Obama heads to Senate to push health reform bill

Previous update; Nelson Abortion amendment unlikely to pass

An amendment restricting abortions does not appear to have enough support to be attached to the Senate healthcare bill.

Senate Republican Whip Jon Kyl (Ariz.) said he expected that all but a few Republicans would support the Sen. Ben Nelson’s (D-Neb) amendment, which would restrict access to abortions for women who receive federal subsidies.

But the amendment is likely to be subject to the Senate’s 60-vote threshold, and Kyl does not expect 20 votes on the other side to back the controversial change.
“Most Republicans will but I don’t think that will be enough to carry it through, it’s a 60-vote margin,” Kyl told The Hill Thursday afternoon.
Republicans control only 40 seats, which means Nelson would have to pick up the support of at least 19 Democrats (or 18 plus one of two independents), an unlikely scenario given strong opposition from the Democratic base.
Liberal Democrats were confident the measure, based on an amendment Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) succeeded in adding to the House bill, would not pass the upper chamber.
“I don’t think Stupak is passing so I’m not worried right now, we’re going to defeat it,” said Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), one of the most outspoken Senate advocates for abortion rights.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said earlier in the day that Nelson’s amendment would be one of the next to reach the Senate floor andhttp://i2.crtcdn.net/images/spacer.gif that his colleague was trying to round up GOP support.

it will never include coverage for abortion until the hyde amendment is overturned.

Why people are flipping out about the Stupak amendment is beyond me.

It didn't change a goddamn thing.

I think we need single payer, but that is besides the point. This bill will be "raped & pillaged" by the GOP. How come they don't add a provision in the bill stating "that any entity that is involved with the health industry CANNOT contribute to a political campaign". Insurance cos. and drug cos. take a portion of their massive profits and put the money back into the politicians pockets, if you don't think that influences their convictions, your fooling yourself. We live in a country controlled by greed and fame.

William S. Burroughs would be proud, now if only we can get an orchestra to play behind a glass wall.

God love them for it.

FactCheck on health care reform:

Politifact address all of the fear mongering and exaggerations from both sides of the aisle. It includes analysis on the medicare cuts which will not affect patients or doctors directly.

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/subjects/health-care/?page=5

All you tea baggers out there listen, please when you are eligibel for Medicare/medicaid just opt out. Yes continue paying your insurance and please do not fill out an end of life plan with your family. The guys you support in congress who in fact ALREADY

Oh but hey, you are the "developing story" king here. What a joke.

"$460 billion in Medicare cuts"

Are they trying to put doctors out of business? How about cutting the BILLIONS going to continue the folly in Afghanistan? How f***cked up is this?

Previous Update:

WASHINGTON - With a Senate showdown looming, the politically potent AARP rode to the rescue of Democrats on Wednesday, supporting $460 billion in Medicare cuts to help pay for landmark health insurance legislation.

As Republicans pressed to restore the cuts, AARP said Democrats merely were recommending elimination of waste and inefficiency within the giant health care program for seniors.

"Most importantly, the legislation does not reduce any guaranteed Medicare benefits," A. Barry Rand, the AARP's CEO, said in a letter to senators.

Republicans, led by Sen. John McCain, said seniors would lose some of their add-on benefits that are part of coverage under private insurance Medicare. "Above all, we must not use Medicare as a piggy bank" to pay for other programs, the Arizona Republican said.

Democrats, sensitive to the charges, rallied behind an alternative proposal by Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., saying the bill would cause no reduction in guaranteed Medicare benefits.

A vote was expected later Wednesday on the issue, one of two that have dominated early debate on health care legislation that President Barack Obama has urged Congress to enact.

Women's health care was the other. The two parties maneuvered for political advantage on that issue, as well, each backing a promise to provide new no-cost preventive procedures such as mammograms.

http://www.politico.com/livepulse/1209/Dems_willing_to_stay_through_Christmas_re...

aarp supports this plan? more evidence of how bad its going to be, the worst part is this "reform" is going to suck so bad that it will kill any idea of socializing healthcare in the US. We have no one to blame but ourselves

Good for them! Someone should stand up to the super-rich, super-exploitive big-health industries and the lackeys in the Senate who run interference for them year after year. The American health care industries are fleecing and gouging America almost as badly as Wall Street. And they do it in the same way, with powerful Washington insiders in their pockets.

Thanks, AARP, for coming out decisively for health care reform despite the flak from the health care lobby and its well-financed attacks on all health care reform supporters.

Who cares, this is just a fight over who will central plan.....do you want big government corporatist republicans, or do you want big government corporatist democrats....

horrible options.

Previous update: Democrats willing to skip Christmas recess

Democratic senators said they told Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev) Wednesday that they are willing to stay in session through the Christmas break to finish the health care reform bill.

Accusing Republicans of stalling tactics, Democrats emerged from a caucus meeting vowing to complete the bill by the end of the year.

"People are willing to be here," said Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio). "We talked about the troops are in Iraq and Afghanistan on Christmas, there is no reason we can't be here."

The Senate has yet to cast any votes on amendments because Democrats and Republicans have been unable to agree on the terms of those votes.

Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) would not agree Tuesday to schedule votes on an amendment to remove Medicare cuts from the bill. McConnell said he wanted a vote, but too many Republicans still wanted to speak on the issue - which the GOP considers a political winner for them, arguing that it will harm a key constituency, senior citizens.

"If the floor activity is any indication, the Republican caucus does not want this bill to be amended, debated or even passed," said Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.).

Senators said there was discussion in the caucus meeting of tabling the Medicare amendment, which would essentially kill it and allow Democrats move onto the next amendment.

http://www.politico.com/livepulse/1209/Dems_willing_to_stay_through_Christmas_re....

Get It Done!!!

good news. but am I supposed to be fucking impressed by this ? people are dying in the streets in America because they have no healthcare and I'm supposed to be impressed that some fat cat Senator is willing to forgo his Christmas? get the work done. the time is long overdue.

In response, the Republican Senators have unanimously agreed to skip Halloween in their united effort to just say "no."

How big of them.

They will skip or they are willing to skip?

Hey current89,

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http://blogs.current.com/currentdotcom/congratulations-your-story-has-been-featu...

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BTW -- here's how the health care reform bill story has been developing so far:

http://current.com/items/91497446_senate-set-for-historic-health-care-debate-mon...

http://current.com/items/91374745_house-dems-set-for-health-care-vote-aarp-to-en...

http://current.com/items/91380855_bachmann-calls-on-protestors-to-use-scare-tact...

http://current.com/items/91381358_ama-aarp-endorse-house-health-bill-protests-oc...

http://current.com/items/91383127_lieberman-9-arrested-in-his-senate-office-insi...

http://current.com/items/91383149_boehner-rebellion-occurring-in-u-s.htm

http://current.com/items/91390310_reid-eyes-tax-hike-on-wealthy-to-pay-for-healt...

http://current.com/items/91468791_senate-begins-tackling-health-bill-reid-commit...

http://current.com/items/91475883_ap-poll-most-favor-taxing-the-rich-to-pay-for-...

http://current.com/items/91494625_senate-unveils-health-care-bill.htm#addComment

http://current.com/items/91568006_mit-americans-would-pay-less-under-senate-heal...