The U.S. Senate won a victory early this morning in the health-care debate, reports The Washington Post. In a 1 a.m. 60-to-40 vote, Senators approved the first of three procedural motions to move reform legislation to final passage, now scheduled for Christmas Eve.

The vote came after 12 hours of "acrimonious debate" reports The Post:

A challenging closing round of negotiations, culminating in a series of compromises with moderates, threatened to overshadow the significance of what Democrats believed they were close to achieving: the most significant health-care legislation since Medicare and Medicaid were created in 1965.

"This bill is the product of years of hard work, study and deliberation," said Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.), one of the principal sponsors of the package, in remarks on the Senate floor before the vote. "These are the reforms for which Americans have been waiting."

Not one single Republican voted in favor of the motion. In fact, The Post reports, prior to the bill, GOP lawmakers took turns condemning the Senate bill. The White House, meanwhile, has admitted the bill is not perfect, however, it is a major step forward to providing health care for the 31 million Americans without it.

Previous Comments

ID

154403

Comment

Meanwhile, China has admitted it doesn't have the money to buy US Bonds anymore. I still say we can't afford it. I know, I know. Someone's going to give me the "But we must!" argument.

Author

Ironghost

Date

2009-12-21T10:14:34-06:00

ID

154409

Comment

I got a question, is it even constitutional to require everyone to buy a product from a private entity?

Author

WMartin

Date

2009-12-21T11:32:50-06:00

ID

154411

Comment

That's my main concern. I have insurance through my job. I don't want to be forced to buy it. I think the insurance industry had a hand in putting in the provision in the bill. As it stands now, I can't support it.

Author

golden eagle

Date

2009-12-21T12:43:09-06:00

ID

154415

Comment

They require you to purchase auto insurance and there is no gov't/public option for that.

Author

Renaldo Bryant

Date

2009-12-21T13:46:56-06:00

ID

154419

Comment

Driving a car is voluntary. Breathing, not so much. Also, the laws that require auto insurance are state laws not federal.

Author

WMartin

Date

2009-12-21T14:00:15-06:00

ID

154422

Comment

My understanding is that you're not required to buy health insurance; instead, there will simply be a surtax (or whatever they're calling it) if you don't (and if you otherwise don't qualify for a hardship or govt program). That's probably constitutional -- in some ways it even makes sense if we're in this to end the "free ride" of ER healthcare for the un-insured. I'm worried too -- that this plan won't be inexpensive enough. Hopefully the insurance exchanges, etc., will help with that and drive down costs for mandated insurance.

Author

Todd Stauffer

Date

2009-12-21T17:31:04-06:00

ID

154431

Comment

I have insurance through my job. I don't want to be forced to buy it. GE, I'm not seeing where this bill would discontinue employer-provided insurance or force you to drop insurance provided by your employer and buy it on the open market. Your employer, like many companies, may well continue to provide insurance for employees. (BTW, if you're not already paying the full premium, consider yourself lucky ... most companies pass on the full cost these days.) Also, no one is questioning that the insurance industry had a hand in the bill. That's one of the major reasons the bill is not everything it could be, IMHO. Private, for-profit insurance is how we got where we are, yet it seems we're going to let the same insurance companies reap the benefits of providing full coverage for Americans. The public option, a federally run, not-for profit insurance that would compete with commercial insurance, was outmaneuvered by the insurance and pharmaceutical lobbying. What a shame. Profits win again.

Author

Ronni_Mott

Date

2009-12-21T20:37:04-06:00

ID

154435

Comment

GE, I'm not seeing where this bill would discontinue employer-provided insurance or force you to drop insurance provided by your employer and buy it on the open market. That does allay my fears. I still don't like the provision of being forced to buy insurance if you don't have it, but I can probably live with it.

Author

golden eagle

Date

2009-12-22T09:38:47-06:00

ID

154438

Comment

What they're going to to in the Senate is tax you, GE. The taxes on your plan will go up, forcing most employers to raise rates or cut back services. The goal of this is to make people use medical services less, thus driving costs down. There's more, but I'm already sick to see America go down this path.

Author

Ironghost

Date

2009-12-22T11:11:26-06:00

ID

154439

Comment

What they're going to to in the Senate is tax you, GE. The taxes on your plan will go up, forcing most employers to raise rates or cut back services. Taxes on plans kick in on plans that are worth over $23,000 per year and only on the amount over $23,000. I somehow doubt GE is paying quite that much. GREAT stuff here and here about the Senate plan. In fact, both links are refutations of *left-wing* hysteria over the bill, which is spilling into some of the same rhetoric that the right (God luv ya, Iron) is trying to spread.

Author

Todd Stauffer

Date

2009-12-22T11:32:22-06:00

ID

154440

Comment

I'm so sick of both sides on this. Truly. The hysteria is blocking reality. I hate stupid partisanship.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2009-12-22T11:46:12-06:00

ID

154441

Comment

What's your definition of reality, Donna?

Author

Ironghost

Date

2009-12-22T12:16:51-06:00

ID

154444

Comment

Facts, Ironghost. You yourself just above are repeating scare rhetoric that you clearly haven't checked out. Being so partisan always obscures facts. I also believe in compromise; the screechies on either side never do.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2009-12-22T12:46:32-06:00

ID

154445

Comment

You know, I'd normally mention at this point that a bit of further research pointed out that tax will only affect the top 20% of earners, according to the Senate. But then since I'm a fear-mongering partisan, I won't.

Author

Ironghost

Date

2009-12-22T13:14:34-06:00

ID

154446

Comment

As expected, Iron. ;-) You have your independent moments. I will admit that. That's when you're the most fun to talk to. It's never fun to dodge talking points.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2009-12-22T13:23:15-06:00