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Health-Care Bill May Not Get Single GOP Vote in the House
The House is inching closer to voting on a comprehensive health-care bill, even as the chamber appears so divided that the measure may not attract a single Republican supporter.
The final vote, likely in late October, is impossible to predict, but lawmakers and aides from both parties said this week that there is a strong chance the GOP will be unanimous in its opposition. Such a result would mark the second time -- the first came on the economic stimulus package in February -- that the entire House minority rejected one of President Obama's top domestic initiatives.
"We're still hoping that some of them will come on board, but we see no sign of it," said Rep. Chris Van Hollen (Md.), a member of the Democratic leadership.
Even the most moderate Republicans, who might be inclined to vote with Democrats on big-ticket legislation, say they don't expect to do so on health care.
"I don't think I would, and I don't sense much support from any Republicans," said Rep. Peter T. King (N.Y.), predicting that the GOP support would be either zero or "no significant number."
The effort at bipartisanship has been difficult on Capitol Hill. The two parties have traded blame for that, with Republicans alleging that they've been shut out of the process and Democrats arguing that GOP members were never interested in a constructive discussion -- only in a chance to deal a defeat to Obama.
Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) spent weeks huddling with Republican senators on health care through the "Gang of Six" but had modest results: The White House's only hope for a Republican nod when the Senate Finance Committee votes Tuesday is Sen. Olympia J. Snowe (Maine).
And the House's 177 Republicans have played almost no substantive role in moving health care through the chamber, as Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has summoned to her office Democrats of every stripe to build a health-care bill that will appeal to the majority of her members.
This week there were some new, largely symbolic attempts at consensus: Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius met with conservative House Republicans in a closed-door session, and House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) and House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) met. "We could have got something done in July," Cantor lamented afterward. But now, he said, Republicans "are opposed to it to a person."
Rep. Steven C. LaTourette (Ohio) said he and his fellow moderate Republicans will oppose the bill because there "haven't been any substantive attempts" to reach across the aisle. "If they want it to be bipartisan, there have to be some discussions," he said.
Some big-name Republicans off the Hill, such as California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and former Senate majority leader Bill Frist (Tenn.), have voiced support for the general idea of health-care reform, but none has endorsed a measure like the one expected to emerge from the House, which may include a government-sponsored insurance program, or public option.
LaTourette singled out the public option as what most concerned him and others in the GOP. A public-option provision in the Senate bill is far less likely.
If the House bill is merged with a more conservative Senate bill, would LaTourette support the final version? "Maybe," he said.
Democratic strategists say that at least a few GOP lawmakers would feel compelled to vote for such a bill.
Unanimous party opposition to major bills is rare. President George W. Bush's first major tax-cut package got 28 House Democratic votes in 2001. Nine Democrats broke ranks with their party to support the Medicare prescription-drug bill in 2003. Even this year's climate-change bill, which was heavily criticized by conservatives, drew eight Republican votes as it passed the House.
Surveys suggest that the public does care about the final tally. A Quinnipiac University poll released this week found that 57 percent of respondents think Congress should not approve a reform bill with only Democratic votes.
But for Republicans, "there's very little reward in voting for this," said former Virginia congressman Tom Davis, the head of the moderate Republican Main Street Partnership. He added that he thought there would not be any political price to pay for a no vote.
Polls have shown broad support for the general idea of health-care reform, but opinion is more mixed for specific proposals such as the public option. Democrats say voters want the public option, and they are sure to use the health-care vote to bludgeon vulnerable Republicans.
"I think they run a huge risk," Van Hollen, the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said of the GOP. "I think they've placed themselves firmly on the side of the insurance industry and the status quo."
Staff writer Perry Bacon Jr. contributed to this report.
25 Comments so far
Show AllI don't care if no Republicans vote for healthcare reform. I only care that enough votes are cast to pass a bill that has a strong public option (or better yet, single payer). Bipartisanship? That is BS. No one will care in the long run if a single republican voted aye or nay.
The "may" in the title of this article needs to be changed to "will".
Past performance is the best predictor and the Republicans have a patern of pushing legislation as far to the right as possible, not voting for it, and leaving the Democrats owning marginal to poor legislation that only Wall Street likes.
Health care for all isn't about bipartisanship, it's about saving lives. To be precise, the forty five thousand Americans. sccording to a Harvard University Report released last month, who die annualy for want of health insurance. Why aren't the Republicans on board? Obviously because they put ideology before human life. So ignore them, majority party, and get on with making good on your campaign promise about universal health care. Damn the Republicans, full speed ahead!
"I think they run a huge risk," Van Hollen, the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said of the GOP. "I think they've placed themselves firmly on the side of the insurance industry and the status quo."
_________________________________________
I agree almost COMPLETELY with this insightful assessment of the status quo.
