Reid indicates timetable for health care may slip

[Bleacher Creature]

Source: AP

By DAVID ESPO, AP Special Correspondent

WASHINGTON – In a blow to the White House, the Senate's top Democrat signaled Tuesday that Congress may fail to meet a year-end deadline for passing health care legislation, leaving the measure's fate to the uncertainties of the 2010 election season.

Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., spoke as Democratic officials said it could be December before Senate debate begins in earnest on the legislation atop President Barack Obama's domestic agenda, months after senior lawmakers and the White House had hoped.

House leaders, on a somewhat faster track, pointed toward a vote this weekend on a bill to extend coverage to tens of millions who lack it, ban insurance industry practices such as denying coverage because of pre-existing medical conditions and generally slow the rate of growth of medical spending nationwide. The 10-year, $1.2 trillion legislation is estimated to expand coverage to about 96 percent of eligible Americans.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091103/ap_on_bi_ge/us_health_care_overhaul

---

Make no mistake. If it doesn't happen this year, it doesn't happen. This needs to be nipped in the bud -- NOW. And just when I was starting to have some faith in Reid again . . .

[PretzelWarrior]

1. BULLSHIT!!!!!!!! I'm calling him numerous times tomorrow at all his offices

I am hacked off now.

[mgcgulfcoast]

3. lets hope this isnt true!!!

[emulatorloo]

18. Same article ""Our goals remain unchanged. We want to get health insurance reform done this year, "

A few hours later, Reid's office revised his remarks. "Our goals remain unchanged. We want to get health insurance reform done this year, and we have unprecedented momentum to achieve that. There is no reason why we can't have a transparent and thorough debate in the Senate and still send a bill to the president by Christmas," said spokesman Jim Manley.

[No Elephants]

39. Yes, let's hope the Democratic Senate Majority leader is clueless.

Not the way I understood hope.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

2. David Espo is my sole news source!

:think:

[DJ13]

4. Reminds me of an auction where the bidding hasnt gone high enough

[Dr Robert]

5. oh, it's coming. and the screaming and declarations of defeat will only get louder until then

[Thrill]

6. Isn't this moron supposed to be the leader?

Sad

[villager]

7. well, once Reid loses his seat in '10,maybe we can "reboot" in the Senate...

n/t

[elocs]

8. And so, it begins. Or should that be, continues? n/t

[dixiegrrrrl]

9. C'mon...who did NOT see this coming????

Reid won't say NO directly...he will just drag his feet. Just as effective as a NO.

A more important question is how far will the newly created Republican version progress?
Highlights of their version( from the article)

** would permit insurers to continue denying coverage on the basis of pre-existing medical conditions.

** would allow insurance companies to charge higher premiums for individuals who fail to enroll in a "standards-based wellness program."

** would place caps on medical malpractice lawsuits,
limit the amount of damages that could be awarded as well as the size of attorney fees.

** permanent ban on federal funding for most abortions. Current restrictions must be renewed annually.

** would permit firms to sell policies across state lines without having to submit to regulations in every state.

[truedelphi]

26. I sure never guessed a year ago while celebrating the Grant Park dancing in the street

That the biggest proverb that this year's activities would bring to mind is "Between the kettle and the frying pan."

[The Stranger]

10. Reid is a shill, a whore, a collaborator, a stooge for the power interests.

No one who has made it this far in politics could be as weak as he is.

[RKP5637]

11. Reid still doesn't get it! n/t

[Left Coast2020]

14. As I understand, Dick Durbin is next in line

for Majority Leader spot. I've heard some speculate that he would be better. Damn, somebody has to be better than Harry. I'm still pissed at him for caving in to Bush on war funding, and FISA, and on, and on.....

[RKP5637]

50. I wouldn't mind seeing a switch to Dick Durbin to see if he's more effective.

I havent counted them up, but it seems some of the big campaign issues that were to be timely addressed are slipping by.

[asjr]

12. Okay, I give up. I don't remember why

I thought the guys in the white hats would win.

