Health Care Vote

Does anyone have a link to this new Health Care bill? I know in this open and transparrent administration, we the represented must have made available a copy of the bill to read. I know Congress is in a hurry to pass 'the bill' my question is what is it and what does it contain. It appears no-one but Pelosi and Reid and the select few Dems writing it know what it actually contains. Hope Congress does take the time to read it before the 'vote', seeing that Brown from Mass may shatter the illusion.

Then there is OpenCongress.org. I trust you're smart enough to locate the bill using either of these two methods.

OK, lets try this again. The new bill being written combining both the House and Senate versions. You know the one the Dems are working on now, with no open door (C-Span) or Republicans allowed, true open and transparrent government. The old House and Senate Bills are being combined for the final version.
The one they are panicing on to get the vote before Brown ruins thier 'super majority'.

I do believe that is what congress is hoping for, people such as the try google posters who have no true idea on how a bill becomes law. Maybe refresh yourselves on some schoolhouse rock.

Edited by oldsoldier - 16 January 2010 at 10:09pm

Eville wrote: So you want a copy of a document that hasn't been written yet?  And you don't see how that is ridiculous?

slackerr26 wrote: you would like a random collection of strangers scattered across the world to link you to a bill that is being written as we speak? ya serious?

I think the entire point is that we haven't got a clue whats actually being written.

I understand that campaign promises have a habit of falling by the wayside, but something as simple as televising the proceedings for one of the most monumental pieces of legislation? The 'hush-hush' atmosphere of this whole thing sort of smells like they KNOW they're doing something that not only their opposition but the general populace would disapprove of, but don't give a rats ass.

Eville wrote: Because if they televised the whole process and told everyone every single thought that came to mind, then the jump on everything conservative pundits would be raising hell about something that might not even make it into the final bill.  Besides, this isn't a true democracy anyways.  You elected people to think for you.  Let them do their jobs.  If it gets passed without any public release, then fine, complain about it.  But until then, you have no grounds to complain.

If that was any weaker, you wouldn't have posted at all.

Wow.

mod98commando wrote: I have to agree with Reb on this one. Even though Eville is right about the pundits doing backflips every time somebody from the other "team" says something, there's no reason that everything should take place behind closed doors. The pundits will spew their crap regardless of what information they have access to so that's no excuse to deprive the rest of us. You're basically saying that it would be bad to let people see what's going on because they might make a fuss about something that may not end up being meaningful later. Well, wouldn't that fuss be a good way to guide our representatives away from doing or wasting time on something that we don't want them to? Sounds to me like it would help politicians create something we actually agree with in the end.

I don't condone closed sessions because I think it would lead to more insight by the electorate when they listen to actual negotiations by their rep as opposed to grand standing floor speeches, but, it is much more efficient. Less scrutiny gets deals done quicker. Even though that is off putting. What I'm really getting at is that congress is a bunch of elected whores.

Onto Obama'a promise for CSPAN, it's really nothing he can control. He can try to influence decisions in congress but he has no actual authority to enforce anything short of saying he won't pass a bill not negotiated in front of cspan, but that would mean no bill vs a **edited**ty bill that could be fixed in the mean time.

I don't know if I buy that there's nothing President Obama could have done to get these proceedings televised or at least have updates released on a regular basis to the people that this is going to effect.

I don't know how ANYONE regardless of party can shrug off the idea that after a bunch of secrecy these guys are going to come out of a room and say "ta-da!"

There has been a tendancy for congress to vote along party lines without the members even reading the legislation being voted on. If and when this bill clears the closed doors a vote will be hurried before many members will get a chance to read it. There is no hope for bipartisanship since the Republicans are locked out of the closed meeting where this bill is being written. And with Mass and Brown looming large a 'speed' vote is ensured before Brown if he wins can be seated. It does frighten me that many today show little interest in what Congress forces uopn the nation, and act as sheeple based on a 'trust' that this congress has forfieted many times over.

And yes it is supply and demand, increase the amount of people that can use the system, and with a defined amount of suppliers (doctors), yes rationing is inevitable. The VA is a classic example, since the cuts and the expanded number of eligable veterans the system providing benifits is collapsing. Just look at the come work for the VA commercials, the shortage of in house VA doctors and pharmisists which are now at critical levels with the Iraq/Afghan veterans flooding the financially limited system, resulting in delayed appointments and services (rationing the assets available).

Edited by oldsoldier - 17 January 2010 at 1:46pm