Thursday, December 17, 2009

The Mother of All Cramdowns


All I can say at this point is that I'm stunned.  Senator Harry Reid announced today that he has called for a vote on Obamacare in the Senate on Christmas Eve.  He wouldn't be scheduling the vote unless he knew for certain that he has the votes in his pocket. 

Despite his certainty of passage, there are increasing calls for scrapping the bill.  First the majority party passed a House version on a Saturday night, then they called for a cloture vote to allow the bill to proceed in the Senate on a Saturday night, and now this. 

Failing the necessary 60-vote filibuster-proof margin in the Senate vote on Christmas Eve, one wonders if the party leaders will proceed to reconciliation where only a simple 51-vote majority is needed to pass the bill.  The prospects for passage continue to loom.  I've said all along that with the votes in hand it is likely there will be a bill passed.  Unless there is at least one holdout among the Dems, swift passage is assured.

I can't help but wonder aloud who's doing the political calculations in this debacle.  If the cramdown continues unabated and the bill passes into law and is signed by the President, it is unlikely they will be rewarded by the American people who are routinely polled and in growing numbers are registering their disdain for the idea.

Santa Claus seems determined to give this "gift" -- the only question is whether there is room enough to receive it. . .  oh, I forgot -- our children and grandchildren will receive. . . the bill.  No worries.

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