Another Hurdle Crossed

On Saturday night, health care reform cleared a major preliminary hurdle as the Senate voted 60-39 to end a Republican filibuster and begin debate on the bill.  Two Democratic holdouts, Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas and Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, were finally convinced to join the party.  Debate is expected to begin after the Thanksgiving recess on November 30 and to continue for many, many weeks.

"My vote should in no way be construed by the supporters of this current framework as an indication of how I might vote on the final bill," said Landrieu, adding that she also will seek more generous tax credits for small-business health care.

Republicans are portraying the bill as the end of the Republic.  In an email newsletter from Johnny Isakson, one of my two senators, the Georgia Republican promised to vote against moving forward on the bill..

"because, among other things, it will raise taxes, cut Medicare services to seniors and force billions of dollars in massive unfunded mandates on states.

The unintended consequences of this legislation are disastrous to small businesses, and will drive people to a public option where there is no option at all. This is not a public option; this is a public ultimatum.

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