Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

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    • Email just received from Barney Frank’s office:

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      If Martha Coakley had won, I believe we could have worked out a reasonable compromise between the House and Senate healthcare bills.  But since Scott Brown has won and the Republicans now have 41 votes in the Senate, that approach is no longer appropriate.

      I am hopeful that some Republican senators will be willing to discuss a revised version of healthcare reform because I do not think that the country would be well-served by the healthcare status quo.  But our respect for democratic procedures must rule out any effort to pass a healthcare bill as if the Massachusetts election had not happened.

      Going forward, I hope there will be a serious effort to change the Senate rule which means that 59 votes are not enough to pass major legislation, but those are the rules by which the healthcare bill was considered, and it would be wrong to change them in the middle of this process.

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      p>Looks like the Retreat of the Democrats has started. They will stampede to their destruction if they do that, in all likelihood.

      • But our respect for democratic procedures must rule out any effort to pass a healthcare bill as if the Massachusetts election had not happened.

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        p>Does that mean don’t ram something through the Senate while Kirk is still there?  If so, yeah, that’s fine.  But if that means the House shouldn’t pass the Senate bill, that makes no sense to me.

        • I also have no real idea what that email means. I thought I did when I posted it, but as the night grows later it seems more and more unclear to me. Which means I am heading for my beer and ALCS DVD!

      • …I agree…this kind of retreat means total destruction. What does Barney see that we don’t?

        • Rep. Frank is talking about obtaining a Republican Senator’s vote to pass health care reform –without Brown’s vote.

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          p>He also noted that the 60-vote Senate rule should be scrapped, but not in the middle of this health care legislation process.

      • Frank is saying, while wringing his hands I’m sure, that there is NO WAY that they can pass health care reform now that the Rep’s have a 41-59 majority in the Senate.

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        p>As noted on the Daily Show, the Dems have a smaller majority than Bush did when he managed to pass whatever the &!@%$ he wanted to.

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        p>It’s a tought choice, kill reform or pass the Health Insurance Profitability Act, the insurance equivalent of the Wall Street bailouts.

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        p>Yeah, that’ll win us some votes…

        • Not that Frank has anything to do with it.  If Reid would grow a pair already, we’d have something worth passing, not an insurance giveaway.

  2. Blue collar workers bear brunt of decline

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    p>This congress needs to do public works not plump the banks or it will be history, and by handing off the economic disaster to Democrats, Republicans will ensure a short lived Democratic majority and their own return to power.

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    p>Where is the CCP and the WPA when the workers booted from manufacturing and construction need them?

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    p>Not everyone has a computer and lives on the internet, folks.

    • I’ve disagreed with you on minor points in the past, Deb, but here I think you’re right on.  My big question is why this hasn’t been more of a point of conversation or initiative.  Are we running away from history?  If so, why?

  4. A small part of him may fear his own support but a bigger part of him knows his fellow congressmen will be in no mood to RAM anything through anywhere or anytime soon.

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    p>The retreat has started and will grow by the hour. The Democrat circular firing squad has been quite amusing as well.

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