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So we’ll see, in all likelihood, a 60-40 vote, coming up in just minutes, on the motion to proceed on health care. The 60 are Democrats; the 40 are Republicans. As Harry Reid (rightly) said moments ago, if you’re not willing to debate, what are you doing in the United States Senate? “Democracy is discussion; democracy needs deliberation,” he said.
Senate Republicans aren’t just voting against something tonight. They’re voting for something. They’re voting for a health care system that fails 47 million uninsured, a system that kills 45,000 due to a lack of health insurance annually, more than any war in the modern era. They’re voting for a system that will unquestionably destroy the federal budget and bust most corporations and businesses. They’re voting affirmatively to continue that system.
We’ll have the final vote in a bit.
…voting from their desks, the Senate is going through the roll. No surprises thus far.
…The final vote was 60-39. Republican George Voinovich of Ohio did not vote (that’s interesting, although he may just not have been in the Senate today).
…Sen. Reid will hold a press conference shortly on the passage of the motion to proceed.
Reid is speaking now with Dodd and Harkin. “We can see the finish line now, but we’re not there. The road ahead is a long stretch. We have momentum. We know that now all Senators agree on how to move forward, but we must move forward. My caucus agrees on 90% of the bill. Differences between Dems and Repubs will be clear to the American people. Our plan saves lives, saves money and saves Medicare. Republican alternative is nonexistent, will keep our broken system as it is. Looking forward to bring quality health care to the American people as they deserve.”
Dodd: “Congratulations to Leader Reid and Baucus. Kennedy on all of our minds.”
Reid said he just spoke to Vicki Kennedy and that Ted is watching us.
Dodd: “We have an historic opportunity to get this done. Will have a debate that is long overdue in the 21st century. This is a critical moment. In the USA, certain things, you ought to have a right to. Like decent health care. You ought to be able to see a doctor if you need it, and afford it without going bankrupt. Long road lies ahead, but I’m confident that we’ll accomplish that goal.”
Harkin: “I can’t think of a better vote to have before Thanksgiving. American people will be thankful that we’re moving ahead. This is a momentous, pivotal vote. This bill is a good deal for America. Bill will invest in prevention and wellness, changing from a sick care system to a health care system. We’re rounding third and heading for home.”
Reid is taking questions:
Q: Lincoln and Lieberman don’t want public option, what are you going to do?
Reid: I welcome Schumer, Landrieu and Carper’s work to get a public option acceptable to all Democrats.
Q: Do you have 60?
Reid: When we have 60 votes, we’ll get it to the President.
Q: What’s that about Landrieu?
Reid: My understanding is that Landrieu said today she’s working with Schumer and Carper to come up with an alternative.
Q: You said Vicki Kennedy called?
Reid: Just a few minutes ago, Vicki Kennedy called after the vote. She was crying pretty hard. We both said that Ted would have been happy. We both felt that he would have been watching.
Q: Is history on your side?
Reid: I’m a student of history. I really do believe that we’re in an historic time in the history of our country. This has been far too long in the making. We’re going to get health care reform. The American people need it and they deserve it. Half of those who file for bankruptcy do it because of health care costs. And half of those people had insurance. So we need to do this.
POSTSCRIPT: So Reid just confirmed that Chuck Schumer is working with Mary Landrieu and Tom Carper to reach some kind of compromise on the public option that can satisfy everyone in the caucus. The dealmaking has begun. Expect the word “trigger” to come back into the political lexicon any day now.
UPDATE: Robert Gibbs’ statement.
“The President is gratified that the Senate has acted to begin consideration of health insurance reform legislation. Tonight’s historic vote brings us one step closer to ending insurance company abuses, reining in spiraling health care costs, providing stability and security to those with health insurance, and extending quality health coverage to those who lack it. The President looks forward to a thorough and productive debate.”
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Roll call vote underway NOW.
Bob in AZ
Motion passes, 60-39!
Bob in AZ
Thanks for your update and the Reid-Dodd statements. Schumer working with Landrieu? OMG, what kind of monster will they produce??? But I’m glad we got past this hurdle. Now the deal-making begins in earnest.
Bob in AZ
LOL! Yeah the way Schumer “worked” with a few of our progressive candidates fer instance …
Cat In Seattle
Another Yay! You’re being quoted on rawstory.com, David.
LINK.
This bill and statements by Landrieu, Lincoln…and now apparently Schumer’s working to water down the public option even further, all this, plus the optimistic, business as usual, congratulatory tone that Reid, Gibbs, Dobbs and others are taking…lead me to believe that Democratic leadership is taking progressive votes for granted. They’ll do anything to accommodate conservative Democrats like Nelson (no anti-trust legislation), Landrieu (billions in state aid), Snowe and Lincoln (the much talked about trigger) with full expectation that Sanders, Rockefeller, Brown and others will roll. Progressives should be working hard with Republicans and Conservadems to strip the bill of mandates and the public option, just pass the ban on rescission, guaranteed issue and overturn the McCarren-Ferguson anti-trust exemption for insurers…and then come back early next year with single payer.
The public’s education on single payer has just begun. It is a fundamentally conservative way to solve the problem of insurance. It’s used all over and it has been proven to work. Medicaid is in place. They simply lower the age of eligibility from 65 to 50 in 2011, and lower it by 10 years every 5 thereafter. Raise rates for primary care physicians, lower them for specialists and subsidize medical studies in primary care programs, giving special rates for doctors willing to spend 2 or more years in underserved areas.
Put a match to this sop to liberal sensibilities. Liberals and progressives are going to own some awful legislation if they pass this. It has its good points, to be sure, but they don’t outweigh the bad ones by a long haul.
Pardon me, but to clarify. Medicare is the program for people 65 years of age and older and certain younger-aged disabled adults. It is a federal program. Medicaid is for poor people of all ages and is a state-federal program.
LINK.