In Senate special session today, single payer amendment MAY still be voted upon.

[clear eye]

A few minutes ago, there was a brief consultation between the leaders on mike during which they said that amendments other than those announced, may be brought up depending on time. This could, of course, include S. amendment 2837, single payer amendment introduced by Sen. Sanders and cosponsored by Sens. Sherrrod and Burris.

If you are interested, keep your ear to the ground, and your eye on favorite progressive news source. (If it's not too uncomfortable a position.)

[clear eye]

1. Hearing right now an argument for "tort reform" as an amendment to health bill.

Conservadem Lincoln is offering this w/ support of Republicans for the purpose of making it illegal(!) for lawyers to offer a contingency fee basis for cases involving victims of medical malpractice. In other words as is frequent practice in all types of personal injury suits, lawyers offer to pursue the case under an agreement that they will be paid w/ a % of the settlement, and get nothing if the their side loses. This amendment would ban the practice in medical malpractice case. No other types of cases would be affected.

The Republicans are on a roll speaking one after the other, claiming all sorts of nonsense that tort reform would save money in the health system (keeping incompetent MDs practicing b/c no one can afford to stop them), and accusing Dems of keeping their amendment out of the bill only b/c they are paid off by trial lawyers. McCain got all excited in favor of this one. They are using unprecedented language for the Senate to smear Dems as tools of special interests in this matter.

[HughMoran]

2. Most analysis I've seen on this describes the tort reform as an insignificant reform

Thus the Republicans are all over it - they are the masters of insignificant.

[clear eye]

4. It's insignificant in any possible savings to the system, but

could be devastating for victims of malpractice.

[HughMoran]

5. Yes, Republicans are sure to support a measure that will mostly hurt poor workers

If Republican supporters weren't so stupid, they'd be a dead party by now. Instead, Dems overlook the big reforms and focus on the negative :crazy:

[clear eye]

3. Now the 'pukes are misdirecting the debate on their amendment

to make it appear that it's only a cap on the awards to the lawyers, not a ban on contingency fees. (Watch the tophat on the table, not what I'm pulling out of my sleeve.)

On edit: I just realized that I haven't mentioned on this thread that you can watch this session live on C-Span 2.

[clear eye]

6. Now Sen. Leahy is making mincemeat out of the 'puke arguments

for their "tort reform" amendment.