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Speaker Pelosi got the final votes she needed to pass the health care bill by a 219-212 vote. AP Photo, C-SPAN
The health care care reform bill passed through the House of Representative tonight by a vote of 219-212. The Democrats needed only 216 votes to pass the bill which has already passed through the Senate with 60 votes. The Senate bill now only lack the President signature before it becomes the law of the land. The reconciliation "fix" will still have to go back to the Senate before it becomes law.
The passage of the bill represents what is possibly the most significant piece of legislation passed since Medicare which was passed in 1965. The health care bill's reach is also being compared to Social Security which was passed in 1935. The ideological divide over health care reform has some similarities with the fight over Social Security and Medicare. Supporters of the legislation say it would help to provide for the most needy and give equal opportunity to all. Meanwhile opponents argue the programs expanded government beyond its proper role and steal liberty from the people.
Democrats can only hope that the health care reform bill receives the kind of public approval that Social Security and Medicare received after their passage. With both programs the public has generally come to appreciate the services provided by the legislation even if some still object to the size and scope of the government programs. Most people running for office do not dare propose getting rid of Social Security and Medicare now for fear of the backlash it would create among the beneficiaries of the programs.
Regardless of what side of the debate one comes from nearly everyone agrees that today was a significant moment in history. Many conservatives believe today will go down as a dark day in America when the country handed itself over to socialism. Meanwhile liberals believe that today's vote will go down as a significant step toward providing the promise of America to all citizens. As soon as ten years from now historians can start evaluating which side of the argument got it right.
Comments
this marks the beginning of the end of fraudulent insurance companies.....and good riddence! you will not be missed...
Ray you silly fool. Tell me how insurance companies lose when the government forces you to take out insurance policies. The bill was written by insurance companies. Their stocks have skyrocketed. It was all a big hoax to say the insurance companies didn't want it. Well I guess you like playing the fool.
"How is that hopey-changey stuff working out for you?" Sarah Palin
it's working out Great! And how was YOUR sunday?
Hope and change are working just fine for me too.
This marks the beginning of the end for the Constitutional Republic of the United States of America.
The mechanics of this vote have changed everthing. Including the citizens relation to ( and perhaps his/her obligation to) this new type of "change the rules as we please" Government.
Just who exactly is this Government representing?...The Ins. Industrty?...The Banking industry?...The Gov't itself?....well certainly not the people....are the people then obligated to acknowledge unlawful laws?...unlawful confiscation of propery through taxes?...The folks in 1776 answered THAT with a resounding ..NO.
On this date the American people said "Yes We Can".
On March 22, at 1:27 AM jamie said wwwwwwwwwaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
jaime says:
"This marks the beginning of the end for the Constitutional Republic of the United States of America...."
man, conservatives sure are drama queens... they predicted the end of the Republic when blacks became citizens, when women got the vote, when social security was passed, when welfare was passed, when civl rights was passed, when ERA was passed, when medicare was passed, etc...anything that liberals pass is THE END OF THE REPUBLIC!!! for these drama queens...a generation after, they are still afraid to UN-pass all these things because the people of the Republic LIKE THEM TOO MUCH!...and this from a female that has benefited from half of those REPUBLIC KILLER laws that conservatives didn't want passed.
women in combat
women air force pilots
female police officers (policemen)
female firefighters (firemen)
equal pay for equal work
women truckers
etc, etc, etc
ALL opposed by conservatives when passed! THOSE were supposedly Republic Killers to conservatives.
On Nov. 2, 2010 the US citizens begin the process of taking their country back. There may be a handful on dem's who keep their jobs. 38 State Attorney Generals are filing suit. This fight's not over.
Mitch says:
"On Nov. 2, 2010 the US citizens begin the process of taking their country back..."
US citizens already have the country you idiot...I'm tired of you conservative idiots thinking that only conservatives are Real Americans and US citizens...you sound retarded when you say things like that.
Chumley,
Tell me what part of the constitution gives the government the right to force you to buy something from a private business. If you like the government telling you what to do then move to North Korea. I'll pay your fare. But you probably like it here where you can collect your welfare check, trade your food stamps for crack and booze, and talk smart on your government issued computer.
Li'l mitch, can you NAME those "38 State Attorney Generals" or even their states?
I doubt it, since it's not true - Idaho passed a bill and a single sentence in the wire story - "37 other states have bills pending" - morphed into "39 State Attorney Generals be suing!"
Dooooood.... there's LOTS of 'bills pending' that never get enacted; in fact, most of them.
Now, there are a few states saying the will sue, but far less than 38. And most of those states are ones where the insurance lobbies have much of the state government in their li'l monopoly hip pockets, such as Texas.
Snark,
Why would the insurance industry lobby against this bill when they wrote it? Google: Wall Street Journal says insurance companies wrote health care bill. The government is forcing everyone to buy their product. Notice their stocks went higher today. I never brought up the Health Care Bill at work today but person after person came up to me and vented. Of coarse Walrus and you wouldn't know about that because you two are part of the parasitic liberals crying 'where's mine...gimme gimme'. Is that the democrat's plan? Take away every body's job so then we all become lazy non-working democrats.
You're O nameless and cowardly one.
On November 4 2008 the Socialist Democrats said...."Yes we can.....take anything of yours we want".
Mitchie-lad, insurance companies like the idea that they get tons on new, healthy insurees who help profits - but they also want to ensure they keep their virtual monopolies in individual states.
The handful of state AGs whinging about the bill are in states where the state insurance commissions are bought & paid for by the insurance companies.
Welcome to the real world, kid.
Ray, How will insurance companies benefit? Read the plan 1st then talk.
1. Insurance can no longer decline pre existing condition coverage.
2. Insurance company can't drop coverage just because you got sick.
3. You been forced to buy car insurance for .... don't even know how long, and didn't have a problem with it. Now when you have to buy something that actualy benefits you, you are scared.
5. Unless you making more then $200k, you will not be affected much.
6. I've lived in Germany for a while, where they do have government insurance. Guess what, it's working great.
7. Doctors in US making by far more then in any other country in the world (1st place, $190k average vs. $130k runner up). How come US ranks 27th as far as quality of health care. Something is wrong with that.
Something is beaing done about it !
Previous post addressed to Mitch, not ray. Sorry.
Joe,
1: Wrong and AP says so.
2: See number 1
3: You are not "required" to drive. Plus car insurance is required to protect others from damage you might do.
4: You skipped 4 which tells me I'm arguing with someone who can't count to 4.
5: Taxes will be passed down through higher prices and will cost us all.
6: Then go to Germany. Heil Hitler.
7: Our doctors are the best in the world and deserve what they get. Much of their wage goes to pay for Malpractice Ins. due to over-litigious greedy lawyers.
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