# Is the Health Care bill going to pass today? (March 21st) **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 21, 2010, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-health-care-bill-going-to-pass-today-march-21st/533261 "2010-03-21T19:30:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-health-care-bill-going-to-pass-today-march-21st/533261/81 "2010-03-22T03:40:50Z")
An added bonus tonight was seeing the House GOP voting _en masse_ to preserve the Cornhusker Kickback _et al._ Let 'em defend _that_ this fall! ---
**Author:** ![rivulus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rivulus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rivulus)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-health-care-bill-going-to-pass-today-march-21st/533261/82 "2010-03-22T03:42:10Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > No, I think you’ve got it. As of the passage of the main bill in the House, we’re one Presidential signature away from the Senate bill’s becoming law, which is what you said. > > The rest, as you said, is fine tuning. The House just passed the much smaller package of fixes that the Senate will consider this week (but not tonight) under budget reconciliation rules. So… under Senate reconciliation rules, how many votes does the smaller package of fixes need? Is this pretty much a sure thing now? Does anyone have a process flow diagram out there??? ---
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-health-care-bill-going-to-pass-today-march-21st/533261/83 "2010-03-22T03:42:40Z")
The outlook on Obama’s presidency just got 10x better. The Democratic Congress has finally accomplished something they can be proud of. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-health-care-bill-going-to-pass-today-march-21st/533261/84 "2010-03-22T03:42:47Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > Sorry. Couldn’t resist. No prob, that’s why I posted the straight line! ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-health-care-bill-going-to-pass-today-march-21st/533261/85 "2010-03-22T03:45:46Z")
> [@rivulus](#): > > So… under Senate reconciliation rules, how many votes does the smaller package of fixes need? Is this pretty much a sure thing now? 1. Biden would cast the tie-breaker. It’s not a sure thing, and it’s still a bit unclear if the Senate parliamentarian will allow everything to be considered under reconciliation rules, but the pressure on the Senate Democrats should be high to actually show that they can work with the other chamber and to remove the odious parts of the bill that the party as a whole could be attacked on in the next few months. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-health-care-bill-going-to-pass-today-march-21st/533261/86 "2010-03-22T03:46:17Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > An added bonus tonight was seeing the House GOP voting _en masse_ to preserve the Cornhusker Kickback _et al._ Let 'em defend _that_ this fall! Did someone vote for the changes but not the bill? I thought there was one more vote for the Reconciliation package. I wonder if that was the reason. > [@rivulus](#): > > So… under Senate reconciliation rules, how many votes does the smaller package of fixes need? Is this pretty much a sure thing now? It needs 50 or more votes in the Senate. Apparently more then fifty have already signed a letter saying they’ll vote for it, so close to a sure thing. And even if it fails, the larger bill will still become law unless Obama has a really weird change of heart and vetos it. ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-health-care-bill-going-to-pass-today-march-21st/533261/87 "2010-03-22T03:53:16Z")
> [@LavenderBlue](#): > > Single payer would have been far better but this will do in the meantime. > > The Republicans should be ashamed of themselves for the lies they told and the obfuscations they made on this one. They’ve repeatedly made it clear they don’t give a damn if people drop dead because they can’t afford health insurance just as long as some greedy private insurance health care executive can continue to legally suck up funds for his third house. No disagreement from me. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-health-care-bill-going-to-pass-today-march-21st/533261/88 "2010-03-22T03:54:56Z")
According to President Obama, the Senate will take up the package of fixes on Tuesday. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-health-care-bill-going-to-pass-today-march-21st/533261/89 "2010-03-22T03:56:40Z")
Interesting side note, here: The net effect of Republican obstructionism here was to kill the Stupak amendment, and nothing else. They couldn’t stop the health care bill, but by God, they could stop the Stupak amendment, and so they saw it as their God-given responsibility to block as much as they could. Which party is the pro-life one again? ---
