Senator Olympia Snowe quoted in the New York Times today:
Is this bill all that I would want? Far from it. Is it all that it can be? No. But when history calls, history calls… . I happen to think that the consequences of inaction dictate the urgency of Congress to take every opportunity to demonstrate its capacity to solve the monumental issues of our time.
Is it enough? Is it too weak? Does it have too many capitulations? These are debates with merit and I hope they will be addressed over the coming weeks as this bill is examined by the Senate. But while we’re deep in the woods (as we should be), let’s not forget the forest we find ourselves in: this country has been trying to pass comprehensive healthcare reform since 1912 and at every juncture we’ve been shut down, cut off, called names, demonized, marginalized, and generally avoided. In that context, let me answer the question: will healthcare reform be passed by Congress before the new year? Yes.
Photo credit: Huffington Post
A first step! Not bad for the senate.
And 1, 2, 3… RINO!
And yet, according to the rightwingers, 97 years is too fast. They're ramming it down our throats!
Olympia Snowe also said "this is my vote today. It might not be my vote tomorrow". Later, she said "I'm doing this for procedural reasons so this can move ahead in the process."
She is far from a yes vote on the final bill, especially when it gets bastardized by the House negotiators.
With that said, I think bill has decent intentions and I'm interested so see it move forward. I think the GOP would be well-served to build in their own "trigger" provision, where in 5 years if it costs more than projected or has a more negative deficit impact than projected, the entire program is re-evaluated and can be scaled back.
But I doubt they will be that pragmatic.
DantheMan, i share your doubts….why can't the republicans be a party of "prove it!" and put it in legislation…that would be refreshing
Because republicans don't believe in evidence.
Farewell, Baucus and Grassley: Reasonable legislation never knew ye.
And may we now crown Queen Snowe, who will have more say in the final bill than any elected official in the United States. Did any of you vote for her, because she is going to be the one driving the bill now. All in the name of bipartisianship.
I actually didn't vote for any sitting Senators, so Snowe is good enough for me.
You voted for Barky?