by $36 billion more than this Republican false choice."

Love how the Republicans talk about choice, freedom and living in a free country but have no problem denying women the right to choose an abortion. Are they just stupid about how inconsistent that is?

< Stupak: Amendment Passes on Recorded Vote, 64 Dems Voted For It

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House Passage (5.00 / 1) (#15)
by Pat Johnson on Sat Nov 07, 2009 at 10:24:30 PM EST

What is there to celebrate? The Dems are no different than the Repubs. They have allowed the "fundies" to insert their religious beliefs into this bill and some women on both sides of the aisle agreed.

Remember when the Obama supporters beat the Hillary group over the head with the Supreme Court possibly voting against Roe v Wade if the Repubs won? Tell me the difference here if these types of laws and policies are voted in by the Dems who I thought would defend us and grant equal rights. Both parties are nothing but shams and tonight proved that this fiasco had many authors. Shameful.

What's sadder still is that Democrats (none / 0) (#1)
by Anne on Sat Nov 07, 2009 at 09:55:34 PM EST

are doing the same thing - blithely looking to deny women the right to choose, and deciding that basic gynecological health care is expendable.

Did you ever think you would see the day when Democrats would take up positions that used to be the exclusive province of Republicans?

Please don't kid yourself: Democrats have no room to talk when it comes to caving to the interests of insurance companies. Do you imagine that Dems decided all on their own that insurance companies would not be required to cover birth control or other elements of gynecological wellness? It apparently isn't enough that insurance companies are going to get the bonanza of an individual mandate - they're also going to get the bonanza of supplemental policies for women.

And I don't know who came up with the name for the House bill, but I'd venture to guess it will go right up there with the "best" of the Bush bills that were the antithesis of their titles.

If the Democrats think they hold the moral high ground on this, they are kidding themselves.

Too bad no one's laughing.

Dems are more immoral than Repubs (none / 0) (#3)
by Cream City on Sat Nov 07, 2009 at 10:00:14 PM EST

on this. Repubs didn't lie, too, about what they would do. Dems did.

[ Parent ]

: True. At this point we can (none / 0) (#11)
by mg7505 on Sat Nov 07, 2009 at 10:20:09 PM EST

only shake our heads and laugh at the Republicans. Especially when they say things like this:

"You'll be starting a civil war, you fascist tyrant!" yelled Andrew Beacham, 27, of nearby Falls Church, Va.

[ Parent ]

Well Jeralyn, apparently the Dems agree (none / 0) (#2)
by tigercourse on Sat Nov 07, 2009 at 09:59:07 PM EST

with the Republicans on denying abortion access.

Yeh, attacking the Repubs on this (5.00 / 1) (#5)
by Cream City on Sat Nov 07, 2009 at 10:01:59 PM EST

instead of the Dems is just ridiculous. Anyone here who voted for an anti-choice Repub, please speak up.

Of course, a lot of people here voted for the other anti-choice party. . . .

[ Parent ]

only 64 of them, see my prior post (none / 0) (#4)
by Jeralyn on Sat Nov 07, 2009 at 10:00:51 PM EST

Or are you talking about Pelosi's agreement to allow the vote on it?

[ Parent ]

"Only" 64? (5.00 / 1) (#6)
by Anne on Sat Nov 07, 2009 at 10:06:47 PM EST

What a badge of honor.

[ Parent ]

What was Pelosi's rationale (none / 0) (#7)
by mg7505 on Sat Nov 07, 2009 at 10:08:16 PM EST

for allowing the vote? Did she think it would be defeated? Or was the vote necessary to get enough blue dogs etc on board to pass the whole bill?

[ Parent ]

: Pelosi had said (5.00 / 1) (#8)
by Cream City on Sat Nov 07, 2009 at 10:11:51 PM EST

that she would not let a single-payer bill go forward because it would open the door for Repubs to bring in abortion, among other issues.
That worked out real well for us, Nancy.

[ Parent ]

Only almost one-fourth of the Dems (none / 0) (#16)
by Cream City on Sat Nov 07, 2009 at 10:26:06 PM EST

don't support the Democratic Party platform -- or the rights of the majority of Democratic voters.

Any Dem who donates to or votes for them is no Dem, either. Any Dem who donates to or votes for them is just as much of a joke as the Democratic Party today.

[ Parent ]

Break out the champagne, (none / 0) (#9)
by mg7505 on Sat Nov 07, 2009 at 10:15:09 PM EST

and the angry-letter-writing stationary. The abortion fiasco and the fact that this is somehow being billed as Obama's achievement, not to mention the weaknesses in the bill itself, are cause for concern. On to the Senate...

I'm getting all too used to (none / 0) (#12)
by Cream City on Sat Nov 07, 2009 at 10:20:18 PM EST

not feeling celebratory when so many so-called liberals do these days.

Instead, I'm feeling slapped in the face again.

Oh, and kicked in the uterus, too.

[ Parent ]

: A truly sad day for women, (5.00 / 1) (#17)
by mg7505 on Sat Nov 07, 2009 at 10:28:42 PM EST

thrown under the bus for no discernable gain. Also likely a day that will live in infamy for those suffering from our lack of HCR. After the near-failure in the House, the bill will be utterly destroyed in the Senate. Either that or weakened to the point of counterproductivity and passed. A day of shame.

[ Parent ]

I really doubt this margin was good enough (none / 0) (#10)
by andgarden on Sat Nov 07, 2009 at 10:19:02 PM EST

to give momentum for the Senate. This should not have been so difficult.

: Good point. (none / 0) (#13)
by Cream City on Sat Nov 07, 2009 at 10:21:24 PM EST

At least I know that my Senators will stick to it.
That's all of two Dem Senators I can count on. Big whoopee.

[ Parent ]
: Tough sell even (none / 0) (#14)
by mg7505 on Sat Nov 07, 2009 at 10:24:02 PM EST

after the Stupak sellout. I'm genuinely terrified to think what the Senate will do to this bill. The House was bad enough with the Stupak shenanigans and (thankfully failed) recommit attempt. Senate never even cared for HRC reform as much as the House to begin with. Yikes. Given that he's going to take the credit for whatever comes out of this process, let's hope Obama at least shows some actual leadership along the way. Now is the time to twist arms, cash in favors and so on.

[ Parent ]