**Author:** ![DJ\_Motorbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90ced4/32.png) [@DJ\_Motorbike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DJ_Motorbike)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-health-care-bill-going-to-pass-today-march-21st/533261/90 "2010-03-22T04:12:21Z")
Cool, it passed. This is a great first step, and one I’ve been waiting to hear for a long time. I am convinced the government should run all aspects of our private lives. They could tell us what to wear and what to eat. They could tell us who and what to worship. They could tell us who is allowed to reproduce at what rates. Nobody would be allowed to fail at anything because we would live in perfect harmonic equality. Government could keep us all safe within its loving arms if it wasn’t for the evil corporations who always stand in the way of Government Progress. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-health-care-bill-going-to-pass-today-march-21st/533261/91 "2010-03-22T04:16:14Z")
Hey, doesn’t that mean that Rush Limbaugh leaves the country? Good for you, not so much for whatever socialist paradise he ends up in. ---
**Author:** ![LilShieste](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9f8e36/32.png) [@LilShieste](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilShieste)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-health-care-bill-going-to-pass-today-march-21st/533261/92 "2010-03-22T04:19:35Z")
> [@DJ\_Motorbike](#): > > Cool, it passed. This is a great first step, and one I’ve been waiting to hear for a long time. > > I am convinced the government should run all aspects of our private lives. They could tell us what to wear and what to eat. They could tell us who and what to worship. They could tell us who is allowed to reproduce at what rates. Nobody would be allowed to fail at anything because we would live in perfect harmonic equality. > > Government could keep us all safe within its loving arms if it wasn’t for the evil corporations who always stand in the way of Government Progress. I know! Right? ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-health-care-bill-going-to-pass-today-march-21st/533261/93 "2010-03-22T04:34:32Z")
So. Cool. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-health-care-bill-going-to-pass-today-march-21st/533261/94 "2010-03-22T04:36:04Z")
> [@DJ\_Motorbike](#): > > Cool, it passed. This is a great first step, and one I’ve been waiting to hear for a long time. > > I am convinced the government should run all aspects of our private lives. They could tell us what to wear and what to eat. They could tell us who and what to worship. They could tell us who is allowed to reproduce at what rates. Nobody would be allowed to fail at anything because we would live in perfect harmonic equality. > > Government could keep us all safe within its loving arms if it wasn’t for the evil corporations who always stand in the way of Government Progress. But the thing is that when people say “we should be able to do whatever we want without anyone controlling us, and that goes for corporations TOO!” and as much as they claim a willingness to live with the consequences of their decisions in exchange for the freedom to act like an ass and endanger everyone around them - when it all goes Lord of the Flies you’ll be the first to bitch about how no one looked out for you and how awfully _poor little you_ were victimized. ---
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-health-care-bill-going-to-pass-today-march-21st/533261/95 "2010-03-22T04:40:02Z")
> [@DJ\_Motorbike](#): > > I am convinced the government should run all aspects of our private lives. They could tell us what to wear and what to eat. They could tell us who and what to worship. They could tell us who is allowed to reproduce at what rates. Nobody would be allowed to fail at anything because we would live in perfect harmonic equality. > > Government could keep us all safe within its loving arms if it wasn’t for the evil corporations who always stand in the way of Government Progress. Well I disagree with you. Without any government regulation we would truly become a free society. Health insurance companies would be free to take our money and then deny us coverage whenever they want. Wall Street firms would be free to do whatever they want with our money because they always know what they’re doing. We can trust the loving and honest rich corporate share holders to keep us safe and not take advantage of us. And if they do try to take advantage of us we can always fight them. If they happen to get the better of us with their millions of dollars in funding, well then it’s our fault that we failed. We would all have much more freedoms if it weren’t for the evil government that always stands in the way of corporate freedom. ---
