Breaking: Dems have 60 votes for Cloture

[Clio the Leo]

"Baucus says holdout Ben Nelson will vote w/Dems to limit debate on Senate #hcr bill."
http://twitter.com/abettel

apparently agreed to at 10:30 last night.

[mdmc]

1. horray

[elocs]

3. Or is that "whore-ray"? n/t

[Clio the Leo]

2. "Reid would not have introduced the amendment if he didn't have the cloture votes..."

per Luke Russert

[flpoljunkie]

4. Wonder what Nelson got. He wanted to speak for 9 minutes this morning, but McConnell objected.

[Armstead]

5. Yay! Liberals thrown to the wolves but Ben Nelson is now happy.

Now that's progress!

[IndianaGreen]

6. Lieberman is not there

Holy Joe is back home in Connecticut.

[jefferson_dem]

8. The first vote will not happen until Monday, at least.

n/t

[IndianaGreen]

9. 18 inches of snow predicted for Washington, DC

A town that becomes paralyzed when they get less than an inch.

[AlinPA]

23. Now Lieberman will filibuster it.

[jefferson_dem]

7. Fabulous news.

Progress!

[IndianaGreen]

10. Sixty men throwing women under the bus

That's some progress buddy!

[Armstead]

12. Correction -- 60 men and women throwing women under the bus

[asjr]

11. I get the feeling the entire episode

of HCR has been written so many members of the Senate and House could make themselves heard. Was the ending a foregone conclusion? Maybe if they had added music to it and let Lieberman do his song and dance more often and duets with Baucus and Nelson they could have taken it to Broadway. These are the people making decisions for us. God help us!

[Mass]

13. Sigh. At what cost!

I feel sorry for younger women who will have to buy a separate insurance waiver for getting abortion services. So much for privacy rights.

[jefferson_dem]

14. Nelson’s Nebraska To Receive Extra Medicaid Funds Under Senate Bill

Nelson’s Nebraska To Receive Extra Medicaid Funds Under Senate Bill

This morning’s managers amendment goes a long way towards satisfying the demands of Democratic hold-out and all-important 60th vote Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE).

Nelson has recently complained that the proposed expansion of Medicaid to those earning below 133% of the Federal Poverty Line (FPL) would burden his state of Nebraska and suggested that states should be able to opt-in to the program.

Under the current merged legislation (the version unveiled on November 18th), the federal government fully finances care for the expanded population for two years and increases its matching funds (known as FMAP) thereafter. Page 98 of the managers amendment specifically identifies Nebraska for higher federal matching funds, fully funding its expansion for an additional year:

‘‘(3) Notwithstanding subsection (b) and paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection, the Federal medical assistance percentage otherwise determined under subsection (b) with respect to all or any portion of a fiscal year that begins on or after January 1, 2017, for the State of Nebraska, with respect to amounts expended for newly eligible individuals described in subclause (VIII) of section 1902(a)(10)(A)(i), shall be determined as provided for under subsection (y)(1) (A) (notwithstanding the period provided for in such paragraph)

Subsection (y)(1)(A) refers to page 399 of the original merged Senate legislation which fully funds state Mediciad expansions for the first two years. The manager’s amendment also provides 2.2% increase in FMAP to help states finance their existing Medicaid programs.

http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/12/19/nelson-medicai/

[Mass]

15. So, Nelson gets more money, but throws our rights away. Thank you so much.

All states should get more money, not only Nebraska.

I guess this bill just institutionalized blackmail in the US Senate.

[appal_jack]

28. On CHOICE (and BLACKMAIL)

"So, Nelson gets more money, but throws our rights away."

I can stomach the more money. Every Senator has his price, and I find it refreshing when one is open and honest about. Besides, like it or not, bringing home some bacon IS and always will be part of a Senator's job description.

But taking away reproductive freedoms from tax-paying, Insurance-exchange-(or whatever)-participating, American women must be struck from ANY Democratic-passed HCR legislation. It is inexcusable. The Democratic Party platform is too clear on matters of choice to do any otherwise:

"Reproductive Health Care
We oppose the current Administration’s consistent attempts to undermine a woman’s
ability to make her own life choices and obtain reproductive health care, including birth
control. We will end health insurance discrimination against contraception and provide
compassionate care to rape victims. We will never put ideology above women’s health. "

(I found this in a 2008 DRAFT (best I could do on short notice) at: www.c-span.org/pdf/draft-2008-democratic-national-platform.pdf because www.democrats.org seems remarkably hostile/opague to "teh google.")

