The U.S. House of Representatives opened controlled debate Saturday on a $1.2 trillion health care bill that includes a controversial public option, funding for abortion and no guarantee that illegal immigrants won’t be among those receiving benefits.
In other words, America stands on the precipice of taking one giant leap toward socialized medicine.
Democrats need 218 votes to pass the legislation, meaning that they can only lose 40 of their 258 members if all 177 Republicans vote against the bill, as they are expected to do.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi – who has procedurally blocked the vast majority of amendments to the legislation – will permit pro-life Democrats to introduce one amendment that would restrict abortion funding.
Stay tuned to FITS for the latest as we keep our eyes on these critical votes …
By Liberty For Me November 7, 2009 at 1:38 pm
As evidenced by Lindsey Graham not supporting this yet,enough palms havent been warmed yet.Look for last minute “changes” in the “bill” that will let Republicans think they can say it’s OK.Looking for a way to vote for it and look “Republican” so they can get their share.It cant be done and the revolution builds…
By No Way! November 7, 2009 at 2:59 pm
May it be as much a miserable failure as Obama’s administration will be remembered for in the years to come.
By Kierthos November 8, 2009 at 7:31 am
You all realize that back when Medicare was created, it was called socialized medicine by it’s critics too, right? By no less then Ronald Reagan (who was actually a registered Democrat at the time) and George H.W. Bush. (And then we have the morons saying “Keep your government hands off of my Medicare”)
And let’s not forget that the ultra-conservatives have been spreading lies about how the NHS works in the U.K., which is also socialized medicine. (The whole folderol about how Stephen Hawking would be dead if he had been dependent on NHS… which is shocking because he is alive because of NHS.)
I’m not saying that the plan up before Congress is going to be sweetness and light and solve everything, but you might want to actually find out what the hell you are talking about first before you go off and claim we’re all going to be turned into Communists because more people will have health care available.
By rick November 8, 2009 at 3:31 pm
Make you a deal Kierthos, ya like British health care so much, you go to Britain for it and I won’t consider it a loss that you’ve gone. And yes, I agree, Medicare and Social Security are socialist programs that most people have been forced to pay into. And just like most, I will demand my return on investment also. And ya might want to look at how many more people will have access to health care….at this time it seems everyone that presents themselves to an emergency room are required by law to be treated …listen, since this plan is so outstanding, to get a leg up on the next handout, why don’t you go to Mass, they have the precursor, after all, it’s failing each and every day….but then fantasies are hard to put away until the taxes begin to go up next year….yep, taxes kick in next year but the health care won’t do shit until 2013. Think the Dems are afraid of the results when the average American really begins living under this plan? 2013….after 2012 election?
By Kierthos November 10, 2009 at 2:14 pm
All I’m saying is look past the lies that both sides (but especially the Republicans) are saying and make your decisions based on facts, not propaganda.