Posts Tagged ‘Republicans’
Thursday, May 20th, 2010
“The Terminator” has changed his mind. Although he originally opposed healthcare reform as the legislation moved through Congress, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger now fully supports the new federal law. In a speech at the University of California at Davis Medical Center, the governor – who cannot run for re-election because of term limits — broke rank with his fellow Republicans, many of whom have announced their intention to sue the federal government to overturn the law.
“California is not part of this fight, and I’ll tell you why,” according to Schwarzenegger. “When you don’t have health insurance and you go to the hospital, you are forcing other people to pay for your healthcare.” Twenty percent of California residents lack healthcare insurance, a situation that Schwarzenegger says is a crisis that requires resolution. “The bottom line is the plan is not without flaws, but it is a good law,” he said. To fill the void, California is launching a temporary high-risk insurance pool to cover the uninsured that will be funded by $761 million in Department of Health and Human Services money through 2014.
Schwarzenegger also vowed to enforce the law, to the point of making certain that the state’s insurers comply with bans on lifetime spending caps. If necessary, he will call the state Legislature into a special session to make statutory changes to comply with the act’s provisions. “We’re ready to roll up our sleeves and work with the federal government to get this done,” the governor said.
Tags: Arnold Schqarzenegger, California, Congress, Davis Medical Center, Department of Health and Human Services, Governors, healthcare reform legislation, Kathleen Seblius, lifetime spending caps, President Barack Obama, Republicans, The Terminator, University of California
Posted in Healthcare | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 4th, 2010
Mount Dora, FL, urologist Dr. Jack Cassell is enjoying his 15 minutes of fame after posting a typewritten sign on his office door that tells patients who voted for President Barack Obama to seek healthcare “elsewhere”. The sign reads: “If you voted for Obama…seek urologic care elsewhere. Changes to your healthcare begin right now, not in four years.” Cassell, a registered Republican who opposes healthcare reform, says “I’m not turning anybody away – that would be unethical.”
William Allen, a professor of bioethics, law and medical professionalism at the University of Florida’s College of Medicine, believes that Cassell might be walking a fine line between his right to free speech and his professional obligation. Physicians are not allowed to refuse patients on the basis of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation or disability; but political preference is not one of the legally protected groups specified in civil rights laws. Because Cassell does not ask his patients who they voted for, he is “trying to hold onto the nub of his ethical obligation,” Allen said. “But this is pushing the limit.”
Congressman Alan Grayson (D-FL), whose district includes Mount Dora and who last fall criticized the Republican approach to healthcare reform as “If you get sick, America…die quickly”, called Cassell’s sign “Ridiculous. I’m disgusted.” According to the first-term Congressman, “Maybe he thinks the Hippocratic Oath says ‘Do no good.’ If this is the face of the right wing in America, it’s the face of cruelty. Why don’t they change the name of the Republican Party to the Sore Loser Party?”
Tags: Alan Grayson, Florida Medical Association, free speech, GOP, Jack Cassell, Leslie Campione, Mount Dora FL, President Barack Obama, Republicans, right wing, Sore Loser Party, University of Florida College of Medicine, urologist
Posted in Healthcare | No Comments »
Monday, April 19th, 2010
The death of Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) last August – who had made healthcare reform the focus of his legislative agenda — provided much of the impetus that gave President Barack Obama the determination to pass legislation despite resistance from both the right and left. The lack of Kennedy’s legendary legislative skills at a crucial time made the quest for healthcare reform a fight every step of the way.
“I had a whole bunch of political advisers telling me, this may not be the smartest thing to do,” President Obama told a crowd in Elyria, OH, in January. “I had no illusions when I took this on that this was going to be hard. Seven presidents had tried it, seven Congresses had tried it – and all of them failed. I didn’t take this on to score political points.”
The White House team pored over the failed healthcare reform effort of former President Bill Clinton and his wife, Hillary, in 1993 and 1994. One lesson from the Clinton healthcare failure was to work to win support from healthcare companies, many of whom had put an end to the earlier attempt. As a result, President Obama brought pharmaceutical companies and hospitals into the discussion to assure a limited impact on their profits in return for financial contributions to the overhaul and a promise of support. The administration also preferred that Congress write the legislation, rather than having it dictated from the White House.
