Congress completes overhaul of health care (Reconciliation Passes in the House)

[onehandle]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON – Capping an epic struggle, congressional Democrats put the final touches Thursday to historic legislation enshrining health care as the right of every citizen. Republicans vowed to campaign for repeal in the fall election season, drawing a quick retort from President Barack Obama: "I welcome that fight."

The president spoke in Iowa as the Senate voted 56-43 for legislation making changes, including better benefits for seniors and low-income and middle-class families, to the bill he signed into law with a flourish at the White House on Tuesday.

The House added its approval a few hours later, 220-207, clearing the way for Obama's signature on the second of two bills that marked the culmination of what the president called "a year of debate and a century of trying" to ensure coverage for nearly all in a nation where millions lack it.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_health_care_overhaul

[stray cat]

1. Nice pic!

[onehandle]

6. It's been my signature since Sunday.

It really captures the spirit of the victory.

[CountAllVotes]

2. final vote

220 :thumbsup: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :toast: !!

:dem: :dem: :dem:

[Faygo Kid]

3. An extraordinary win, given where we were. Much good stuff, and more to build on.

I've worked on it for over a year. It isn't perfect, but has much to build on. Had it gone down, we may never have seen health care reform again. This is a huge win for Dems. And for our nation. This may also be the start of Republicans breaking with Fox and Rush. They lost big here. They can't win with the 25 percent of Americans that is their "base."

[valerief]

14. I'm hoping it gets betterer and betterer! Ah, the good ol' of the non-profits...

[nxylas]

42. 13 percent according to a recent Quinnipiac poll

http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x1295.xml?ReleaseID=1436

[DCofVA]

4. Thank Goodness!

:applause:

[TxVietVet]

5. The conservanazis' panties are probably all bunched up really bad now

and they are really pissed. I'll bet they'll vote "NO" every time. On everthing. Even their own amendments. Now, that's pretty sharp there, conservanazis.

Finally. FINALLY, the Dems got a set of balls and played the game to win. FINALLY. We are seeing some progress. Keep doing our work.

[Scout]

7. who needs balls, when you've got ovaries? n/t

[ehrnst]

43. Thank you. n/t

[AngryKansasknitter]

50. SO lovin' the ovary and balls statement...

I about spewed coffee all over my cell phone when I read that!!

And, it's SO true! I swear to God these Republican thugs act WORSE than all these out of control little kids that parents REFUSE to get under control....and we wonder WHY our society is sooooo screwed up! :evilfrown: I honestly think these republican thugs are spoilt rotten overgrown children that have NEVER left the playground!!! when are they going to get their heads out of their asses and figure out their lack of judgement and respect for other people does impact others' lives on a daily basis! hell,even my late father made damn good and sure I learned that lesson at a VERY early age!

Nita

[Grassy Knoll]

8. Being my 1000th post I would love to say, K & R. n/t

[NecklyTyler]

9. K&R

[mdmc]

10. even this f---in retard knows that

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

34. I WANT THAT CUP!!!! N/P

[LeftishBrit]

11. Good news!

[harry_pothead]

12. K&R

[groundloop]

13. Reconciliation actually went relatively smoothly

Glad this is behind us. Now it's time to educate America on what's good about this bill, and also start working to fix what's missing (public option !!!)

[optimator]

15. it better not be "complete"

let the excuses for complacency begin.

[derby378]

32. +100

Health care is NOT a right. At least, not yet.

Public Option NOW.

[jeanmarc]

16. Great to hear, now to work on those pesky cost controls

Here's hoping the public sees the Dems accomplish something while in power and the polls reverse themselves on the do-nothing, know-nothing Republicants.

[4lbs]

17. One of the big things that the 13 state AGs are filing the suits is because of the mandates.

Well, there's a simple way for their states to opt out of the mandates:

Pass a state public option or single payer that meets the minimum requirements in the bill, and...

VIOLA!

No mandate for you!

[DCBob]

39. Yeah, I think the lawsuits are bogus... notice last night I dont think we heard any mention..

of "unconstitutionality" or legal action from any of the loser Republicans. The must have gotten the word from their legal advisers that challenging it in the courts is a dead end.

