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Does the CBO report help make the case for health care reform?
Yesterday, the Congressional Budget Office released its final score of the health care bill. This assessment includes the proposed reconciliation agreement that has been proposed by the House, a second bill which covers the changes made to the original Senate bill. The long and short of it is that the health care bill would reduce the deficit by over $100 billion dollars over the first ten years and by approximately $1 trillion over the following ten years.
But the numbers are being questioned by opponents to the legislation. Some criticize the CBO for starting their analysis in 2010 instead of 2011 and for projecting cost reductions for the second decade, despite the fact that their margin of error over that period is very high.
Can the CBO numbers be trusted? Do they make the case for health care reform?
- Quoted 1 day, 10 hours ago by johncapello
'Reconciliation,' 'deem and pass': the homestretch on the road to health care
There will be three votes on Sunday: first, on a resolution that will set the terms of debate. Second, on a package of amendments to the Senate bill that have been demanded by House members. And third, on the Senate bill itself. ----- Top Democrats confirmed Saturday that the House would hold separate votes on the Senate healthcare bill and the reconciliation bill, making fixes to it. The move effectively kills the "deem and pass" strategy Democrats had been eyeing to make changes to the Senate bill through a rule on the bill, which at the same time would have deemed the original Senate healthcare bill to have passed the House. ----- Last night, doom-and-gloom seemed eminent for abortion rights supporters, filing out of Pelosi's office 'livid' and Bart Stupak planning a press conference for the next morning. All signs pointed towards Stupak's restrictive abortion language making a come back. But the sun rose on a completely different set of tea leaves: Stupak's press conference postponed indefinitely and abortion-rights supporters on the Hill in a much better mood, saying Stupak's language would not come to the floor. ----- The news is changing fast and furiously on the health care front, with abortion continuing to be a major sticking point. There are conflicting signals over whether Speaker Nancy Pelosi can pass the bill without Rep. Bart Stupak and his allies, but she did confirm that there was a possibility of President Obama signing an executive order saying that there couldn't be public funding for abortion.
- Quoted 4 hours, 24 minutes ago by vle
Will the Senate still attempt reconciliation if the President signs the Senate bill first?
The Senate Parliamentarian has ruled that President Barack Obama must sign Congress’ original health care reform bill before the Senate can act on a companion reconciliation package, senior GOP sources said Thursday. The Senate Parliamentarian’s Office was responding to questions posed by the Republican leadership. The answers were provided verbally, sources said. House Democratic leaders have been searching for a way to ensure that any move they make to approve the Senate-passed $871 billion health care reform bill is followed by Senate action on a reconciliation package of adjustments to the original bill. One idea is to have the House and Senate act on reconciliation prior to House action on the Senate’s original health care bill. Information Republicans say they have received from the Senate Parliamentarian’s Office eliminates that option. House Democratic leaders last week began looking at crafting a legislative rule that would allow the House to approve the Senate health care bill, but not forward it to Obama for his signature until the Senate clears the reconciliation package.
- Quoted 1 week, 1 day ago by vle
Is the "Slaughter solution" the key to passing health care?
In the eleventh hour of trying to pass health care reform, things are starting to get complicated. The latest path toward the passage of the bill involves the creation of specific rules for the bill which would try to help bring on some conservative Democrats. Some background first. Each bill that goes before the House has a set of rules attached to it, usually governing how long the debate will last, how many amendments can be added and the like. Those rules are set forth by the House Rules Chairperson who, in this case, is Democratic Congresswoman Louise Slaughter. So what Rep. Slaughter is proposing is the following: Have the House vote on a bill which would essentially "fix" the Senate bill so it would achieve the compromise that they have been working on between the two Houses since the beginning of the year. Attach a rule to that bill which would say that the passage of the "fix" bill would automatically pass the original Senate bill, even though the House did not hold a vote on that Senate bill. As a result, Democrats who don't want to vote for the health care bill because it doesn't include those fixes wouldn't be required to pass the Senate bill first and show their support for a bill which has deal-breaking flaws in it. This is complicated and may not be an easy thing to sell to the American people, but can this solution be the key to passing health care reform?
- Quoted 1 week, 2 days ago by johncapello
A quote from Michelle Malkin
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- Quoted 3 hours, 29 minutes ago by vle
Is Chief Justice Roberts right to criticize the President's State of the Union address?
In the days following his State of the Union, President Obama was criticized for having delivered such a sharp criticism to the Supreme Court in his annual address. Although Justice Alito made his feelings about the remarks clear at that moment (he mouthed "Not true" in response to the President's charges), the other Justices remained silent about the controversy. Until now. On Tuesday, Chief Justice Roberts addressed this issue at a speech before law students in Alabama and even speculated that the Justices shouldn't even attend the event. He said that "to the extent it has degenerated into a political pep rally, I'm not sure why we're there" Does Justice Roberts have a point?
