Rockefeller just announced he'll vote "Yea" on the Baucus Bill. Comments?

[gateley]

(I haven't been following it this morning, so I'm relying on YOU, DUers, to enlighten me)

:hi:

[wryter2000]

1. To be expected, I would think

I don't think Rockefeller's vote is in question.

[Mass]

2. I was hoping that Snowe's vote would get him to vote NO.

But, I hope he got some warranty that there will be a public option in the final bill.

[sandnsea]

6. Oh come on

I know you understand the process. Why in the world would you want this bill to fail. How are we going to get anything moving forward if we don't get something out of the finance committee.

[Mass]

8. Snowe's vote gave him a choice. It was going to get out of committee anyway.

I never thought he would vote NO if it meant the bill was not going out of committee. However, if there is no risk, a no vote by a powerful Democrat would have been a sign that people really cared about the public option.

[sandnsea]

11. Focusing on the 4 bills with a public option

is how you will get Congress to understand that people really care about the public option.

[Inuca]

16. Did you see/hear his closing statement?

Very strong for PO and saying that co-ops will not work and how strange it is that during the many, many hours of the markup they were barely mentioned. How the PO is the only impediment that can prevent the insurance companies train to gain even more speed (his metaphor, not mine). He mentioned a few other things, including how sad he feels that any consideration of end of life counseling was dropped because the screamers got hold of it (again, his term, not mine). So he made it pretty clear where he stands, I think.

I was glad to see Snowe vote yes. I hope, naively probably, that she did it because she thought it was the right thing to do, and because, R or not, she is a good and conscientious senator, and not because of some backroom deal I'd rather not think about (for now).

[berni_mccoy]

3. It's because HCR dies if the Baucus Bill Isn't passed out of committee.

[annabanana]

4. Not surprised. It HAS to come out of committe if there's going

to be any kind of health care reform. We can still get the good stuff, but this stinker has to pass first.

If you're really interested in the ins & outs of Senate procedure, go here:


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6765334

[Cha]

12. Thanks for that explaination..

and the link to bernie's tutorial, annabanana!

[sandnsea]

5. How can so many people be so goddamn stupid

And no I'm not talking about Rockefeller. The process has been laid out on this board almost daily for the last 30 days and the same motherfucking dumbasses refuse to understand it.

[gateley]

7. If you're referring to me, I have no response to that, nor do I feel I owe you

an explanation (not that you'd give a fuck).

[sandnsea]

10. I'm referring to everyone bitching about this bill

and most particularly the ones that I know are smart enough to know better who are leading others into an unnecessary frenzy of defeatism. It's time to start fighting, not concede defeat.

[gateley]

13. Well I just heard Hatch say how disappointed he was that this passed and will

ultimately lead to a Single Payer plan "which has been the Democrats' plan all along". I wish!

Agree that we need to fight, and I think this would have been WORSE had so many of us not contacted our representatives and attended rallies and made our voices heard however we could.

I DO understand that we need to get this into Committee and that's where the real deal will emerge. We can't let up now - have to keep hammering at them until the last minute.

[sandnsea]

14. Thank you

Then let's not feed the frenzy of defeatism. There are those who somehow believe that their cycnicism at anything that happens in DC is what is going to save humanity or something. It doesn't do anything but keep people angry and depressed. It's sickening.

[gateley]

15. Yeah - it keeps people angry and depressed AND as you say, defeated.

It feeds into the "why bother?" mode.

My fave is to write every single congressperson and senator and say "although not a constituent, I'm prepared to generously contribute to your opponent's campaign when you next run for reelection." I've done it so many times they're probably going "yeah, gateley, we know, you TOLD us already!"

I figure that's all they care about - not whether or not my family is dying from lack of health care.

[sandnsea]

17. They'd care about moving stock money

The insurance companies I mean. I can't boycott my insurance company. But if I had stock I would certainly make sure it wasn't in insurance or any health care that was fighting reform. I've never gotten anywhere suggesting people be responsible with their investments around here. The few that are willing, are already being responsible. The rest will fight it to their dying breath, and then have turned right around and attacked me as being the insurance stooge. :eyes:

[mzmolly]

9. Good! We need to get this bill out of committee so we can move in the direction

of reconciliation.