Here's the scenario: Obamacare goes to conference and they hammer out a deal then it goes to the House and a bill gets passed then on the way to the Senate where....oops, Democrats don't have 60 votes anymore essentially putting an end to the bill. How can this be, what happened?
What could happen is what no one is talking about. In Massachusetts there is an election for Ted Kennedy's Senate seat and a Republican could squeak out a victory in a mid-January election. Scott Brown is the Republican state senator running against Democrat Attorney General Martha Coakley.
Curiously this race has no major poll out yet and is getting little attention nationwide. Scott could be behind yet he could win just the same, three reasons:
1. Complacency on the part of Coakley voters. They may feel the election is in the bag, too cold, snowy, rainy. They could be thinking Brown has no chance even if they don't vote and stay home.
2. Scott Brown has a base that may vote for him regardless of who he is just because they don't want the health care bill. This will be a coalition of independents, moderate Democrats along with a strong turnout of Republicans.
3. Massachusetts is a large Catholic state and Coakley is in favor of an abortion provision in the bill. The issue helped her get by her primary opponents but could set the stage, however small, in her defeat.
Of course Caokley could win regardless, after all it is Massachusetts. However if the election does go the other way it would be a massive defeat nationwide for the Democrats tied with the fact that it comes from the Senate seat of government run health cares biggest champion Ted Kennedy. Could there be a bigger irony in the history of politics?
Comments
Obamacare now that's funny!
Go Scott. Fight. Win!
Where are all the followers to
Where are all the followers to this piece of legislation? I want to hear why this will be good for America?
I thought the Senate only needed a majority vote (51 votes) after conference with the house?? I haven't seen that anywhere, but I was under the assumption they didn't need to get 60 again.
But I sure hope you are right about this!
This health care bill is a smelly mess that will do no good for anyone in the long run.
As far as November goes however, I don't see the Democrats doing good in the midterms whether they pull back now or not. The damage was done simply for going as far they have in spite of the public demanding they back down.
I'm really hoping for republicans to gain back control of both the house and the senate so that things can get back to normal around this country and people start working again. That will never happen with the far left nutjobs in control of our tax money.
Well said Ricky. I have always said that the Liberals don't even get along with other Liberals. There truly are too many differences between the two Liberal 1,000 plus page bills. They will never come to any agreement especially when they disagree on so many 'BIG' things. Our country is not ready for complete socialism just yet -maybe one day, but not quite yet!
Hey! Let's talk about Umar Farouk Muttalab. You know, the guy that was playing with matches on the flight to Detroit. We need to read him his Constitutional civil rights, STOP QUESTIONING HIM, appoint him his tax-paid lawyer, let him bond out, and give him his trial with a jury of his peers in downtown new york next month. I don't think he meant any harm to anyone. He isn't going to give us useful info anyway. He just needs a little Liberal theropy!
HeHe LOL. If he looks like a terrorist, acts like a terrorist, has ties to terrorist organizations, HAS THE NAME OF A TERRORIST ............... Nah... He was just playing....
Post conference they can debate for soemthing like 10 hours (including filibuster). After those 10 hours, it takes a majority to pass, not 60.
Again where are all the supporters of this bill. Please let us know why this is a good bill.
RE: CriticalThinker: It is correct that it only takes 51 to pass the bill but there will also be a cloture vote that requires 60 to bring the bill to the floor. Sen Ben Nelson has said he will join a filibuster if there are major changes post-conference. But even if he doesn't the Massachusetts election is very important because this is the 60th vote.
Mr. TX., I think the whole idea is great because our Go-Ment needs to be bigger..... I mean BIGGER!!! It's not big enough. Go-Ment can create jobs and help people.
Next week the Go-Ment can try to take over another one of our freedoms. Hurry Liberals hurry!!!
LMBAO
the only people this bill will help is the ones who never plan on working
My husband and I would like to know who is going to pay for everything with health care. Also why should we like even care who the state of Massachusets elects? They don't seem to much like a Catholic state to us.
Lisa getting through to you is like talking to a 2 yr old child, They hear you but generally do not listen. Va su cama! Quireres dormir!
As has been pointed out. The bill only needs 51 votes to pass.
You would think that a professional political writer would know that.
Please keep telling folks that a vote for Scott Brown is a vote against Obamacare. If enough voters in Mass realize this, Brown should win.
Obamacare is a good bill because no one ever has to pay for health care again. Its slight drawback is that because it is free, demand rises not only from Americans but from health tourists as well. This leads to spiralling costs. However these costs can be kept down somewhat by rationing the healthcare by excluding the old and generally less worthy members of society. Oh and of course you just cut defence spending every budget. Well that's how it works here in the UK.
Jeff: The bill does need 51 to win that is correct. But you need 60 to make it out of cloture. Ben Nelson threatens to filibuster with Republicans if bill is changed too drastically out of conference. Perhaps you ought to write the senator and tell HIM how the rules work.
Excellent article, and you've highlighted exactly what we're thinking within the campaign. The liberal media is shooting itself in the foot by not covering this race. We have seen an extremely motivated and brand new conservative base come out of the woodwork in MA, whereas Coakley and the very unpopular Democrat agendas are turning people off. Registered Democrats are even volunteering for the Brown campaign!
But true, where are the polls and where is the media? That national news orgs. employ thousands of pundits to discuss the private affairs of Tiger and yet completely ignore a game changing Senate race (and the only Senate race) to fill the most famous Senate seat is reprehensible.
The stench of the lies, manipulation, intimidation, coercion, bribery, and backroom deals to force us to swallow the Obamacare SCAM -- which will destroy our health care, our economy, our freedoms and our country -- has forever tainted the Democratic party.
Thinking Americans understand there's no longer a Democratic Party. The Democratic Party has been replaced by the Marxist party, bent on destroying America.
Many, many people with the auto industries in our area have Blue-Cross Blue-Sheild insurance. Blue-Cross says they will lose the benefits of their plan if the Obama health care manages to get passed. So the employees fear losing the family plans they have been on for years and don't like what they are hearing. FoMoCo executives are saying this Obama thing is going to hurt the auto industry.
I really can't understand why anyone pays any attention to this writer. Take a look at what he wrote "How the Democrats Blundered Health Care Reform" about 2 month ago. He told us how health care was dead and blah, blah, blah. He actually believed it. When I commented that nothing had been decided I was attacked by the usual right wing know nothings. Here he is again projecting his hopes as if he knows anything. My prediction: Health care gets passed. It doesn't change a thing for those who are covered. Millions of people not currently covered get covered. Half of who will be conservatives saying things like "keep the government away from my coverage."
Interesting... I can't wait to see how this plays out... my guess is it passes BEFORE the election, but if not, politics gets exciting. Thanks for the comment on my page!
Jorge
Wow!
This article woke everyone up! I will bet Coakley takes the seat, if for no other reason than the state of Massachusetts loved Ted Kennedy. This is not a vote for Coakley so don’t anyone jump down my throat, but the polls do have her in the lead. As far as healthcare, I just don’t know what to say, I am self-employed, I pay $1,000.00 per month with a $4,000.00 deductible and no dental. I don’t need if for free, somehow I’m sure that would bite people like me in the ass anyway, So what else is there, shut up, suck it up, and keep working? WHAT’S NEW !!!
Scott
From your mouth to God's ear.
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