Without doubt, the president’s most effective ally was Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, who rode herd on her caucus and delivered a majority vote on the legislation three times. According to Pelosi, “When I spoke with him (President Obama) after the vote, he said that he was happier after the vote than he was the night he won the presidency. “And I said, well, I’m pretty happy, but I’m not happier than the night he won the presidency because if you hadn’t won the presidency, we wouldn’t be here.”
Tags: Bill Clinton, Congress, Democrats, healthcare reform, Hillary Clinton, Medicare, Nancy Pelosi, President Barack Obama, Republicans, Tea Party movement, Ted Kennedy, Waterloo
Posted in Healthcare | No Comments »
Thursday, April 15th, 2010
After a bruising 14-month battle, Congressional Democrats finally passed healthcare reform legislation without a single Republican “yes” in the final vote tally. According to The Hill, the speed with which Democrats passed the bill and sent it to President Barack Obama for his signature may have some Republicans feeling “whiplash”. As the Congressional Easter/Passover recess begins and Senators and Congressmen head to their home districts, some Republicans are threatening a “repeal and replace” effort to which President Obama reacted by saying “They’re actually going to run on a platform of repeal in November. Well, I say go for it.”
The Hill argues that some Republicans have doubts about the success of “repeal and replace”, realizing that not only did they lose, but they also have lost any claim to the advantages that will emerge from the largest expansion of the nation’s social safety net in a generation. According to Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) “Our constituents expect us to stand up and fight the good fight, but there’s always a reasonableness factor that needs to come into place. Sometimes there’s a fine line between what is being an advocate for your cause and when you become obstreperous.”
Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) “had initially planned to offer scores of amendments to stall the healthcare reform fixes and stop Democrats from putting the finishing touches on the legislation,” according to The Hill. DeMint notes that “The leadership has asked us to focus on substantive amendments. I had 50 amendments. I still have them in my back pocket, but I’ll probably only offer two or three.” DeMint introduced just a single amendment, which was defeated.
David Frum, a speechwriter for former President George W. Bush, put it this way: “Barack Obama badly wanted Republican votes for his plan. Could we have leveraged his desire to align the plan more closely with conservative views? Too late now. They are all law
Tags: backlash, David Frum, Democrats, healthcare reform, Jim DeMint, Lisa Murkowski, President Barack Obama, Republicans, whiplash
Posted in Healthcare | No Comments »
Monday, April 12th, 2010
Are Republicans advocating for repeal of the recently passed healthcare reform bill suffering from a bad case of sour grapes? Many Americans who are unhappy with the legislation are already saying they will vote Republican in the November mid-term elections in a demonstration of their displeasure with healthcare reform. Not 24 hours after the bill passed with a Democrats-only majority, repeal emails were flying through cyberspace from Republican Congressional hopefuls.
Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) posted a call for repeal on his website, saying he would introduce legislation to repeal “President Obama’s government takeover of healthcare. Unless this trillion-dollar assault on our freedoms is repealed, it will force Americans to purchase Washington-approved health plans or face stiff penalties. It will fund abortions, raise taxes and insurance premiums, while reducing healthcare choices and quality.”
Representative Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) posted on the conservative Townhall.com website that she had “filed legislation to repeal Obamacare in hopes that we can start from scratch and give the American people true healthcare reform that won’t break the bank nor rob us of our individual liberty and freedom. There’s too much at stake to simply give up now.” Bachmann offered no specific proposals on how she would work to achieve healthcare reform.
With Democrats controlling both the House of Representatives and the Senate, repeal is unlikely.