The Stupak language MUST be stripped from the bill's language by ANY conference committee. This should be all of our own, commonsense, unyielding positions as Democrats.

"I guess this bill just institutionalized blackmail in the US Senate. "

Blackmail has always been institutionalized in the Senate. Our side starts to start operating by the same principle and win a few of these battles on fundamental rights.

-app

[1corona4u]

16. Great.

Now in addition to all of the other things the government forces us to do, and monitors us on, we can add mandatory health care to the list, although, it will do NOTHING to bring down the COST of health care. As usual, our stupid fucking government treats the SYMPTOM, not the disease, and the little people are the ones left holding the bill, AGAIN.

So much for a FREE COUNTRY.
I'll pay the fine. I will NOT be forced into some bullshit health care program, and throw my money down the DRAIN, when this does NOTHING to change the industry problems.

[Vinca]

17. Let's hope Pelosi can clean this mess up.

[BlueMTexpat]

21. I am hopeful that the bill that comes out of conference will reinstate some

of what has been omitted from the Senate bill.

Keeping my fingers VERY crossed!

[AllentownJake]

18. Let us see what awful thing Harry Reid gave him

before the cheerleaders go into their bizarre ritual of screaming Hooray.

[Jamastiene]

22. Women's civil rights...down the drain

and more money for Nebraska's Medicaid program. The other 49 states can suck it, I suppose. :eyes:

[AllentownJake]

27. Oh yes the traditional crapping on women

and government programs are bad except for my state nonsense.

[rug]

19. I guess the insurance lien on kidneys passed.

[BlueMTexpat]

20. I wrote to Ben Nelson yesterday and spoke my mind!

Politely but strongly. Could that possibly have made a difference?

I doubt it because I am not even one of his constituents. But it's nice to think so.

[Phx_Dem]

24. Once HCR is passed, Dean will always be remembered as trying to kill it.

It will be changed and improved upon in the years to come but Dean's legacy will remain. Sad.

[Vinnie From Indy]

25. What is sad is posts like this

We'll see who's legacy tales a hit when in a few years after costs have continued to skyrocket, thousands still die and insurance and drug company profits continue to soar.

I find your attacking a man like Dean for giving voice to the Democratic wing of the Democratic party sad.

[Jamastiene]

29. When I am homeless and eating out of dumpsters

and cold hearted people like you are stepping over me in the streets, I will remember that Dean was one of the very few who stood up for me and tried to keep me from homelessness.

Enjoy your blood money.

[DCBob]

30. Indeed, Howard has himself in a bit of a corner now..

Has he made any further statements?

[totodeinhere]

31. Not at all. He sure has my total respect, and I suspect that a lot of others at DU feel the same.

Go Dean!

[DCBob]

32. So you think he will continue to team up with conservatives trying to kill the bill..

although it is now supported by virtually every other member of his own party?

[totodeinhere]

34. Wait a minute. Many in the progressive community oppose this bill.

It's not just Dean. I don't think he is teaming up with conservatives. He is teaming up with the American people.

You know why the approval rate of Congress, both Dem and GOP, is so low in every poll? It's because the American people are waking up to the fact that most of those boys and girls on the Hill are already bought and paid for by corporate lobbyists. During the campaign Obama said that he was going to try to change that, but instead he has bought into it just like all of the rest have.

On edit: Of course the Republicans are going to be against any health care reform bill, no matter what is in the bill. But that doesn't mean that we should go ahead and pass a bad bill like this one, especially when we have enough votes to go to reconciliation and get a much better bill with a strong public option and other improvements.

[rockymountaindem]

33. Like the time he said the capture of Saddam wouldn't make us safer

and everybody said he was nuts? And said he didn't know anything about the world? Oh yeah... he was 100% right about that. I'll reserve judgment.

[Sultana]

26. DNW, such a pathetic healthcare bill!

[Raine]

35. Like there was any doubt

what with the fix being in and all. I'm not stupid, I knew that "miraculously" they would manage to get just enough votes.