I don’t usually write about the socialist takeover of 1/6 of our economy sorry, health care reform, because it makes me so angry that I can’t usually form rational thoughts on the subject. It was the issue that made me realize voting for Barack Obama last year was the biggest mistake I’ve made in my life (and I’ve made some whoppers).
But I can’t let this moment, the moment that the United States Senate put liberty on a ventilator, pass without some comment.
Dan Perrin (RedState) notes that not a fired up right, nor overwhelming public opinion, nor even the anger of Democrats’ liberal base could stop this bill from passing the Senate. Of course this surprises no one at this point. Haven’t the Obama administration and the congressional leadership proven time and time again that they couldn’t care less about what anyone else thinks about what they’re doing?
The kicker is that Harry Reid got to 60 votes for a bill that taxpayers don’t want by bribing senators with taxpayer money. Most have already heard about the $300 million in Medicaid funding that Reid secured for Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu, but today she’s looking like your average street corner whore. Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson is the new high-priced callgirl, securing for Nebraska complete exemption for having to pay anything for Medicaid. Taxpayers in the other 49 states will now have to foot the bill.
Americans for Tax Reform has a list of the new taxes that ObamaCare will impose, including taxes that will hit those making less than $250,000 a year even though President Obama promised that no such taxation would occur. Presumably we can now expect the president to veto this bill. But don’t hold your breath. (By the way, Riehl World View’s favorite new tax is the 10% excise tax on tanning services. It’s replacing the “botax” on cosmetic surgery, and one wonders if this was due to the objections of Nancy Pelosi, Barbara Boxer, et al., who certainly need such surgery. In any event, my favorite new tax is the individual mandate surtax that Candidate Obama opposed).
Hillbuzz thinks that we need to start screaming and yelling at our congressmen and senators, in person. I will certainly be giving Charlie Wilson, Sherrod Brown, and George Voinovich an earful.
Little Miss Attila says, quite bluntly: “Fuck Ben Nelson.” Me too, but better than that: Fuck the whole damn government.
But, and this is important, it ain’t over ’till it’s over. Once the votes are in and the Senate version of ObamaCare passes, it will have to be reconciled with the House version and both chambers will have to vote for the final bill. The House version has a public option while the Senate version does not, and the Congressional Progressive Caucus might side with Howard Dean and the nutroots who want the bill killed.
Abortion is still proving contentious as well, because the Senate version is not as stringent as the House version in prohibiting federal funding for abortion coverage. Michigan Congressman Bart Stupak, the author of the House version’s abortion restrictions, finds the Senate version “unacceptable.” Should the final bill prove to be just as unacceptable, it’s possible that there will be enough pro-life Democrats in the House to defeat the final version of ObamaCare.
My predictions if the bill passes? Glad you asked:
- A Republican House for the 112th Congress;
- A Republican majority in both chambers for the 113th Congress (if, in fact, this doesn’t happen next year);
- And Sarah Palin sworn in as the 45th President of the United States on January 20, 2013.
That may, in fact, be the only silver lining in all of this — that Democrats might seal their own defeat with this bill, and that it might happen in time to repeal the monstrosity. At least we hope.
From the Rust Belt 