Round 1 Done on US Healthcare Reform as Sweeping Bill Wins in House of Representatives
Tougher Senate Battle Looms Ahead
Posted By: Michael Sweeney
Nov. 8, 2009
Yesterday – Saturday – was just such a pluperfectly beautiful day here in the Capital of the Middle of America: High 60s, sunny, calm. It was – somewhat appropriately, as it would turn out – much like that unexpectedly gorgeous and mildly unseasonable November night we enjoyed here a little more than a year ago…very similar to Election Night ’08, when we gloriously gathered in Grant Park to celebrate history together. Eh, who knew that "Indian Summer" could wait around and not bother to show up until AFTER Halloween and Election Day (and knocking on the door of Veteran’s Day)?
I spent my late afternoon enjoying some Starbucks iced coffee (a valuable tip: register a Starbucks card with them online and put some cash or credit on it, and things like soy and syrup upgrades are free – as are as many brewed hot or iced refills you would like in the same lingering café visit…some nice, potential cha-ching! savings there), listening to some music pumping into my head, and lazily – if happily and looking-forward-ly – drafting a short piece for here about the looming-for-a-vote Healthcare Reform bill, which was expected to be decided on in the US House of Representatives within a few days.
"Is the Beginning of the (Triumphant!) End Near on Healthcare Reform?" was the title of the update I scrawled into my always-handy notebook (while some Smashing Pumpkins "Adore" flowed into my ears), as I looked at the expected (Sunday? Monday? Maybe Tuesday?) battle between the votes that Dem House leadership Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer said were almost lined up…and the toes-dug-in denials and resistance coming out of the Boehner / "No!" / grimacing, negative Elephants side of the ledger. Were the Dems indeed close to the 218 votes (out of – remember – their 258-member (welcome, surprising new member, Rep. Bill Owens, D – NY23!) super-majority) needed to pass this much-debated bill? Or could enough conservative-to-moderate, "Blue Dog" Democrats be peeled off to defeat this important, historic bill? (It did appear as if coverage for abortions could be the main sticking point to clear the last 15, 20 votes or so needed to ensure passage…)
I built the piece to the hopeful (but cautious) conclusion of: "…Here’s hoping that those remaining (semi-holdout) Donkeys – who, recall, will ALL have to face the electoral decisions of their generally majority-supporting-healthcare-reform local voters in less than a year’s time – end up lining up with Nancy, Steny, Barack, the still-fondly-recalled (if – yes, of course, I DO realize – from the OTHER house of Congress) crusading spirit of Senator Teddy, and all of the others who have mightily toiled (including extra credit popping quickly to mind to such Reps. as Weiner, Clyburn, Greyson, Wasserman Schultz, and Dingell) to get this issue if not fully resolved (remember: the – oy! – more contentious US Senate battle on it would still lie ahead), well, then at least along its key, hugely important first steps. Do not forget – there are an estimated 44,000 American men, women, and children each year (about 120 EVERY DAY) who are dying directly due to a lack of available, affordable healthcare insurance coverage…"
…Then, after a little more unexpectedly-beautiful-night-in-Chicago wandering around, I headed home, plugged back into the news, and learned what had already gone down in Washington. And, well, frankly, I’m not sure I’ve even been LESS disappointed to find out a drafted piece of mine was already mostly obsolete! A tight, but clear 220 – 215 margin of victory (even including ONE Republican vote – from Rep. Joseph Cao from New Orleans) for the most historic, sweeping healthcare legislation since the creation of Medicare more than 40 years ago!
Yes, the at-least-somewhat-expected trade-off was the inclusion of an amendment to the bill that would prohibit the use of federal funds for abortion services (except in cases of rape, incest, or if the mother's life was in danger)…AND it is yet unclear when the Senate will get around to voting on THEIR version of the reform bill – after the Holidays? not until Spring?
…But, no matter what the small caveats and yet-to-be-cleared potential obstacles, this remains an important, historic achievement. President Obama – in his pre-vote, charge-‘em-up meeting with key Congressional Dems – called it "a chance of a generation" and foresaw that this amazing accomplishment would likely be what they all would be most remembered for by history.
…Hey – you’ve (likely) read some of my other stuff out here over the last 14 months…so, who the hell would expect ME to argue with Barack Obama?
Ah, yes – just a perfect day, indeed…
Look for my regular posts here on The Stonecipher Report. (And, for a free subscription to my twice-weekly e-mail column on politics and pop-culture, "And, in the News…" send a note to: m_l_sweeney@hotmail.com)
