It's bogus to use the stimulus vote to claim Dems need Repubs to pass health care

[ProSense]

The stimulus passed with 61, one more than the 60 required to pass it, and every member of the Democratic caucus voted for it. The problem at the time was that there were only 58 Democrats.

Akaka (D-HI)
Baucus (D-MT)
Bayh (D-IN)
Begich (D-AK)
Bennet (D-CO)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Boxer (D-CA)
Brown (D-OH)
Burris (D-IL)
Byrd (D-WV)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Cardin (D-MD)
Carper (D-DE)
Casey (D-PA)
Conrad (D-ND)
Dodd (D-CT)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feingold (D-WI)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Hagan (D-NC)
Harkin (D-IA)
Inouye (D-HI)
Johnson (D-SD)
Kaufman (D-DE)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Klobuchar (D-MN)
Kohl (D-WI)
Landrieu (D-LA)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lieberman (ID-CT)
Lincoln (D-AR)
McCaskill (D-MO)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Merkley (D-OR)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murray (D-WA)
Nelson (D-FL)
Nelson (D-NE)
Pryor (D-AR)
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Sanders (I-VT)
Schumer (D-NY)
Shaheen (D-NH)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Tester (D-MT)
Udall (D-CO)
Udall (D-NM)
Warner (D-VA)
Webb (D-VA)
Whitehouse (D-RI)
Wyden (D-OR)

At the time, three Republicans (Collins, Snowe and Specter) boosted the bill to passage. Specter is now a Democrat who strongly supports the public option

Also since then, Senator Franken, a strong supporter of the public option, has been sworn in.

The Dems don't need a single Republican vote to pass health care, and reconciliation is still on the table.

On edit, to quote Senator Kerry: “I think it’s time for us to see what we can produce as Democrats with 60 votes. If you can’t, you have to turn around and see what you can do with 51 votes."

[ProSense]

1. No comment? n/t

[Cha]

2. I'll comment that there's a lot bogus crap

being thrown around and I commend you for your amazing amount of research to rebutt.

[ProSense]

3. Thanks. Evidently, someone finds math offensive. n/t

[Cha]

4. They'd rather drink

whine.

[ChimpersMcSmirkers]

5. Aye, PS is doing stellar work.

[ProSense]

6. Thanks. What about Kennedy's seat?

I think it will be filled by the time the vote occurs, but as Harkin said, no one is going to vote against the bill simply because it includes a public option, and there is always reconciliation. The thing people overlook is that reconciliation is designed to circumvent a filibuster. I doubt the Repubs are going to muster enough support to block this, and at that point the bill passes by a simple majority. Still, there is always reconciliation. LOL!

[Cha]

8. Aye,

matie:hippie:

[joshcryer]

7. So does this mean we get a public option?