- Quoted 1 week, 3 days ago by johncapello
Sen. Evan Bayh to retire
Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh will not seek re-election this year, a decision that hands Republicans a prime pickup opportunity in the middle of the country. "After all these years, my passion for service to my fellow citizens is undiminished, but my desire to do so by serving in Congress has waned," Bayh will say, according to prepared remarks obtained by the Fix. He will make the decision formal at a press conference later today.
- Quoted 1 month ago by johncapello
A quote from William Kristol
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- Quoted 3 hours, 30 minutes ago by vle
How should the Rep. Eric Massa (D-NY) scandal and resignation be characterized?
Representative Eric Massa (D-NY) announced his retirement from the House last week because, he said that he feared that his health may be worsening. Then, the rumors of an ethics investigation began to circulate. And then he announced over the weekend the bizarre details of the incident that led to the investigation and what he claims is the real reason: he is being pressured by the White House to vote for the health care bill. He initially opposed the bill, but because it did not support a single payer system. Now he is being held up by some conservatives (like Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh) as an example of how the White House is bullying their opponents. Others are not so quick to jump to his defense and believe that he is anything but a cause celebre.
- Quoted 1 week, 4 days ago by johncapello
The President brings back "Pay-Go"
From The White House... The President, having just signed the "Pay As You Go" law, discusses the importance of this fundamental rule to getting budget deficits in check. Ensuring that new spending and tax cuts are offset was a important factor in creating the budget surplus of the late 1990’s.
- Quoted 1 month ago by johncapello
A quote from E. J. Dionne Jr.
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- Quoted 3 hours, 31 minutes ago by vle
Did Liz Cheney cross the line when she described DOJ prosecutors as the "Al-Qaeda 7"?
Liz Cheney chairs the group Keep America Safe which has released the following ad criticizing the Department of Justice. The substance of their criticism is that they want more transparency from the Department of Justice and specifically they want to know which DOJ officials have previously acted as defendants of indicted terrorists. The problem came when they referred to these unidentified DOJ lawyers as the "Al Qaeda 7". Many liberals were upset by what they believed to be a smear, but many conservatives (some of whom worked with VP Cheney) have also come out in support of the DOJ lawyers. In a letter reported by Politico, the group of prominent Republican attorneys criticizes the group for unfair attacks and undermining the principles of our justice system. Is Keep America Safe legitimately characterizing the DOJ or has the group crossed the line?
- Quoted 1 week, 5 days ago by johncapello
Representative John "Jack" Murtha dies at 77
Representative John "Jack" Murtha died Monday at Virginia Hospital Center from complications stemming from a recent gallbladder surgery. He had been a representative from southwestern Pennsylvania since 1974 after serving nearly 22 years in the Marine Corps. He was the first combat veteran from the Vietnam War to be elected to Congress.
In recent years, he had been known for two things: 1) his opposition to the war in Iraq and 2) his masterful use of earmarks to bring money back to his district.
- Quoted 1 month, 1 week ago by johncapello
A quote from Paul Mirengoff
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- Quoted 3 hours, 43 minutes ago by vle
Should the Obama administration reverse its position and try KSM in a military tribunal?
The Washington Post is reporting today that President Obama's advisers are about to recommend that the trial of Khalid Sheik Mohammed be moved out of the federal court system and into the military tribunals. This follows months of political wrangling between the Justice Department and the state and city of New York over whether or not it is in the best interest of justice to hold the trial in Lower Manhattan. After the Mayor and Governor pulled their support for the NYC venue, it became more difficult for the Obama administration to push ahead with that trial in federal court.
Should the President change his position and push for military tribunals?
- Quoted 2 weeks, 1 day ago by johncapello
Palin speaks at Tea Party Convention
NASHVILLE — “I’m so proud to be an American! Happy birthday, Ronald Reagan.” Sarah Palin took the stage of the National Tea Party Convention to a thundering ovation, which she cut down quickly by praising “anyone who serves in uniform or has served in uniform” and diving right into her speech. “I am a supporter of this movement. I believe in this movement,” said Palin. “America is ready for another revolution.”
- Quoted 1 month, 1 week ago by johncapello
A quote from Speaker Nancy Pelosi
“An executive order [for abortion funding] is a different thing. That might be a possibility.”
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- Quoted 3 hours, 47 minutes ago by vle
A quote from Jonathan Chait
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- Quoted 3 hours, 53 minutes ago by vle
A quote from Jeffrey H. Anderson
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- Quoted 3 hours, 53 minutes ago by vle
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