On Saturday night Harry Reid is scheduled to hold a vote that would then start debate on the Health-care bill that will include a public option. See the live stream video of the health care debate below.
This is just a procedural issue right now, but it is an important step for Reid to overcome. Right now it looks like Nelson, Lieberman and Landrieu are going to vote to allow debate to start. It is not clear whether Sen. Lincoln from Arkansas will so vote, she has not yet made her intentions clear, but I think she is leaning towards allowing the debate to start.
Even if we loose this opening salvo these 4 Democrats have stated large reservations about this bill and at least two of them have stated that they will not vote for any plan with a public option. We only need one of them to vote against cloture to stop the bill and I think we have a pretty good chance of that happening.
Joe Lieberman has been the most emphatic about not accepting any plan with a public option. What a perfect way for him to pay back the Democrats who have treated him so shabbily. How does that knife in the back feel Democrats. The next best bet is Sen. Lincoln of Arkansas. National health-care is very unpopular in that state and a recent Zogby poll shows that the folks down there are not at all excited about either Lincoln or anyone who votes in favor of national health-care.
A Zogby Poll this week illustrates the stark choice facing Senate Democrats as they have to decide whether or not to vote for ObamaCare. The poll shows that Arkansas Sen. Blanche Lincoln, high up on the list of vulnerable Senate Democrats seeking reelection in 2010, literally faces a choice between being reelected and voting for the bill.
The Zogby Poll shows Arkansans opposed to the Obama/Reid bill by 28-64, with 50 percent “strongly opposed” to the legislation. To swim in the face of such a current of public opinion is risky business for a U.S. senator.Lincoln’s most likely Republican opponent, state Sen. Gilbert Bennett, is hot on her heels in the poll, trailing by only 41-39. But asked who they would support if Lincoln votes for ObamaCare, Arkansas voters switch to Bennett, giving him a 49-36 victory. That Lincoln goes from two points ahead to 13 points behind over one Senate vote illustrates the potency of the opposition to healthcare changes.
So, basically, if she votes for the bill she’s done, if she votes against it she has a chance of retaining her seat.
On the other hand, we still have the Maine sisters to worry about, who knows.
Rightpundits will have live stream video of the proceedings and debate as available on Saturday.









November 20th, 2009 at 7:53 pm
Alright we have four Dems that probably wont vote for this at the end. Also the Democrats who right now are trying to say the Republicans have no moderates. Imagine how there going to attack Lincoln for this one.
November 20th, 2009 at 10:07 pm
i bet this passes 60 to 40
November 20th, 2009 at 10:17 pm
what are you willing to bet ?
November 20th, 2009 at 10:18 pm
a pair of boots ?
November 20th, 2009 at 10:20 pm
Lisa, did you know that marijuana use causes schizophrenia ? I wonder if your sisters used marijuana.
November 21st, 2009 at 8:22 am
Lisa, do you mean the procedural vote to start debate or the entire bill?
November 21st, 2009 at 9:13 am
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November 21st, 2009 at 12:20 pm
With streaming sites like this becoming more common,it would be most helpful if each senator would carry and post a placard stating their name and/or their state.
November 21st, 2009 at 12:22 pm
Also, no one recognizes that many families who make over 250K/year have their own businesses. These families must often pay MUCH more for their insurance than their employed fellow citizens.
I don’t know why group policies are almost always structured around employment. Why can’t there be at-large groups a person could join?
November 22nd, 2009 at 11:38 am
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