Health Care Reform Vote Later Today

Image from source, Politico

Can you remember a time when we weren't talking about health care reform? It's easy to forget that we went through all of this before in the 90s. I'm hopeful that today's vote succeeds, though it has gone further than the Clinton plan by actually coming to a vote in the first place.

Like in the 90s, Democrats still can't "message" worth crap. Just like then, Republicans are terrific at it, coming up with catchy names, and succinct two- or three-word phrases. "Death Panels" may not be true, but danged if it didn't catch on. Just like with "HillaryCare" this bill is deemed "ObamaCare." The same voices we heard decrying it then are even louder this time. Thanks to the continued popularity of talk radio, the dominance of FOX "News" amongst conservatives, and the internet, there are differences this time around.

Always easy to stir up, exciteable conservatives are in a frothy lather over this issue. The Limbaughs, Becks and Hannitys have managed to turn this issue into the most dire and dangerous encroachment of government power ever. The tea baggers were born, and offshoots and spinoffs keep a-coming, complete with misspelled signs and ever more violent rhetoric. For that reason alone, I long for this battle to end, preferably with a "win."

[Excerpt]

Dems race to lock in final votes

Democratic leaders are still locking down the final votes needed to pass the centerpiece of their domestic agenda – a historic rewrite of the nation's health care laws that would expand health insurance access to nearly every American.

They hope to secure the votes of a trio of veteran Blue Dogs – Rep. Loretta Sanchez of California, and retiring Reps. Marion Berry (Ark.) and John Tanner (Tenn.) – as well as a handful of anti-abortion Democrats who could break from hard-liner Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) to back the bill. . .

Read more at: Politico