Tags: Barack Obama, Congress, Democrats, Harry Reid, healthcare reform, John McCain, Michele Bachmann, Nancy Pelosi, Obamacare, Republicans, sour grapes
Posted in Healthcare | No Comments »
Thursday, April 8th, 2010
A little-known star in achieving healthcare reform is Alan Frumin, the Senate’s Parliamentarian, who wields as much power over the debate as President Barack Obama. A scholar of Senate procedure, Frumin is one of the few people who fully comprehend the arcane rules that govern a piece of legislation’s progress on the Senate floor. Though Frumin is technically an advisor to the Democratic majority – who gave him the job — Senators can rule on procedures as he recommends or ignore him and act as they please.
Frumin is in the spotlight because of the possible use of reconciliation, the parliamentary shortcut that lets the Senate pass legislation with a 51-vote majority instead of the usual 60. According to the Byrd rule of 1985 – named for its author, Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV) – reconciliation is intended to be used only with budget-related items. In keeping with that, Frumin has said that reconciliation must be related to existing law. Frumin’s ruling is that the House of Representatives must pass the Senate healthcare plan, send it to President Obama for his signature, and then vote to pass the “fixes” proposed by the president.
Once the vote reached the Senate, Frumin found two errors in the legislation, which meant that the bill had to go back to the House after Senators voted to approve by a 56-43 margin. The House voted its final approval in a 220 – 207 vote and was sent back to President Obama’s desk for his final signature.
The parliamentarian’s advice is not set in stone. Vice President Joseph Biden, in his role as Senate president, can overturn the parliamentarian’s ruling. “This is probably the most difficult situation for any Senate parliamentarian in my memory,” said Robert Dove, who previously held the position. “I was never under the pressure that Alan Frumin is under right now.”
Tags: Alan Frumin, Congress, Democrats, healthcare reform debate, President Barack Obama, reconciliation, Republicans, Robert Dove, Senate Parliamentarian, Senator Robert Byrd, Vice President Joseph Biden
Posted in Healthcare | No Comments »
Thursday, March 25th, 2010
Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Speaker of the House, presided over the often fractious but historic healthcare reform overhaul vote with the help of an oversized gavel borrowed from Representative John Dingell (D-MI), who chaired the passage of the Medicare bill 45 years ago. “A treasure in the Dingell family that was used in the enactment of the Medicare law,” Pelosi said. “I will use it this evening when we cast a very successful vote for this important legislation. This has been a complete team effort, not only a team effort, a partnership with our leadership and every member of our caucus and we look forward to making this historic day known to the American people.”
The late Sunday evening passage of the healthcare reform bill by a thin 219 – 212 margin was described by President Barack Obama as “This is what change looks like.” All 178 House Republicans and 34 Democrats voted against the legislation, which ultimately will cover 32,000,000 Americans who currently lack healthcare coverage. Also on Sunday, the House passed a package of “fixes” that will resolve some of the conflicts between the House and Senate versions of the healthcare bill. Senate Democrats plan to pass the fixes under budget reconciliation, which requires a simple majority vote.
The president, who plans to sign the bill, said “Tonight, after nearly 100 years of talk and frustration, after decades of trying, and a year of sustained effort and debate, the United States Congress finally declared that America’s workers and America’s families and America’s small businesses deserve the security of knowing that here, in this country, neither illness nor accident should endanger the dreams they’ve worked a lifetime to achieve.”
“This is the Civil Rights Act of the 21st century,” said Representative James E. Clyburn (D-SC), the third highest ranking Democrat in the House.
Tags: Budget reconciliation, David Axelrod, Democrats, healthcare reform, House of Representatives, James E Clyburn, John Dingell, John McCain, Medicare, Nancy Pelosi, President Barack Obama, Rahm Emanuel, Republicans, Robert Gibbs, Senate, Speaker of the House
Posted in Healthcare | No Comments »
Monday, March 15th, 2010
Two Democratic Congressmen – Representatives Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) and Bart Stupak (D-MI) – may torpedo President Barack Obama’s efforts to reform the way healthcare is delivered in the United States. Both Congressmen are threatening to cross party lines and vote with House Republicans, who are united in their solid opposition to healthcare reform.
