HR 3590 Passes by a Healthy Margin 219-212

HR 3590 Passes by a Healthy Margin 219-212
Posted by Joe Rivett on 03.21.2010 from http://www.411mania.com/politics/columns/133398

I was channel surfing this morning and I came across "This Week" on ABC where the moderator asked a Democratic lawmaker if the passage of a health care reform bill would cause the Democrats to lose seats. I've yet to meet a person whose vote is hinging on whether or not their Representative is going to vote down health care reform. The Republicans have been whipped badly in the last two elections. They have midterm history on their side. The Democrats have a uniquely bad economy to deal with. There are a lot of Democrats in Republican districts. Republicans have the fact that Americas love divided government. Obama will not be on the ticket. No matter what the Democrats do, Republicans will win seats.

However, I believe this bill may save some seats because it will give a lift to dispirited Democrats. It will give them a chance to sell the popular provisions of the bill. It will also bring the media focus to something else and if it is immigration reform, that only helps the Democrats and divides the Republicans. In the end, Obama said it best when he stated his disgust for politics being judged as a sport. So what if a Representative loses their job as if they can't make tons of money in the private sector. If you are going to lose your job helping millions get access to health insurance, I guess that it is better than losing your job over some pointless gun bill.

Before I take off, here are my Real Time thoughts on Boehner and Pelosi's speeches.

• Boehner just said I can't keep my health care plan. Wow, I'll send him a campaign check for 100 bucks if I lose my insurance because of this bill.
• He is complaining about Medicare cuts even though he is against socialized medicine.
• Do we really need to slow down after over a year of debate?
• Boehner now believes that this Health Care Bill is against Moses. Forget Jesus, what would Moses do?
• Boehner is now begging Congress to never let this happen again! Funny stuff.
• He's really into the "Will of the American people," as if he knows how the American people feel. If the American people didn't want more government and health reform they would have never elected Obama.
• Boehner would rather focus on jobs as if Congress can only do one thing at a time.
• The Republicans love to defend the life of the unborn but I wish they cared as much for lives of the born and for the lives of the sick.

• Pelosi thinks this bill is as important as Medicare and Social Security, I think that is a little dramatic too.
• Pelosi talks about how difficult it is to change jobs when you have pre-existing conditions or children with them.
• Apparently being a woman is a pre-existing condition. Apparently some insurance companies were considering Caesarian sections or DV victims as pre-existing. Considering my wife had one and changed jobs after having one, I'm glad this is over.
• The Democrats are using stories on how people's lives will be better but I don't hear the Republicans saying whose lives will be ruined because of health care reform.
• If 45,000 people die because of not having insurance, should that not bother those that freak out and want to destroy the Constitution because of 3,000 people dying during 9/11?
• The bill is somewhat bipartisan because there are 200 Republican sponsored amendments. Also, liberals want single-payer so they gave up a lot in this bill too.

The final tally was 219 – 212 to pass the Motion to Concur in the Senate Amendments to H.R. 3590 - Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.