[Thrill]

13. The Caucus would be stronger if Reid didn't win re-election

Durbin needs to be the Majority Leader.

[IndianaGreen]

16. The caucus would be stronger if Dems would kick the spy Lieberman out

[emulatorloo]

15. Same article ""Our goals remain unchanged. We want to get health insurance reform done this year, "

A few hours later, Reid's office revised his remarks. "Our goals remain unchanged. We want to get health insurance reform done this year, and we have unprecedented momentum to achieve that. There is no reason why we can't have a transparent and thorough debate in the Senate and still send a bill to the president by Christmas," said spokesman Jim Manley.

[Bleacher Creature]

25. Saw that -- just not sure what it means.

The simplest interpretation is that he misspoke and then tried to walk it back a few hours later. The problem with that, however, is that Reid -- for all his faults -- is extremely competent when he needs to be and doesn't often misspeak. He also has a history of sending out trial balloons.

[cigsandcoffee]

40. A wide gulf between "we want to" and "we will." n/t

[still_one]

17. The Democrats are incompentent, pure and simple. /nt

[No Elephants]

41. Sometimes, it looks as though someone is incompetent if you make

assumptions about what people's goals are. As an experiment, try looking at what actually goes on and what the results are, then working back to the goal instead of the other way around.

Take Dummya (and those around him). If you assume his goal was to act in the very best interests of the US, he seems incompetent. However, if you look at the results of his administration and work backward, you might assume that his goal was to enrich Halliburton, Blackwater, Wall Street, etc., no matter what it cost the US. Then, Bushco looks a lot more competent, doesn't he?

Not saying either assumption would be correct. Just saying it's an interesting mental experiment.

For instance, why does a majority of Democratic Senators keep electing Harry Reid as their leader, both when they were in the majority and when they were in the minority? Big mistake over and over? Or do they keep electing hime because he does pretty much what they want him to do?

I once worked with people who thought they were the smartest folks in the world and everyone they went up against was stupid. Big mistake, IMO. I often found out "those asses" were behavving as they were for very good reasons of their own.

Try assuming folks are smart and then try to figure out why they are doing what they are doing. Again, just as an experiment. Then, you've got the dumb/incompetent scenario covered as well as the smart/competent scenario.

[peacebird]

19. It HAS to pass this year - after the cowardly lackluster performance of the Dem Majority this year

they will NOT likely RETAIN their majority. Either they act and act NOW - or the spineless squid they appear to be - they deserve to be voted out.

My son was very active in the Dem party at his college in the last election - he is very disappointed in what Obama and the Dems in congress have delivered so far, as am I. He is no longer active or engaged.

I am not giving up yet - I will still be phoning and writing my reps, but I am far from energized. Obama rejected torture - but is not holding torturers or those who ordered (illegal) torture accountable. He has not closed Gitma. He has not ended "DADT" even though he COULD with a stroke of the pen. He has not rejected the Bush era warrantless wiretapping, he has fought against lawsuits against the phone companies who provided info.

I have not given up hope, but I have shut my wallet - HARD. And, while I try to remain hopeful - I admit to being discouraged.

WHY exactly is LIEberman still allowed to keep prestigous positions? hmmm? Don't we have TRUE DEMOCRATS who could fill them?

[RKP5637]

30. You express some of the feelings I've had! I am disappointed too! I have

not given up either, I'm hoping for better as time goes on a bit more.

[DemJohn]

32. I'm with peacebird

I'm sick and tired of the promises and then nothing happens. I too fear that the majority will be lost in 2010 and we'll have nothing to show for it. If they don't get cracking, I won't be doing the work I've done in the past or donating any money. I'm starting to feel like I was used in the last election cycle and that just sucks. We worked so hard to get our team elected and now they are turning their back on us.

[RKP5637]

36. This is the country that voted in Bush twice, so I hope all of the democrats in office

always remember that and don't get too comfortable in the majority. I wish things were moving faster. One can fault the Bush administration a lot, but the republicans did line up and support Bush. I am tired of hearing the democrats argue over things when in the majority. I had thought they would all work together closely and get things accomplished quicker. I think they well might start losing voters in the middle and independents resulting in some real problems in the 2010 elections. I want to see the democrats in the majority through the next elections.

