There is an old French saying that goes:
Every country has the government that it deserves.
———
So, will the bill pass??
Probably not—Michael Barone 3/18/10, 5pm
No– Dick Morris 3/19/10, 8AM
Yes—Steny Hoyer and Nancy Pelosi 3/19/10, 9PM
No – Eric Cantor 3/19/10, 5PM
80% chance – Intrade 3/19/10, 9PM
Chaos? — The Daily Caller 3/19/10, 9PM
Abortion talks breakdown 3/20/10, 12PM
210-yes; 208-no; need 216 votes to pass; 13 undecided –NYT Interactive 3/21/10, 1PM
It is in the interest of both Democrats and Republicans to try to convince Americans that their side is gaining the upper hand in persuading the undecided Congressmen. They are simply trying to create a domino effect in order to put psychological pressure on the remaining wavering Representatives. Watch for overly confident statements when you read the big media.
You will occasionally see an article in big media that just repeats some politician’s talking points. The article might discuss Congressmen who have switched their vote and will suggest that the momentum is changing. Take articles like that with a grain of salt. They might be true, but look for multiple sources.
Related posts:
I am one of those “birthers”…Obama uses a SSN that was issued to a person born in 1890. Cheney did not ask for “objections” when he met with the Congress Jan 2009. The Constitutional requirements were that this had to be done, but was omitted. Pelosi submitted and signed two forms when Obama was running for POTUS. One form had he fulfilled the requirements re: eligibility according to the Constitution, the other had the statement removed. Both forms were filed with the Sec. of State in all states before the election. Biden stated once Cheney left a copy of BO’s birth certificate in his desk drawer when assumed office as VP. Why isn’t someone doing about this? BO is not POTUS per the Constitution and needs to be removed from office because he is absolutely ruining this country.
If nothing is done and he gets away with this, and then later reveals he was an illegal alien all along, then he will state his case that an illegal alien CAN be and should POTUS. Can you imagine what that will do in future elections? While Bush was in office, Claire McCaskill tried to have a billed passed where people not naturally born here in the U.S. could be eligible for PTUS. This was planned all along because they know Obama was not born in the U.S. Even Bill Richardson said once during the campaign “Obama is an immigrant”.
Why isn’t something done before he causes more damage from, which we cannot recover? Why keep suppressing this information when BO is breaking the law? I love my country just like millions of other people and I want it back because this administration hates this country to allow this transformation into socialism takes over.
I am sick of the grief this man has created. It has divided our country more than ever. BO is the worst President ever.
“Change we can believe in.”
That was Barak Obama’s campaign slogan. Now that his administration is entrenched in Washington, what has really changed?
Its easy to list what hasn’t changed. Government spending, rising unemployment, and an open Guantanamo Bay prison to name a few. But I thought he was going to change the way politics worked in Washington. For example, my impression is that Congress is more partisan now than during the Bush administration. But that’s just an impression I get, not a fact. And is that really the President’s fault?
What about the health care bill? This blog (http://www.backbenchmedia.com/main-reason-opposed-health-care-bill/) has reported that it is ridiculously long (1018 pages) and generally unread. Of course, long bills are nothing new – that’s not change, that’s more of the same. The bill has to be long to carry deals for individual states to buy votes. But of course, pork spending is nothing new – that’s not change, that’s more of the same.
Nobody seems to be very interested in explaining the actual contents of the bill to the American people. People I talk with seem to understand the issues, but not what is in this bill. There is not public option, but some minor changes to how insurance companies operate. What we have is a compromise bill that no one really wanted, but Congress feels like it has to pass something. I think they want save face in the eyes of Americans by passing a bill that doesn’t even come into effect until 2014. I’m afraid that if it is passed, people expecting real change will be disappointed once again. Ineffective and unpopular Congress is nothing new – that’s not change, that’s more of the same.
There definitely have been many bad political decisions made by Democrats in regard to this bill. However, the worst political decision was to not throw a bone to the Republicans.
If Democrats would have at least added one or two Republican proposals; such as the reform of Law Suit abuse, they would have peeled off a few Republican votes and could have claimed bipartisan approval. Even minor Republican support could have provided cover for many wavering and undecided Democrats.
I believe that they originally thought that Americans would approve of their health care ideas and that they could further damage a then weak Republican Party by forcing them to be the opposition to popular change.
This was a fundamental miscalculation; now Democrats are in the position of either passing the bill and getting destroyed in the next election, or not passing the bill and losing almost all political momentum (and possibly still doing poorly in the next election).
I’m glad that I’m not them.