I would change only ONE teeny thing. Instead of "... the GOP", I would substitute, "... the bipartisan political elite."
Other than that, it's perfect!
ยท Yr Obd't Servant
dumddown old fart
Prediction: Dems will vote against Health Care Bill, Reps will vote "present" or abstain. Obama will celebrate bi partisan rejection as a "victory" of post partisan politics.
Repugs are idiots. Lets hope that they don't inject anything into the bill. If they did it would be something stupid and would try to screw the whole thing up. Repugs are the true enemy of the people.
Devoish
I don't need the Republicans either. They lost 2006 and 2008 on what they voted for. They can lose 2010 on what they vote against.
No single payer, no deal! I hope the stinkin' thing goes down like the Hindenberg dirigible. Then everyone that can be who were not willing to vote for single payer needs to be removed from office in 2010. Same with war financing and the Wall Street bailouts.
It won't be that way but it ought to happen.
Poet
Absolutely!
And this bill stinks to high heaven of corporate profits and special deals. I thought I couldn't hold Congress in lower esteem....I was wrong.
Let's be honest, the Republicans couldn't give a sh*t about the American people. The same goes for many Democrats as well. Other than the mantra of "cut taxes" and "cut spending", what was the last real Republican initiative for American society that made any sense at all? I don't know....
what was the last real Republican initiative for American society that made any sense at all?
I am hard pressed to remember ANY republican bill to help the American middle man..ever.
Cutting taxes is a bad idea? Cutting spending is a bad idea? Like it or not cuttuing taxes on small business does generate jobs. Like it or not cutting spending is a good idea. No matter who is in power.
Raising taxes in a recession, let alone the deepest recession we have seen lately is about as stupid as you can get economically.
Pushing this disgrace of a health care bill that only serves interests other than the American peoples is close to tratiorus. Only people trying to punish the American people would support it. Or they haven't read it or know nothing about it.
I disagree. Government spending, even deficit spending, can help the people, if spent in the right places, that is on programs like education grants, food stamps, infrastructure projects, and yes, health care. Money spent on war only helps the wealthiest 1%. If taxes were raised sharply on income over $300,000 a year and even more on income over $1 million a year, and raised on corporate profits, that would not have a detrimental effect on the middle class. For proof, look at graphs of industrial output and middle class standard of living in the 40's thru the 70's when tax rates on the wealthy were much higher and you will see that the average American was better off then. The idea that "cutting taxes", which by nature disproportionately benefits the wealthy, will somehow benefit the lower classes, is a myth propagated by the right wing and their media mouthpieces.
Are we finally done with "bipartisanship"? This proves that progressives in Congress should stop compromising, since that will not get any more votes anyway. Stop making excuses, and get the most progressive bill you can imagine on the table, and pass the darn thing.
The last thing the Republicans did for us was when they teamed up with Bill and Hillary Clinton and introduced us to Globalization and Nafta, where we lost our industrial base to China. However, Obama is scared to death to mention the story.
Surrounding himself with Sen Baucus and all those Pharma
Lobbyists is another Obama mistake. He should call for Single payer system and get a vote out of the Senate, so that we can vote out the enemies. Obama is either with the Insurance Crowd or very inexperienced in the ways of the working classes.
He is acting like Bill and Hillary when they made the President of Aetna, Zoe Baird, in charge of their health issue..
repuglicans and dimocrats =death to american citizens. only thru
indys and other 3rd party candidates will we change this
this cesspool in dc. these people need to suffer like we suffer
to feel the reality of living in amerika today. they
made they need to live on it!
Yourstruly, I am almost to the point where I despise most americans I meet. I am a 71 year old retired Navy Chief and was born in the United States and am totally ashamed of the country of my birth today. I now make my home in a French Territory, and have taken French Nationality and am very happy that I did so. We have socialized medicine here, and it is good. Hell it is better than good, it is the very best in the world. Also, it covers everyone in an emergency, citizen, tourist, workers everyone... No one asks you for your social security number or anything for that matter.. If you are sick you are treated, and all emergencies are handled as just that, no one waits any inordinate length of time to be seen, Now means just that, NOW! Race, nationality, wealth, position mean nothing you health means everything. Satisfied? I sure am, I will be covered for the rest of my life, all medicines, all doctors visits, hospitalization, transport and living expenses if I need to journey to France or to the big city where the major hospitals are, are covered completely. I was operated on in the USA for colon cancer in the VA hospital, I was lucky, they managed to get it all, but meds were taking a toll on my economic well being, and here I pay nothing for everything... I am so very totally mystified over the Repigliklanns and their inhumanity to others. They claim to be the "Christian" element of your country. No thanks, I want neither! I strongly believe that the very rich should be taxed at the rate of the 1950s and corporations should be relegated back to being businesses and only hold that position and not one of personhood. The Right Wing has never held any support or sympathy for the commons and they never will. They will connive, lie, cheat, and steal to keep not only what belongs to them, but what belongs to you also. Personally, I will not be a happy camper until I see a Repigliklann dangling from every light and telephone pole from sea to shining sea.. Reach across the aisle, yes, if only to rip off their effing arms and beat them to death with those same twitching members....