Kucinich justifies his “no” vote on the fact the legislation lacks a robust public option – a provision that the Republicans staunchly oppose – and describes the bill as a “giveaway” to the insurance companies. Republicans have called on the president to dump the bill, saying it is too expensive, complicated and burdensome on businesses and individuals who will be required to buy healthcare insurance, often with government subsidies.
Stupak is threatening to vote to defeat healthcare reform for an entirely different reason. His objection is that the legislation might allow federal funds to be used to reimburse patients for abortions. “Yes. We’re prepared to take responsibility,” Stupak said on “Good Morning America” when asked if he and 11 other Democrat were willing to accept the consequences for bringing down healthcare reform over abortion. “Let’s face it. I want to see healthcare. But we’re not going to bypass the principles of belief that we feel strongly about,” he said.
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs reiterated that when it comes to this issue, the administration merely wants to maintain the status quo and believes that Stupak ultimately will be persuaded to vote with his fellow Democrats. “This is not a bill about abortion. This is about healthcare reform,” Gibbs said.
Tags: abortion, acceptable healthcare coverage, Bart Stupak, Congress, Dennis Kucinich, healthcare reform, House of Representatives, President Barack Obama, public option, Republicans, Robert Gibbs, Senate, Stupak Amendment
Posted in Healthcare | No Comments »
Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010
President Barack Obama used his first State of the Union Address to tell members of the House and Senate to continue their efforts to enact healthcare reform. “As temperatures cool, I want everyone to take another look at the plan we’ve proposed,” the president said. “Not now. Not when we are so close. By the time I’m finished speaking tonight, more Americans will have lost their health insurance. I will not walk away from these Americans and neither should the people in this chamber.” The president’s comments won applause and ovations from both sides of the aisle.
Richard Umbdenstock, president and CEO of the American Hospital Association said “I think it’s the right approach.” Umbdenstock, who worked closely with the Obama administration to shape elements of healthcare reform legislation, said it was “important work” and “there is a real need to continue.” He also linked healthcare reform to the crucial issue of job creation, noting that “Hospitals are the second largest source of private sector jobs.”
Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) said “I think the House should just pass the Senate bill,” although he agreed that there likely will be efforts to amend the legislation through a procedure that allows passage on a simple majority vote. “But clearly the House can pass the Senate bill and the Senate’s bill is a good bill.”
“We all know we’ve been trying to get healthcare done since Teddy Roosevelt,” Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) commented on Wednesday. “So a few more weeks isn’t a long period of time in the context of how tough a fight this is when you go up against the special interest. We’ll do it and we’ll do it the right way.”
Tags: American Hospital Association, Chris Van Hollen, Democrats, healthcare reform, House of Representatives, President Barack Obama, Republicans, Richard Umbdenstock, Senate, Senator Barbara Boxer, Senator Bill Nelson, Senator Max Baucus, State of the Union Address, Teddy Roosevelt
Posted in Healthcare | No Comments »
Monday, February 1st, 2010
Some Democrats think legislating in baby steps to achieve healthcare reform is their best option now that the party has lost its 60-vote super majority with Scott Brown’s upset victory in Massachusetts to fill Senator Ted Kennedy’s seat.
According to Representative Bill Pascrell, Jr., (D-NJ), some House Democrats are proposing an incremental approach to fix the healthcare system via multiple pieces of legislation instead of a single all-encompassing bill. The goal would remain to reform insurance coverage, assure patients’ rights and improve the way that healthcare is delivered. Pascrell envisions introducing three or four bills in quick succession. The legislation would encompass the least controversial elements of the broader reform package now stalled in Congress.
Pascrell believes that his measures might garner some Republican support because they would eliminate the public option, individual insurance mandates and entitlement programs. Pascrell notes that “You can blame the Senate all you want, but we are our own worst enemy. We do everything in mega-fashion. We need to do it in mini-fashion.”
Tags: 60 vote super majority, Bill Pascrell Jr, Democrats, entitlement programs, filibuster, healthcare reform, House of Representatives, individual insurance mandates, public option, Republicans, Scott Brown, Ted Kennedy
Posted in Healthcare | No Comments »
