Now that the House has passed the $2.1 trillion ObamaCare abomination by the slimmest of margins, the scene shifts to the Senate. There, members will be put to the test as to whether to pass the single largest redistribution of the wealth in U.S. history.
Or whether to torpedo it to the icy depths of the Abyss—never to reawaken.
Only 50.5 percent of Representatives voted in favor of the government takeover of health care on Saturday. The final vote was 220 to 215. If the same pattern holds in the Senate where 60 votes are needed, the road left-alone to socialized medicine could run awry in 2010.
Especially since a full 54 percent of voters oppose it and only 42 percent support a bill that will ration care away from seniors, reduce quality, increase taxes by more than $780 billion, and increase the unsustainable burden of the national debt by substantially exploding entitlement spending—adding more than 36 million to the taxpayer-subsidized health system.
Unlike the House, however, the Senate now needs 60 votes, and it is going to be harder to get.
Then, even if they do pass their own version of the bill, it would still have to go to conference. Pressure on House and Senate targets to vote “No” on the conference report and to mount a filibuster on the conference report will be the game. So, there is still a long way to go before the left is allowed to turn the world’s leading health care system into yet another entitlement program.
The House version of ObamaCare was pushed to give the embattled Administration a "win." The elections were harsh and the mood of the public is not good. Everything was turning against them. This was meant as a way to stop the bleeding and give some guys a "pass" vote.
But at the end of the day, the House action may only make matters worse for them. U-6 unemployment has steadily climbed past 17.5 percent. The past two most recent major votes in the House have been on two key jobs-killing measures: the national energy cap and tax, and now the push for a government “public option”.
In short, the health care and energy tax bills will weaken and destroy the American economy, increase premiums and prices across the board, and put further stress on the American people, many of whom are barely staying afloat financially. Foreclosures continue to mount, and inflation is looming.
The Senate has yet to vote on either measure. Nor will they vote this year, indicates Harry Reid—himself in deepening election troubles in Nevada. The political tide for the majority is still running out while the Hard Left fringe in its party pushes an agenda of ever-expansive entitlements, bailouts, favors, kickbacks, and handouts.
Last Tuesday’s results clearly gave 39 members of the House Democrat caucus pause when they voted against the health bill. It followed a similar pattern wherein 44 Democrats voted against the Waxman-Markey bill capping carbon emissions—these vulnerable members of the House majority are under considerable pressure from their constituents.
The public’s outrage at incumbents has been—and will continue to be seen—throughout the year at tea parties and town halls. It’s alive in communities where individuals who never have before been involved with the political process are standing up and speaking out against members of Congress. These national issues have awakened a national anger that will not quickly or easily subside.
What’s worse for House members is that the Senate may never vote for these controversial measures as the election year politics change the landscape. Suddenly, polling in particular states and districts will become key decision-makers.
The influence of party leadership on member votes will continue to wane as the public becomes the greater arbiter.
For the Democrats in 2010, the only way to assuage the public’s anger and save their seats may be to deep-six the Obama agenda for contracting wealth and expanding welfare. As the results in the House clearly indicated, it may be an alternative increasing numbers of Democrat office-holders are eager to embrace.
Bill Wilson is the President of Americans for Limited Government.
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