Frustrated with the pace of bipartisan talks, Democratic leaders on Monday promised to push a sweeping health care bill through the Senate whether they get Republican support or not. Schumer said Democratic leaders continue to look at invoking a procedural maneuver that would allow them to pass the health bill with 51 instead of 60 votes. That route is viewed as a last resort since it limits what legislative measures would be allowed and any broad policy initiatives would probably have to be limited.
The Hill: Senate Dems at Odds Over Health Deadline A bipartisan group of senators has yet to establish a deadline for completing healthcare legislation, according to Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), contradicting a party leader. Baucus, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee who is leading closed-door negotiations, downplayed reports the he had until Sept. 15 to complete work on the bill.
Monday, August 03, 2009
LA Times: Democrats Walk a Careful Line on Healthcare Many lawmakers head home for their August recess to face constituents skeptical of Congress' overhaul plans. For Democrats in conservative districts, this could be a tough sell.
Politico: Senate Dems Spar Over Public Plan Internal clashes about the government insurance option have begun to spill into the open — as Sen. John Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) has gone public with his case against consumer-owned health care cooperatives, which are viewed as a compromise between progressives who want a public competitor to private insurers and Republicans who don’t want a new government plan.
Washington Post: Obama Trims Sails on Health Reform From the start of his presidency, Barack Obama made clear that his plan for enacting comprehensive health-care reform came down to three words: fast, broad and bipartisan. That was then. Now, as lawmakers begin to flee Washington for a month-long recess, the White House team is retooling its message and strategy, hoping a more modest approach will reinvigorate Obama's signature domestic policy initiative and give him a first-year victory for Democrats to carry into the 2010 midterm elections.
Lanny Davis: Obama’s Health Plans Confusing I am guessing that in the early days of the Obama administration, probably shortly after the arrival of Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, the "strategic decision" on health care was made, one that we are now watching unfold in recent days in Washington.
LA Times: Debating Prevention’s Place in Healthcare Bill As Congress struggles to decide how America should take care of its sick, another controversy is simmering over whether the healthcare legislation should include billions of dollars aimed at keeping people well. A draft Senate bill would provide up to $10 billion annually for a "prevention and public health investment fund" -- a portion of which could be used for infrastructure projects, such as bike paths and farmers markets meant to curb chronic and costly conditions like obesity.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Washington Times: Reform School Confused by health care reform? Rep. Tom Price has a little prescription for the Obamacare-challenged. Mr. Price is both a physician and chairman of the House Republican Study Committee, which introduced "The Empower Patients First Act" on Thursday. It equates increased patient control over personal health decisions with better care.
Politico: Blue Dogs Pulled In Two Directions Color it blue, this latest House deal to keep health care reform moving: Blue Dogs, Blue Cross-Blue Shield and all the blues sung by rural, middle-income and working-class families if no relief comes on medical insurance. Battered in the polls, a desperate White House is hailing the bargain as a way to preserve momentum before the August recess.
Fox News: Liberals Protest Health Care Deal Party leaders are quickly finding out that you can't please all Democrats all the time, as they try to reach an accord on health care reform. One day after House Democratic leaders struck what was seen as a breakthrough deal with a handful of key moderates, the liberal wing of the party lined up Thursday against the compromise.
The Hill: Democrats Launch August Health Care Defense House Democrats have started to pick up the pieces on healthcare reform, but they face a difficult month at home defending their legislation to skeptical constituents. Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Thursday laid the groundwork for their defense. She blamed the health insurance industry and urged her members to do the same during their four-week break.
Charles Krauthammer: Obama Will Settle For Less on Health Care Yesterday, Barack Obama was God. Today, he's fallen from grace, the magic gone, his health-care reform dead. If you believed the first idiocy -- and half the mainstream media did -- you'll believe the second. Don't believe either. Conventional wisdom always makes straight-line projections. They are always wrong. Yes, Obama's aura has diminished, in part because of overweening overexposure.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
AP: RSC to Introduce Budget Neutral Health Reform Solution House Republicans on Wednesday unveiled a $700 billion health care plan that would offer tax credits to help people buy insurance, yet unlike Democratic proposals, wouldn't require either individuals or employers to get coverage. The plan would offer tax deductions and tax credits to help make the purchase of health insurance more affordable for individuals. It would provide grants to states to help set up high-risk pools for people with medical problems who are denied coverage by commercial insurers.
WSJ: Support Slips for Obama Health Plan Support for President Barack Obama's health-care effort has declined over the past five weeks, particularly among those who already have insurance, a Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll found, amid prolonged debate over costs and quality of care. In mid-June, respondents were evenly divided when asked whether they thought Mr. Obama's health plan was a good or bad idea. In the new poll, conducted July 24-27, 42% called it a bad idea while 36% said it was a good idea.
Politico: Liberal’s Gag Over Health Deal House Speaker Nancy Pelosi spent half of Wednesday finalizing a deal with the Blue Dogs — and the other half quelling a brewing rebellion among progressives who think conservatives have hijacked health care reform. Liberals, Hispanics and African-American members — Pelosi’s most loyal base of support — are feeling betrayed after House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) reached an agreement with four of seven Blue Dogs on his committee who had been bottling up the bill over concerns about cost.
Roll Call: Democratic Health Care Deal Far From Sealed Congressional Democrats steered their landmark health care overhaul back from the brink Wednesday by notching breakthroughs in both chambers, but the package still faces a long and bumpy ride to passage. House leaders who have struggled for weeks to bring fiscally conservative Blue Dog Democrats on board announced a deal paving the way to get the bill through the Energy and Commerce Committee, but not to the floor, before the August break.
WSJ Editorial: Pelosi’s Job Tax Even many Democrats are revolting against Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s 5.4% income surtax to finance ObamaCare, but another tax in her House bill isn’t getting enough attention. To wit, the up to 10-percentage point payroll tax increase on workers and businesses that don’t provide health insurance. This should put to rest the illusion that no one making more than $250,000 in income will pay higher taxes.