Doing The Math: Pelosi Needs To Find 71 House Votes To Approve Senate Health Care bill

• December 21, 2009

Per John McCormack at The Weekly Standard, a House vote in favor of the Senate version of the health care bill is far from a sure thing.
Rep. Stupak, the man who ensured that the House version of the health care bill included an amendment banning abortion funding, has called the Senate bill’s abortion language “unacceptable.” According to House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, Stupak and his anti-abortion amendment to the House bill got that bill 10 votes giving it a narrow 5 vote overall victory.
Unless the bill is changed in reconciliation, one would assume Stupak’s 10 votes would go the other way.
But wait, there’s more.
Joseph Cao of Louisiana was the only House Republican to vote for the health care bill. But if it doesn’t contain Stupak’s abortion language he’s likely to switch as well. So that’s 11 votes going the other way.
But wait, there’s more.
There are 60 House Democrats who have said that they won’t vote for a bill without a public option. So that’s 71 votes with the pro-life Democrats and Rep. Cao.
So if Senator Kent Conrad’s advice is followed and no major changes are made to the Senate version of the health care bill, Pelosi somehow has to find 71 votes to pass it (assuming none of these politicians break their promises).
There were 39 Democrat votes against the House version of the health care bill. Even if Pelosi arm-twisted all 39 of those votes to her side, that leaves 32 votes Pelosi would have to get from Republican ranks and/or the ranks of those who have vowed to vote against this bill because of either the abortion language or the public option.
Even leaving some fudge room for broken promises (we are talking about politicians here) that’s a pretty big hurdle to get over.
There are either going to be some major changes to the Senate bill or this thing isn’t passing.

Tags: Asshats, Domestic Issues, Politics

http://proof-proofpositive.blogspot.com/ proof_positive

Brian: The Senate bill is different from the House bill. It has to go to a committee of House and Senate members to see if they can reach a compromise.
sayanything-203

I wonder how much those 70 to 80 votes the Dems need to pass this sh*t are going to cost the taxpayers?
http://bestfortheus.blogspot.com/ Brian

So it has to go back to the House for a vote again? I thought once the senate votes on it, the Pres. signs it
Brent

“Yeah, a libertarian who fights like hell for as much government money as he can get for his district.”

He votes against the bills. He puts forward requests from his district to the chairs of the appropriations committees. I believe that is called principled self-defense.

Since you don’t know what principle means, let me break it down for you. Think of when crooked little small-time thieves (as opposed to organized crime, such as government, which you support so much) get shot while robbing convenience stores. The store employee is Ron Paul, defending the store owner’s interests.
brenarlo

Notice I didn’t say Democrat politicians… I said politicians, meaning politicians in general break promises… lie… the whole nine yards.

That’s why I support someone like Ron Paul. You can call him whatever you want, but he’s principled no matter how unpopular it might be.
sayanything-13784

Dirtiest piece of legislation I have ever seen, nelson sold his soul.
AKA WOOF

Jerking the anti-abortion wing
short of orgasm is the rights delight.
brenarlo

The most important line of the post: (assuming none of these politicians break their promises).

That’s what politicians do best. I can’t stand Pelosi… but she usually gets what she wants.
sayanything-4416

reagan and the rest of the republicans promised you a no-tax utopia of prosperity.

How’d that turn out for you, 30 years later?
sayanything-4416

Yeah, a libertarian who fights like hell for as much government money as he can get for his district.
sayanything-4416

Why don’t you tell us? You have those powers of “what if” predictions.

To answer you: whatever it takes.

The 60 who said they won’t vote for it without a public option will compromise.

Reform will pass however ugly and we’ll fix it later while we dance on your graves.
sayanything-4416

You predictions of the bill’s death have all fallen flat so far.

That’s in line with all conservatives’ predictions. That tax cuts lead to prosperity, that free trade leads to jobs, that deregulation leads to good things.

All wrong. All conservative.

Don’t you people ever get tired of being wrong? (Hat tip to Poof!)

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Doing The Math: Pelosi Needs To Find 71 House Votes To Approve Senate Health Care bill

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