**Author:** ![DJ\_Motorbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90ced4/32.png) [@DJ\_Motorbike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DJ_Motorbike)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-health-care-bill-going-to-pass-today-march-21st/533261/96 "2010-03-22T04:49:41Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > But the thing is that when people say “we should be able to do whatever we want without anyone controlling us, and that goes for corporations TOO!” and as much as they claim a willingness to live with the consequences of their decisions in exchange for the freedom to act like an ass and endanger everyone around them - when it all goes Lord of the Flies you’ll be the first to bitch about how no one looked out for you and how awfully _poor little you_ were victimized. Bullshit, you’re projecting your flaccid liberal ideas onto me. Keep them to yourself. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-health-care-bill-going-to-pass-today-march-21st/533261/97 "2010-03-22T04:55:36Z")
> [@Askance](#): > > I’m so pleased! Hopefully now Obama and the Dems can concentrate on getting the US out of recession, Iraq, Guantanamo and Afghanistan. \ Global Warming. This is but a tiny downtick on the thermometer in comparison (and certainly will be seen that way 100 years from now), but a necessary step as it gives the Dems significant political capital. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-health-care-bill-going-to-pass-today-march-21st/533261/98 "2010-03-22T05:01:43Z")
> [@DJ\_Motorbike](#): > > Bullshit, you’re projecting your flaccid liberal ideas onto me. Keep them to yourself. Ok, then what about the ideas of one of the conservative leaders that opposed universal health care in one of the few developed nations that had none? [http://www.theleftcoaster.com/archives/014889.php](http://www.theleftcoaster.com/archives/014889.php) > [@](#): > > The Republican Party and the right are fighting this bill with everything they have. And they threaten to run on repealing it in November. Some of the more crazy are declaring that if it passes, they will be forced to start a civil war. > > Yet, when the rhetoric becomes so intense, it is good to realize that this type of frenzied opposition has been seen before. Once the system is actually working, even the most ardent of the opposition are inclined to stop fearing the change and even embrace it for the value it brings to their lives. > > Frontline had a program a few years ago about how universal health care coverage worked in other countries. Of particular interest today is what happened in Switzerland when they voted to extend coverage to all in a system with an extremely narrow majority. The opposition was virulent as is ours today. **Yet ten years later, the Conservative who led the charge against the change admits that he is proud of the change now and believes that universal coverage is something that any truly civilized society must have**. Why do you hate civilization? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-health-care-bill-going-to-pass-today-march-21st/533261/99 "2010-03-22T05:02:00Z")
> [@DJ\_Motorbike](#): > > Bullshit, you’re projecting your flaccid liberal ideas onto me. Keep them to yourself. So what part do you have a problem with? The implication that not everyone has the intention of making an honestly earned profit but are only too happy to profit by cheating and exploiting others? My sincere doubt that if in fact you ever find yourself in need of any assistance you will let yourself and your family starve because you find it utterly distasteful to have the government interfere in you decisions? ---
**Author:** ![Lok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e8c25b/32.png) [@Lok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lok)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-health-care-bill-going-to-pass-today-march-21st/533261/100 "2010-03-22T05:07:01Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Did someone vote for the changes but not the bill? I thought there was one more vote for the Reconciliation package. I wonder if that was the reason. Actually, [3 people switched votes](http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2010/03/health-care-finale-liveblog.html). 2 who voted no on the bill voted for the reconciliation bill, and 1 who voted for the reform bill voted no on the reconciliation bill, for a net pickup of 1. I can understand the 2 who switched to yes on reconciliation. At least they can tell their constituents that they voted to remove the various special deals in the Senate bill. The one that switched the other way is a bit more mystifying for me. “Hey I voted to give you all access to better health insurance. And I voted to leave the special deals in for Nebraska and other places.”😕 > [@Askance](#): > > Hey, doesn’t that mean that Rush Limbaugh leaves the country? Good for you, not so much for whatever socialist paradise he ends up in. No no, he clarified the statement. He didn’t say he would move to Costa Rica, he said he would get his healthcare there. Because they will be better than what he can get in the US. Of course, the last time a survey was done, they already ranked higher than the US (36 to our 37). But I am sure he will not really avail himself of their [first class socialized health care system](http://www.liveincostarica.com/blog/2010/03/costa-ricas-first-class-health-care-system.html). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-health-care-bill-going-to-pass-today-march-21st/533261.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-health-care-bill-going-to-pass-today-march-21st/533261.md?page=6)