[graywarrior]

18. .

:toast: :party:

[awoke_in_2003]

31. free the duck. nt

[graywarrior]

44. No

[awoke_in_2003]

51. ...

:P

[graywarrior]

52. .

:hi:

[awoke_in_2003]

53. Right back at you...

:hi: you ducknapper :)

[hatesthegop]

19. US HOUSE OKAYS HEALTH CARE 220-207

Source: Yahoo and MSNBC

US HOUSE just voted to ok the final draft of the HCR into law..we're done with this one!!!!

No link yet.

---

Yeah-take that Tea Party! It's on to a single payer bill now!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MidwestTransplant]

20. Who came along this time that didn't the last?

[rhett o rick]

23. Great question. we need names. nm

[FrenchieCat]

24. The reconciliation bill had 220 last time. The Senate Bill was the one with 219.

[MidwestTransplant]

27. ah ok thanks

[Grassy Knoll]

21. Last vote ..GRAYSON.....WOOO HOO !!!!!!

[Mz Pip]

22. It's just the beginning

but we wouldn't have the foundation to build on this if it hadn't passed.

I think this is a shot across the bow of the insurance companies. They have a choice, they can make this work for them and for the people or they can raise their rates and continue down a path that will most certainly lead to extinction.

We shall see.

[hatesthegop]

25. When does Obama sign this?

[FrenchieCat]

28. I'd think tomorrow.

Media blowout the entire week!

[Owl]

26. What a fantastic day!!!!!!!!!

Snoopy-dancin' all around!

[goclark]

30. Happy Happy and Fired Up! Ready to Go!

[Warren Stupidity]

29. Ooops We Did It Again.

How's that Dopey Nopey thing working out for you TeaPugNutCants?

[demwing]

38. Wasn't it that "Nutty-Slutty" thing? Or was it "Teary- Feary"?

I choose all of the above

[Grinchie]

33. Feel free to fill us in on what the reconciliation bill actually did.

I don't see a large number of Fact driven posters on this thread, but I see a whole lot of Hoo Yah, based on nothing.

Did we get the Public Option? or is all of this puffery and Self Aggrandisment?

And no, I'm not ashamed for coming to the party late, but whit all the crap that I've seen, I'm not going to get ready for a party based on a few fervent followers

[Orrex]

35. Gosh. Your post is like a basket full of rainbow-scented sunshine.

[LibDemAlways]

45. No public option. No cost controls. We do get a mandate to

do business with known crooks, however. Whoopie for us!

The other night on Tweety's show House Dem whip Clymer admitted this is basically the bill Dole proposed back in the 90's. Wow, we managed to pass a 15-year-old Republican plan! Go team!!

[No Elephants]

49. Also similar to Nixon's plan, BUT Nixon's was better. For 1 thing, it had no individual mandate.

Hillarycare, however, did have an individual mandate. So did Romneycare. And, of course, so does Obamacare.


Remember how prominent Daschle was in Obama/s campaign? Well, he and Dole partnered up. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-5094031-503544.html

[TomCADem]

36. K & R! The Student Loan Bill Ending The Bank Freebies Was Great Too!

Congratulations to President Obama and the Democratic members of the House, and the American people who are not being held hostage by the right wing extremists.

[Owl]

40. YES, YES, YES!!

[lonestarnot]

37. I love that pic.

[Hugin]

41. Congratulations!

:)

[Democat]

46. Congratulations Obama, Clinton, Kennedy, and all the rest!

This day was many years and lives in the making.

It may not be perfect, but it's a first step that has eluded us for a long long time.

[MadMichDem]

47. I called my Senators and Representatives to thank them

this morning. John Conyers answered his own phone so I got to talk to him! He wasn't pleased with the final bill but said it's a really great start. I told him what David Frum just said about Fox, he hadn't heard it and laughed pretty hard.
It's a good day to be a Democrat.

[mvd]

48. Good news

I wouldn't blame Obama if he did not focus on more health care reform for the rest of this year at least, but that doesn't mean Congress can't work on it this year. We need to keep working because this law is far from where we should be.