Some politicians love it: the rough and tumble of making legislation, the months or years of struggle, behind the scenes negotiations, arm-twisting, cajoling, lobbying. Ted Kennedy reportedly loved it, and none was better at it than he.
Like Moses, he was not to have the satisfaction of leading the final march into the promised land. The bill would have been better if he had, and many progressives are disappointed in the bill as it is. Nor is it a done deal yet. It still has to pass the senate, then the conference committee.
But Harry Reid got a bill to the floor for debate that is far better than nothing, in my opinion. With not a vote to spare, and with the uncertainty at any time whether the 92 year old Robert Byrd's fragile health will allow him to be present, Reid cobbled together the necessary 60 votes to stop the determined Republican efforts to derail, delay, or do anything to stop the process.
Now we have a week to chill out, eat turkey, and then return to what promises to be more negotiating. But this was the crucial make-or-break moment. There's no doubt now that we will have a health care reform bill.
It's unlikely to be as progressive as it would have been with Ted Kennedy at the helm. Still, Kennedy prided himself in being a legislator -- skilled at the art of achieving what is possible, making compromises, based on the reality of the moment, for the greater good. I have no doubt that he would have tried to make it better -- and maybe succeeded. I also have no doubt that he would be smiling that we got this much.
Ralph
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I was apparently wrong in my thinking that the 60 vote for cloture only applied in moving the bill to the floor for debate, and that once we got over that hurdle it would only require 51 votes.
ReplyDeleteNow it seems there will be another cloture vote required to end the debate and vote on the final bill.
So, there is still more razor thin peril ahead.
HolyJoe is pontificating again, saying piously, "I don't think anybody believes this bill will pass."
ReplyDeleteIn fact, when you ask him what he doesn't like about it, he cites measures that were put in to weaken it in order to get support from people like him. For example: he complains about skyrocketing costs. In fact, the most effective way to hold down cost would be a robust public plan, which he strongly opposes -- and then complains about the cost.
I know they needed his vote; but I cannot stomach kowtowing to this creep much longer.
I think Joe might not just be a grandstander. He might be an actual crook...
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