[AlinPA]

20. Reid is a loser for us. No guts, lazy and a wimp.

[Journeyman]

21. If it "slips" far enough, I'll be dead. (Or maybe that's the plan.) . . .

[Segami]

22. What a CROCK! These clowns are playing us like a bluegrass fiddle. They keep moving the goal posts

until there's nothing left to shoot for. My optimism is shaded with the lingering thought that another ' out-of-nowhere ' surprise was going to pop up and delay health care reform even further.

[BunkerHill24]

23. Mr. Reid Go AWAy!

[Juan_de_la_Dem]

24. Do your job Harry

[PHIMG]

27. The Treason of the Senate.

"Treason is a strong word, but not too strong, rather too weak, to characterize the situation in which the Senate is the eager, resourceful, indefatigable agent of interests as hostile to the American people as any invading army could be."
- Muckraker Journalist, David Graham Phillips.

TRUE TODAY AS IT EVER WAS.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2B7TvqK4Ao&feature=player_embedded

REPLACE REID!

[truedelphi]

28. Further statement from Reid: "And if we don't get this

Crappy legislation passed by Christmas, the health isurers will take out life insurance on each and every American, and then nuke the country while they sip Mai Tai's in Bali."

Hope the bill passes. I hate it whenever we ignore the warnings about MUSHROOM CLOUDS over our cities.

Let's have crappy health care reform rather than no reform. I don't want to be nked!

[humbled_opinion]

29. It really doesn't matter to me...

From what I am seeing this is fast becoming the government mandating that I get insurance either through and expensive public option or through and expensive private insurance option... Both SUCK..

I will not be told that I must pay for anything but besides my blatant rebellion at being forced to purchase something, where will the money come from? My pay isn't going up? The Medicare tax they take from my check already isn't going down.

This crap will only work with a single payer meidcare system but of course our weak ass leaders took that off the table from the beginning.... I feel a royal screwing coming..... I would prefer to leave it be I use State run clinics now for basic services.

[Jack Rabbit]

31. Thanks a lot, Smokin' Joe

I'll leave it to the friendly readers of DU to determine what he's smoking.

[wisteria]

33. I am begining to think we will never have health care reform. n/t

[No Elephants]

42. We will. However, it may benefit the insurers at least as much as it benefits Americans, if not

more. A perfectly healthy 19 year old will have to buy insurance. If he cannot afford it, the government will help him pay for it. More wealth being transferred to private companies, without enough controls on them because we are a free market society, not Socialists. Yeayyyyy.

:sarcasm:

[ramapo]

34. I've just about had it with these a-holes

Our Congress is a bad joke. Just what is it that they are doing?

[RKP5637]

37. I'm afraid their going to lose the majority in 2010. They have everything

and still can't get the job done. Damn...

[MadMaddie]

35. It's time for Reid to go! He doesn't have the fire in his belly to

get the job done. With whiners and quitters like this it's a wonder anything has gotten done at all.

[deutsey]

38. After all, what's the fucking hurry, right, Harry?

:evilfrown:

[ShortnFiery]

43. Harry Reid is about as useful to the Democratic Party as ...

tits on a boar. REPLACE HIM AS SENATE MAJORITY LEADER! :grr:

[No Elephants]

44. Exactly. It's only 122 people dying every day for lack of affordable health care. No biggie.

I forgot how many are going bankrupt because of it.

[Algorem]

45. jerking us around

[Vinca]

46. Meanwhile, back in the world beyond the Senate,

people are dying in large numbers, citizens are losing their life savings because big insurance has screwed them over and medical bankruptcies continue.

[Javaman]

47. Reid is a failure. nt

[lonestarnot]

48. Reid you suck ass!

You morman moron!

[mstinamotorcity]

49. Harry Reid

is weak and lost his spine a long time ago. They say he is always working behind the scenes. It must be in another building.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

51. Harry, get this bloody thing through