The Senate’s proposed healthcare legislation passed an important milestone. During the waking hours on Monday, December 21, the Senate conducted a test vote to see how the bill would fare with the real vote. As expected, the vote was 60 – 40 on the proposed legislation.
Senator Ben Nelson, D-Neb, was the deciding vote for the Democratic Party and the passage of the Senate’s Healthcare Reform Bill. The Bill is expected to be voted on by Christmas, giving middle and lower-income families a much-needed Christmas present.
Though Democrats have the 60 votes they need to pass the legislation, Republicans are promising to try to thwart the advancement of the Bill. Senator Mitch McConnell, R-Ken, is promising to use the Healthcare Bill as an attack on the President Obama and other Democrats during the midterm elections.
Healthcare reform was a part of President Clinton’s campaign platform. But during his tenure in office, he was unable to make any headway. As Senator Tom Harkin declared before the first vote was cast, this event was a historic moment for government.
Comments
Not all "history" is good for this country. I am afraid that this is going to be one of those times when we look back and really, really regret letting these idiots have control! This is only the beginning, folks! God help our kids and grandkids!
This whole thing stinks and is really making me sick. For the first time in AMERICAN history, citizens will be forced to purchase something. How is this constitutional?
Actually, a lot of states require drivers to have car insurance to protect the drive who does have insurance and isn't at fault. Health insurance and preventative care will keep the the costs down for state run healthcare programs.
Ummm Eric I only have on thing to say... CAR INSURANCE! The government already insists that we buy MANY things including Car Insurance, and soon Health Insurance. While I do disagree with the mandate provision in the bill saying that this is the first time citizens will be required to purchase something has nothing to do with constitutionality.
My gripe about the mandate is that it is not balanced (in my opinion) with enough cost control measures. It seems to me that this bill will be a hand out of 30 million new customers to the insurance companies that have been gouging us for the last 60 years.
Why so many people were against the public option confuses an outrages me. Especially since I consider the public option to be a half measure to begin with, and I am very disappointed that a single payer system didn't even seem to be a part of the debate.
The basic question is "Is Health care a public good or a private good?" Like education, the health of our citizens is a public good. WE have to treat it as such. When Republicans will not contribute to the debate (fueling the hate-mongers is not debate!) to give us the best of all worlds in a bill, then we will have to work the bugs out of this one over more time. Too bad we paid those 40 representatives salaries to sit on their collective **** these last few months. (And sadly that includes my representatives.)
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