Just an old Chiefs perspective on a very crappy group of people. A group that uses the common man as cannon fodder and runs like a rabbit when it is his or her time to serve.
I spent 5 years in Nam, and believe with all my heart and soul that George Bush #43 should be arrested courtmartialed and face a firing squad preferrably a public execution would serve all those who have died for his stupidity.
Haere Maru
Haere Papu
When GWB was in office and wanted big tax cuts for the wealthy and big business, the Repubs were gung ho for it; when he wanted to invent a war against Saadam and send poor folk's sons to fight a war we did not need, the Repubs were gung ho for it! When the big boys in Wall Street were for dismantling the safety rules for our banks, again, the Repubs were screaming yes! Now here the Repubs have a chance to offer a decent health plan for the uninsured and all they can do is sit on their hands? I am getting the feeling that the GOP would rather see any of us get sick and die rather than help the President, (any President) form a health plan. Well, fellow voters, all we have in our bag is the power of the ballot box. So next voting time, consider who votes for programs that truly help the common man/woman, and who gives lip service.
Peace, children, Peace!
Grappa
So wheres the news. One must start to understand we are in a class struggle. The privilege class is going to do everything , I mean everything. to maintain their position.
Although I 100% support health care reform in the form of Nation health insurance, but this bill is CORPORATE WELFARE. I'm glad the GOP is strongly opposing this, and I hope it doesn't pass, because this is NOT reform.
Why don't the Democrats simply create the dream plan that they want, with a Public Option, or even a Single Payer system, and pass it ?
They've already said they don't need the Republicans; so, why all the angst, and the hand-wringing... just do it..... call, or write your reps, and tell them how you feel,and be done with it.
It's a mystery to me.... or.... maybe the Democrats can't even agree on plan among themselves, let alone with the opposing party.
It's frightening to think that our legislators are on the verge of creating a "one size fits all" plan, in a country with 50 different States, and countless differences.
It's a silly notion to think that the health care requirements and needs are the same in every State. And that is evident by over 500 amendments to the Baucus Bill, many of which include favorable treatment, and lower costs, for many States.
Do you want your State to subsidize the health care for your neighboring States ?
...."Cantor lamented ..."
Give me a freakin' break!!! Cantor is gleeful that the Democrats are killing any chance of fairness in reform, and he continually lies in interviews, repeating over & over that polls show the American people don't want a public option!!! And of course, NO CORPORATE MEDIA JOURNALIST IS GOING TO CORRECT HIM ON THIS!!!
With all of the distractions and controversy that both political parties and insurance industry lobbyists have contrived over health care reform, no one seems to notice that the insurance industry is another mutation of the financial/investment world. Insurance companies are the silent bankers and they use the money collected in the form of premiums to use as investment capital. Without meaningful Financial services/banking/investment reform and re-regulation, there will be no serious health care reform.
Forget about insurance for all. That would be an insurance industry dream! With more money for insurance companies to speculate and higher risk investments cushioned by the government (bailout bucks - think of AIG), any future collapse of the financial industry would be the final nail in the coffin for what is left of American society. Get the insurance industry out of the healthcare business altogether. Regulate these companies and prevent them from obscenely profiting from the misery of others.
In 1999, the repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act of 1929 (which was designed to provide safeguards or "firewalls" between the various banking, investment and insurance services industry) was one incompetent piece of legislation that led to the creation of the financial meltdown that we all have witnessed. Can Congress be trusted to do the right thing now? With the 500 (not sure the exact number) of amendments to the Max Baccus bill and Democrats squabbling over details, can anyone be confident that we will get the kind of health care reform that we really need?
I agree with Poet above, no single payer, no deal. Flush the whole mess down the sewer and start over. I also agree with one of the previous posters who asked "why don't the Democrats just write the legislation they are denying doesn't have enough support and get on with the debate and the voting?" My guess is because they still have not developed a solid, single, inspiring vision of what they stand for and who they represent.
maybe it's time for the dems to stop trying to please the repugnutcans and get on with what the people want
to who ever said that a one size fits all can't work
WRONG your body is almost the same as any other body
there 2 ways money goes from the uper 1% to the lower classes failed businesses and taxes never through wages
Health-Care Bill May Not Get Single GOP Vote in the House
To quote a former prominent government official, "SO?"
Which is more important, health reform or keeping right wing republicans happy?