In 1965, I was a Junior in High School. Four days after I turned 17, the House passed the Voting Rights Act. Two months later, The Senate passed it’s version. Three months after that the conference report was approved by both parties, and President Lyndon Johnson signed it into law on August 6. Despite my tender years, I sensed that I was a witness to and a participant in history, because I had already travelled to the south to protest for civil rights. I have had that sense only twice since then. The first was the historic election of a minority President. The second was the passage of Health Care Reform yesterday. Not since 1965 has Congress passed such significant legislation. My friends, we are witnessing historic events, and we are part of them, so here are some of my observations on the day.
Early in the day, much of the attention was focused on Republicans and their Teabagger storm troopers. GOP politicians and pundits kept repeating the same tired lies, claiming that it is socialism, a government takeover of health care, too expensive, contains death panels, etc. One of the most ridiculous claims was that Democrats allowed no input from the GOP, when time and time again, Obama reached across the aisle and tried to draw them into the process. The bill included over 150 amendments offered by Republicans. The final bill looks more like Nixon’s proposal that Obama’s original proposal, and it’s problems stem mostly from the inclusion of GOP requests. Meanwhile the Teabaggers continued their protest, egged on by Republican Representatives, who left the House chamber to whip-up their minions from the balcony. The Teabagger storm troopers threatened violence. The yellow sign in the graphic reads, “If Brown can’t stop it, Browning can.”
Bart ‘coat hanger’ Stupak finally caved in and agreed to vote for the bill in return for the promise of an executive order that guarantees nothing more than enforcement of the Hyde Amendment provisions that were already in the bill, and for some time in the spotlight. He got to do a colloquy on the House floor. At one point during his speech, someone in the chamber yelled, “baby killer”. Now, if you haven’t guessed, Stupak is so low on my list that I would happily support any Democrat challenging him in his upcoming run to become Michigan’s Governor. But even he did not deserve that. Republicans have tried to say that it may have come from the gallery, but one Republican Representative admitted that it came from where the Texas delegation sits. I have no doubt that the GOP knows who breached decorum, but won’t give him up. If I had to guess, I’d say it’s in character for Louie Gohmert (R-TX), but I have no evidence to support it.
In the House debate, which seemed endless, I heard nothing new from either side, and finally, the Senate bill passed 219 – 212 and the reconciliation bill, 220-211. Not one single Republican voted for either. Obama plans to sign it tomorrow. When I know which Democrats voted No on the bill, I shall post it.
Here is a timeline for the bill:
Here are the effective dates of major provisions of the health care overhaul legislation approved Sunday:
WITHIN A YEAR
– Would provide a $250 rebate this year to Medicare prescription drug beneficiaries whose initial benefits run out.
90 days after enactment:
– Would provide immediate access to high-risk pools for people with no insurance because of pre-existing conditions.
Six months after enactment:
– Would bar insurers from denying people coverage when they get sick.
– Would bar insurers from denying coverage to children with pre-existing conditions.
– Would bar insurers from imposing lifetime caps on coverage.
– Would require insurers to allow people to stay on their parents’ policies until they turn 26.
2011
– Would require individual and small group market plans to spend 80 percent of premium dollars on medical services. Large group plans would have to spend at least 85 percent.
2013
– Would increase the Medicare payroll tax and expand it to dividend, interest and other unearned income for singles earning more than $200,000 and joint filers making more than $250,000.
2014
– Would provide subsidies for families earning up to 400 percent of poverty level, currently about $88,000 a year, to purchase health insurance.
– Would require most employers to provide coverage or face penalties.
– Would require most people to obtain coverage or face penalties.
2018
– Would impose a 40 percent excise tax on high-end insurance policies… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <McClatchy DC>
Bear in mind that this applies to the Senate bill. The reconciliation bill has several improvements, but before I include them, I’m waiting for the reconciliation bill to clear the Cesspit Senate. On that note, MoveOn is sponsoring an online petition for the Senate to keep their promise. Even if you opposed this plan, I hope you will now support it, because choice has changed. The Senate bill will become law, as is, the moment Obama signs it. The choice is now only on whether or not the reconciliation fixes will be included. To sign the MoveOn petition, click here.
I just heard a GOP pundit say that Obama is a fool, because he has spent all his political capital on getting this passed. That is another GOP lie. Obama would have lost his political capital, only if the measure had failed. The passage of this historic measure is an achievement that took 100 years of failures before its final success. This success can only increase Obama’s political capital. The more time that passes, the more that people realize that all the GOP lies were exactly that, the more people see that this will benefit them, the more Obama’s political capital will increase. That does not mean we are done. This is only a step toward universal, single-payer health care.
In closing, I heartily congratulate President Barack Obama, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, all the Representatives who worked to deliver reform, and all of us who made our own contributions to changing future history. Together, we made it happen.
