Ace of Spades HQ

December 07, 2009

Senate Health Care Debate Moves To Abortion
— DrewM

On the agenda today, the Senate's version of the Stupak Amendment.

Senators will consider an amendment that closely mirrors language in the House version of the bill, barring federally subsidized health insurance plans from covering abortion even if the procedures are paid for entirely with customers' premiums.
Sen. Ben Nelson, a prominent anti-abortion Democrat, along with other lawmakers in both parties has insisted that taxpayer funds not be used to pay for abortions in a government-run health program.
The Nebraska Democrat is proposing an amendment that will reflect language in the one Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., offered in the House last month. It prohibits insurance companies from covering an abortion for any woman who receives a government subsidy to offset premium costs.
Nelson has said he doesn't expect a vote before Tuesday. The amendment appeared unlikely to gain the necessary 60 votes in the 100-member Senate, according to numerous lawmakers.

Nelson says he's join the Republican filibuster if his amendment isn't in the bill but I wonder if that's true. I can imagine a case where Reid comes up with some 'compromise' language that Nelson can support while at the same time saying, he's 'moving the process forward' with the hopes that stronger provision will survive the eventual conference committee.

If Nelson hangs tough and does filibuster (and the public option survives), that means Reid will have to find at least two Republican votes to get the bill out of his chamber to replace Nelson and Lieberman. If that's the case, we really need to book History on a week long trip to Vegas to get him liquored up while hiding his phones.

In other health care news...some hot Blue on Blue action as the AFL-CIO runs ads targeting Democratic Senators who want to tax so-called "Cadillac Health Care Plans" to help pay for this monstrosity.

The ad, which pushes the Senate to remove the so-called "Cadillac tax" on high-value insurance policies, will begin running Monday in Delaware, Indiana, and Virginia.
Those states are home to centrist Democratic Senators Tom Carper (Del.), Evan Bayh (Ind.), Jim Webb (Va.), and Mark Warner (Va.), whose votes on the taxes in this bill are subject to pressure from the labor group and other organizations with a stake in the healthcare fight.

I'd never thought I'd say this but...good luck to big labor! Yes, they want this to pass, just not on their backs but anything that helps put pressure on the many fissures in this debate is a good thing.

Posted by: DrewM at 06:14 AM | Comments (31)
Post contains 431 words, total size 3 kb.

Reduced to rooting for Nelson and Big Labor.

Here's to hoping that Reid screws this up and doesn't use some nasty trick like reconciliation to get this crap sandwich through.

Posted by: Kratos (on the back of Gaia, scaling Mt Olympus) at December 07, 2009 06:22 AM (9hSKh)

I don't believe that any body in Congress has the moral fiber to say "no" to anything. they are all in on the game.

there will be not one Dem vote against Reid/Obama/PelosiCare in the end. at least not one Dem vote in the Senate.

Posted by: kelley in virginia at December 07, 2009 06:22 AM (TEIZr)

3 Smoke and mirors, Nelson will cave.

Posted by: Kemp at December 07, 2009 06:22 AM (qvT/A)

4 also, Mark Warner will vote with Harry Reid. does someone question that?

Posted by: kelley in virginia at December 07, 2009 06:23 AM (TEIZr)

5 Why are not the Republicans bringing up tort reform as part of making healthcare more affordable? Is it that they can't? Or is it that they won't?

Posted by: Che Pizza at December 07, 2009 06:24 AM (SPSOE)

kemp you are right. they will all cave. they are all in on our destruction together.

and I don't get it--when there is civil war & blood is running in the streets, the Congress will be targets. don't they see the danger to themselves in all of this?

Posted by: kelley in virginia at December 07, 2009 06:25 AM (TEIZr)

Here's to hoping that Reid screws this up and doesn't use some nasty trick like reconciliation to get this crap sandwich through.

You can't be serious

Posted by: Truman North at December 07, 2009 06:25 AM (e8YaH)

5 Why are not the Republicans bringing up tort reform as part of making healthcare more affordable?
Is it that they can't?
Or is it that they won't?

You can't be serious

Posted by: Truman North at December 07, 2009 06:26 AM (e8YaH)

#7 You can't be serious.

I'm not, alas. The only thing that isn't certain about this is what form the final Destroyer will be.

Posted by: Kratos (on the back of Gaia, scaling Mt Olympus) at December 07, 2009 06:27 AM (9hSKh)

Why are not the Republicans bringing up tort reform as part of making healthcare more affordable?

Is it that they can't?

Or is it that they won't?

I'll take "they won't" for 1000 dollars, Alex.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy at December 07, 2009 06:29 AM (ZGhSv)

11 I just hope abortion doesn't distract us from defeating this monstocity all together

Posted by: nevergiveup at December 07, 2009 06:30 AM (0GFWk)

12 Oh, no, I mean-- of COURSE he's going to reconciliate this. He's going to get to about 54 votes, and he's going to reconciliate this.

Posted by: Truman North at December 07, 2009 06:30 AM (e8YaH)

As Beck was just saying, the abortion issue is just a red herring. Even if they pass this garbage with an abortion exclusion, it will be ignored because abortion is a legal medical procedure and you can't deny it as part of health care (re 'mother's mental health requires it).

Beck says he's got an embargoed piece running today at 5 p.m. from Breitbart about some killer data they uncovered about the healthcare debacle.

As for Mark Warner, he and that doofus Jim Webb are my senators too. I e-mailed them over the weekend and attached the commercial that recently begain airing about "The 14 senators who will decide the fate of healthcare in America." I pointed out to the senators that I really liked how their faces were prominently featured at the tail end of the lineup and the way the camera seemed to focus on them. I also asked if they had considered that their kids and/or grandkids could very well die premature deaths because of their allegiance to the commie in chief.

