33 replies to this topic

[Wino]

What do you think the chances are of Democratic canidate, Martha Coakly losing to GOP canidate Scott Brown? Some say this special election in Massachusetts is very close. This 60th vote is needed to pass the health-care reform bill.

[Beer Chang]

My gut reaction is that the Dems should win in this very liberal state but have no idea who Coakly or Brown are. If she doesn't it could signal deep disatisfaction with Obama.

[patong]

Wino, on 18 January 2010 - 05:54 AM, said:

What do you think the chances are of Democratic canidate, Martha Coakly losing to GOP canidate Scott Brown? Some say this special election in Massachusetts is very close. This 60th vote is needed to pass the health-care reform bill.

Some say ??? Have a look at the various polls. They are ALL showing a close vote, some show Brown up a few points, other show Coakly up a few points. Now that the media have highlighted this situation I expect that the Democratic voters will turn out in force and Coakly should win. BUT what an upset if Brown did win. I will be watching the result with great interest.

[Wino]

If Coakly can't win in the most democratic state in the union, then something is going on. Let us remember Mit Romney was elected governor of Massachusetts. Seems Obama is worried.

[lvdkeyes]

I don't think there is a chance the Repubs will win in MA, but time will tell.

[Bob]

lvdkeyes, on 19 January 2010 - 08:36 AM, said:

I don't think there is a chance the Repubs will win in MA, but time will tell.

Au contraire. If Obama and Clinton and others wouldn't have made these last ditch efforts, the polls reflected that she surely would have lost. We'll know tomorrow who wins/loses.

Rather difficult to explain how the same state that elected Teddy Kennedy so many times also would vote for either Romney or any Republican. But it's happened before and will happen again. Inexplicable to me as Massachusetts isn't generally thought of as a swing state.

[rucus7]

Wino, on 18 January 2010 - 05:54 AM, said:

What do you think the chances are of Democratic canidate, Martha Coakly losing to GOP canidate Scott Brown? Some say this special election in Massachusetts is very close. This 60th vote is needed to pass the health-care reform bill.

Correct me if I am wrong . . . . 60 votes to end a filibuster, a simple majority to pass a bill. . . . .

[Beer Chang]

rucus7, on 19 January 2010 - 03:59 PM, said:

Correct me if I am wrong . . . . 60 votes to end a filibuster, a simple majority to pass a bill. . . . .

Think that's right and I believe 2/3 to over ride a veto but my memory is hazy.

[Bob]

rucus7, on 19 January 2010 - 03:59 PM, said:

Correct me if I am wrong . . . . 60 votes to end a filibuster, a simple majority to pass a bill. . . . .

Correct. 60 votes to end a filibuster (debate) in the Senate (without the 60 votes to end it, nobody's voting on that bill ever). Presuming a filibuster is ended by 60+ votes, then the bill rises or falls on a majority vote (and, if it's 50/50, the President of the Senate - Joe Biden - gets to vote).

House rules are different and a simple majority can ultimately jam something through.

[Wino]

I predict Coakly the winner. Obama was smart to rattle the base and get out the vote. I would hate to see health care reform go this far and be shot down at this late date.

[patong]

lvdkeyes, on 19 January 2010 - 08:36 AM, said:

I don't think there is a chance the Repubs will win in MA, but time will tell.

You might want to reconsider that. At this time 84% of votes counted. Looks like Brown is winning, maybe won ...

Edit update FOX News report claims that Brown is the winner. Coakley has conceded.

[lvdkeyes]

I am afraid I have to eat my words. This is a major upset.

[Beer Chang]

I would not call it an upset as Brown was ahead in the polls.

[Bob]

I could care about Brown or Coakley personally but I'm afraid that the win by Brown means the total defeat of any attempt to revise the health-care system in the United States, an effort that's been underway since Teddy Roosevelt. A real shame in my view.

Brown, like other Republicans, say they want to include all Americans under health plans by doing it a "better" way. That "better" way, to them, is to do absolutely nothing at all to change anything of substance.

[Beer Chang]

I can't get riled up about healthcare reform since any reform won't help Americans living in Thailand one iota.

[Wino]

I am sorry to see what looks like the end to health care reform. It is about time America cover most or all of its citizens. Even if it does not benefit me, I still think a rich nation like the US should have a health plan to cover all the people.

[Bob]

Wino, on 21 January 2010 - 07:31 AM, said:

I am sorry to see what looks like the end to health care reform. It is about time America cover most or all of its citizens. Even if it does not benefit me, I still think a rich nation like the US should have a health plan to cover all the people.

I'm with you, wino. Once in a while, I can look past my own pocketbook - and it's tragic that it's the "working poor" have no insurance and only ever see a doctor in the emergency room of a hospital.

[Beer Chang]

I guess I'm not willing to look past my own pocketbook. It's crazy that someone living in Thailand has to take a flight home to be covered by Medicare.

[Wino]

Beer Chang, on 21 January 2010 - 01:10 PM, said:

I guess I'm not willing to look past my own pocketbook. It's crazy that someone living in Thailand has to take a flight home to be covered by Medicare.

Those are the rules. When deciding to retire to Thailand, you have to factor in the cost of health care insurance unless you want to take the risk of having problems. Many retirees decide to move to Mexico because of the close proximity to the US.

[Beer Chang]

I think the rules should be changed given that retirees abroad have been paying into Medicare for years and still must pay taxes while living overseas.

The USA health care lobbyists want all medicare dollars in their greedy little hands.