Ablogination

Welcome to the political version of sudden death overtime….

The Reconciliation Bill of 2010 is born. And when you read it, be advised that it DOES CONTAIN AN EXCHANGE WITH A PUBLIC OPTION. (see PDF doc Pg.4)

The PDF is HERE. Read it. There is no excuse for not knowing.
The vote will come on Sunday at 1pm according to House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.)

The icing on the cake is the Congressional Budget Office report that pronounces the legislation Fiscally Fit….

According to the CBO, the measure would make insurance available to an estimated 95 percent of non-elderly citizens by dramatically expanding Medicaid, the government health program for the poor, and offering tax credits to an estimated 24 million Americans who would otherwise find it difficult to afford coverage. The Congressional Budget Office reported earlier in the day that the legislation would provide health insurance coverage for 32 million people by 2016 at a 10- year cost of $940 billion. The CBO also said it would reduce the federal deficit by $138 billion over 10 years.

Senate Blue Dogs can no longer hide behind “fiscal responsibility” in an effort not to show their greed. They now have no excuse for obstruction aside from their personal profiteering.

Republicans, scratching out in desperation, attempted to obstruct by forcing an individual vote on the unpopular Senate version but to no avail. Democrats handily blocked the maneuver.

Buoyed by the CBO approval, which returned exactly the results President Obama demanded, leads us to the House vote on Sunday and subsequently back to the Senate where 51 votes for the Public Option are believed to be available.
It seems that Congressional Dems have found their balls. Perhaps enough Democratic Senators too. Nothing is written in stone as of yet, but this legislation is going to reach the President’s desk. And if it does so with the Public Option intact, Barack Obama will have kept his promise to sign a bill only if it contains the Public Option.

The thrill of victory or the agony of defeat. Barack Obama and the Democratic majority will come to know one or the other very soon. Let’s hope that for the sake of our economy, and our overall health, they get this done right.