Posted by: RushBabe at December 07, 2009 06:34 AM (LKkE8)

The only thing that isn't certain about this is what form the final Destroyer will be.

He will come in one of the pre-chosen forms. During the rectification of the Vuldrini, the traveler came as a large and moving Torg! Then, during the third reconciliation of the last of the McKetrick supplicants, they chose a new form for him: that of a giant Slor! Many Shuvs and Zuuls knew what it was to be roasted in the depths of the Slor that day, I can tell you!

Posted by: Gozer the Gozerian at December 07, 2009 06:37 AM (T1boi)

15 It's theater and not even original theater.

Posted by: huerfano at December 07, 2009 06:37 AM (vtuZz)

@6:

You bring up a good point. What happens if, after this thing passes current and former members of congress that voted for this start getting killed by people that lost loved ones because of this mostrosity?

Some of these people think that if they vote for this and it passes that the worst thing that will happen to them is they will get voted out of office.

I have a feeling that they will be in for a big suprise.

Posted by: theBman at December 07, 2009 06:39 AM (/vN7m)

17 Why are not the Republicans bringing up tort reform as part of making healthcare more affordable? Is it that they can't? Or is it that they won't? ---------------------------------- You can't be serious I know I'm 99.9999% snark, but I am serious at least this time? Why do you think my question is absurd?

Posted by: Che Pizza at December 07, 2009 06:44 AM (SPSOE)

18 theBman,

Not to get alarmist, but desperate people can be pushed to do desperate things. I agree with yours and kiv's observation. Unintended consequences are real whether we want to discuss them or not. These Congresscritters are really pushing citizen's limits as they write legislation that is so dishonest and that is imposed while they themselves plus selected interest groups are excluded.

Posted by: AnonymousDrivel at December 07, 2009 06:45 AM (50S+L)

19 Oooops. The internets (& George Bush of course) are conspiring against me. Lemme try again. Why are the Republicans NOT bringing up tort reform as part of making healthcare more affordable? Is it that they can't (due to Senate procedure)? Or is it that they won't? ---------------------------------- You can't be serious Why do you think my question is absurd?

Posted by: Che Pizza at December 07, 2009 06:48 AM (SPSOE)

20 @20 - The Dim's aren't the only ones who get a lot of butter spread on their bread by lawyers. And, my personal belief, 99% + of the pol's in DC are not there to serve their country. They are there to serve themselves. They go along with the game to increase their own wealth and power. Period.

Posted by: teej at December 07, 2009 06:56 AM (c459z)

Why do you think my question is absurd?

Because Shirley you can't be Sirius.

Posted by: Sirius Black, that is. at December 07, 2009 07:07 AM (T1boi)

Why do you think my question is absurd?

Oh, it was me snarking that time. Your point is utterly valid and utterly deflating. I should have changed my sockpuppet to Nancy Pelosi. But, that would require me imagining my hand inside Nancy Pelosi.

Posted by: Truman North at December 07, 2009 07:08 AM (e8YaH)

23 Warner will vote with Reid in the end, don't worry. He need the lefty base when he runs for President. Webb, on the other hand, could break in a random direction - I think he wants to be Sec Def, but will not be due to the Repubs taking Richmond. So, what will his price be -- accelerate then CVN schedule, meh could get cut in the future, another sub - maybe.

Posted by: Jean at December 07, 2009 07:24 AM (Scxfk)

24 Just called Senator Kerry's (D-MA) office. I asked the guy since man-made global warming has been debunked, will Senator Kerry be dropping his cap and tax bill? The fellow answered that global warming has not been debunked, and Kerry is "not backing off" his legislation. He sounded pretty unhappy to have me call. I... don't think I'm the only one who has been calling...

Posted by: Truman North at December 07, 2009 07:31 AM (e8YaH)

25 Anyone seen a copy of the letter from Brian Roberts pledging Comcast's support for Obamacare?

I sure hope that report about Roberts backing Obamacare is wrong.

Posted by: WTFCI at December 07, 2009 08:08 AM (GtYrq)

26 The only thing that isn't certain about this is what form the final Destroyer will be.

I'm voting for Yellowstone to blow. It's overdue after all.

And Truman, I'm going to have to go hose down with lysol just thinking about the combination of Nancy Pelosi and a hand.

Posted by: alexthechick at December 07, 2009 08:22 AM (8WZWv)

27 I have not seen a lot of talk about the two VA Dems. I'm a Virginian, and their whole thing is that they are centrist. Why the hell are we not sweating them? Warner was a businessman, he should know this is gonna hurt business. Does he really want to be on the record as voting for it?

Posted by: Britt at December 07, 2009 08:25 AM (DcWbe)

The only thing that isn't certain about this is what form the final Destroyer will be.

During the third reconciliation of the last of the Meketrex Supplicants, they chose a new form for him: that of a giant sloar! Many Shubs and Zuuls knew what it was to be roasted in the depths of the Sloar that day I can tell you!

Posted by: Entropy at December 07, 2009 08:27 AM (IsLT6)

29 Yes, they want this to pass, just not on their backs but anything that helps put pressure on the many fissures in this debate is a good thing.

Don't tax you, don't tax me, tax that guy behind the tree.

There are lots of people who don't think they'll get nailed when it's time to tax the rich. But guess what, union guys...

Posted by: AmishDude at December 07, 2009 08:28 AM (T0NGe)

30 There was some Commiecrap turd spokeswoman on Fox early this morning, called Nelson a "conservative" Democrat.

I wanted to throw shit at the TV.

Posted by: Vic at December 07, 2009 08:38 AM (CDUiN)

31 Oh, it was me snarking that time. Oh, the irony of me not recognizing snark. Must be a Monday.

Posted by: Che Pizza at December 07, 2009 09:22 AM (SPSOE)

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