Let's look at the health care debate and so-called reform. Congress won by passing it (a House version and a Senate version), and the President won by proving he could get it passed. But hold on, we the people might ultimately win.
By the way, just what was all that hurry about before Christmas to get the Senate to pass the health care bill? It had to be passed by Christmas - or what, I'm not sure. The urgency was so great that Harry Reid scheduled two Sunday sessions in the past month - nearly unheard of. Then, he held the 1:00 am vote last Monday during a driving 24" snowstorm that paralyzed Washington. Then, he held the 7:00 am vote on Christmas eve to get it approved. It turns out that the last time a vote was taken in the Senate on Christmas eve, originally reported as 50 years ago, was in 1895 - 114 years ago!
In typical "cry wolf" Obama fashion. the health care care had to be fast-tracked. You recall that originally it was supposed to be passed before labor Day. You might also recall that he interrupted Senator Brown from Ohio during his bereavement and had him flown back to the Senate on a government jet to vote on his Stimulus bill. Then he was allowed to return to Ohio for his Mother's funeral.
So, the deed is done. the Senate passed its health care bill by Christmas - giving Reid, Obama, and Pelosi a big Christmas present. They all won.
Pelosi had already delivered the House bill.
It appeared as if Pelosi was going to accept the Senate version, get it approved in the House, and sent to Obama for his signature. But hold on. This is where it gets interesting.
Now that there is a conference committee - I wonder how many Republicans will sit on it - the House and the Senate versions will be "reconciled" and then each body has to approve the compromise bill.
Democrats in the House that previously approved the bill plus the 8 Republicans who also voted for it have a chance to do the right thing now and vote against it.
Senate Democrats - after giving Obama and Reid the vote they wanted and needed - are now free to vote against the bill.
Obama keeps reminding us that Presidents since Teddy Roosevelt have been trying to get health care reform passed. Maybe there is a reason - the people don't want it or the country can't afford it, or both. If FDR couldn't get it passed with the control he had, I question why we are doing this now.
I know some people feel that this is a solution that they need, but the detrimental aspects of this bill for personal choice, free enterprise, capitalism, small businesses, Medicare, taxes, and competition are so prominent as to undermine any positive aspects of the bill.
We have several opportunities for this bill to go away, and conservative Republicans and Democrats in Congress are beginning to line up against it. Remember too, only 309 days til November 2nd.
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