CNN

I have a better idea on healthcare and can't believe no one has thought of it yet. Why don't we just redefine what healthcare means, and then we can claim that everyone is covered. Everyone is entitled to emergency room care, and therefore we have 100% coverage. No need to raise taxes to pay for anything. No need to cut medicare for the elderly. We are the only country in the world that covers 100% of our legal residents and illegal residents.

No need to thank me, I work for you.

As lame as Saturday Night Live has been for almost 20 years, go watch the opening skit to this weekends show. I now have a clear understanding of why Obama is bowing to foreign leaders. He is getting us all ready for the collective bow that we are well on our way of making.

Enjoy the change you asked for.

What is needed is for Reid to use the 51 vote option and give us single payer non-profit universal coverage now.

This I would love to see and the reaction from GOP,Lieberman,Blue Dogs,private insurance companies because it would be just too funny and these guys deserve it happening because of their obstructionism over this important issue.

They are making this more complicated then it needs to be, just open up Medicare for everyone. Everyone gets the same coverage. Fix the problems with Medicare so it doesn't go under. I think it would be better than the cluster they are trying to do now. Although my family needs health insurance so bad I will be happy with a public option for now. I want the health insurance company's to go under and not keeping raping the American people.

We don't need another Government boondoggle, especially in this economy.

Which is more important, money or health...

What would Jesus do?

i'd think it will be at least a $100 million per hold out (or is that hold up?).

The republican party would love to have these two join hands. If they do not they are dead come election time. How can they vote against their peoples wishes. They better say no when it comes to voting time

Obama is lying about the realities and CNN is part of his progressive cover.., middle America will not forget in 2010.

This shouldn't be about voting with your party but what best represents your voters. Sadly, this issue has become less and less about what's right for the majority of the American people in best representing their interests and lowering the cost of health care and more about the politics of sticking up for your party and getting something rammed through before the halo of the mid-term elections comes more into play. Comments like "being on the wrong side of history" and payoffs in for votes (ala the millions of $$ that have been offered to Democrats' states in exchange for their votes) is politics at its worst. As an independent, I respect Joe Lieberman's stance in remaining firm on what he believes to be right.

The bill as it currently stands will RAISE the cost of healthcare (don't believe the "deficit neutral" argument which the CBO has cited as wishful thinking – they said the same thing about Soc. Sec. and Medicaid. When has the gov't EVER been on target with their estimates?) Nearly all of us believe healthcare reform is necessary but this bill is a reckless use of our taxpayer dollars and is more and more about having a trophy to put on the Democrats mantle and reinforcing a political divide. It's very sad.

All i know is that i am so tired of polictics almost a year have passed by and nothing have gotten done because of the same old how to kill a bill policticians.

Senator Reed I hope you can get this bill though the Senate.

Something needs to be done,the right has been in charge 12yrs and have done absoltely.nothing to stop the fleecing of U.S. Citzens by the inept do nothing ins.providers. The insurance industry however is very good @ making money by denying claims and and cancelations of ins. Hope you all stay healthy because it could be you or someone you love on the chopping block next.

Hey here is a Novel idea??? How about the people who don't work or who's household does not pay taxes, not vote to raise the taxes on someone else who does!!

One can only hope the version Reid is trying to push through will crash and burn. This thing has nothing to do with healthcare, and WILL make healthcare in America worse. ANYONE who votes in favor of this deserves to lose in November, and they WILL.

Alright Sen. Landrieu, do u now see the republicans for what they are? They all were with u when they thought you was going to vote their way, so now what does their commercial say? Get real Mary, stay with your own party. Do not learn the hard way! But I understand, your from LA.

Liberals need to start listing to the people...they have spoken against this monstrosity but still going for their own ambitions....THANK GOD for them blue dogs and what remains with the rep party...Yes we need SMART HEALTH CARE REFORM that will truly help all Americans, keeping it private....since when does government make improvements...Auto Industry? Postal Service? Laboratories? Jobs? Spending? Afghanistan? Whats going on in America?

What's next for Health Care is the AMA and health care providers laughing all of the way to the bank, thanks to the Democrats.

Health Care costs stay high and the Dems are slugging it out with the insurance companies who have very little to do with the high cost of health care. Ready, Fire, Aim!

what's the problem, we can spend on wars, highways to nowhere, and will not provide healthcare for all you patriotic, good ole christians, be real

I pray that a health care reform bill is passed soon. I have health insurance through my employer, but I have a pre-existing condition and live in fear of losing my coverage. I also am very sick of seeing my premiums skyrocket while the services that are covered are reduced each year. I can't understand why some people think we can and should keep things the way they are. I don't know of a single person who thinks the health insurance industry has their best interest in mind. I'm quite sick (excuse the pun) of filling the pockets of the health insurance execs!

A swift funeral would be best for all concerned.

Are there ANY people in congress who actually have talked to an average american?
I want health care, I want the public option...but no one has asked anyone like me what their opinion is -
the people in Washington listen to bogus polls funded by the republicans, which tells them whatever they need for the 'party of no' sound bite.
I have ADD – Advanced Democratic Disillusionment!

Liberals just can't wait to get their hands on what little money we have left after paying for their current bloated, corrupt entitlement plans that benefit only unions and the uneducated that the NEA puts out. More Americans everyday are catching on. Come on 2010 and 2012. Obama four and the door.

The Democrats (especially the President) don't care what the cost is. Heck, Obama (if he's lucky) will have been voted in for a second term by the time we realize what the true cost is so why would he care? He can thump his chest and say "See, I made history again". Why do the opponants of this reform want to rush something SO huge (remember, this is 1/6th or our economy now) through by years end? Simple, because they know it would get picked apart and the American people would soon get wise to what is really happening.

Hmmmmm, If healthcare reform is such a terrible idea, why are the rethugs so angry that the dems are moving forward? I mean if, like the rethugs keep screaming, passing healthcare reform will cause a major backlash for the dems, why aren't the rethugs out dancing in the streets and partying on rooftops at the prospect for a clean sweep in 2010/12?

These two are getting voted out next year no matter what. There's no way anyone could possibly defend this crapfest of a bill.

Well, Peggy the Moocher is still looking for free gas and her Obama paying her mortgage.

What's next for healthcare?

Bernie Madoff Accounting policies to show it's "deficit neutral".
Tax increases.
Increases in unemployment.

That's what is next.

If there were an alternative to health care reform that the Republicans preferred, it would have been done in 2001 to 2006. I guess they were just more interested in spending many $Trillions to try to bend the Middle East to their will instead of using that money to solve the medicare deficit and pay for health care reform.

If you oppose the democratic bill, the republicans are not the answer. There has to be a third way.

next for health care? bankruptcy.

The insurance lobbist have congresses spine and privates in their hands. they will do as they are told by the insurance companies.

The will pass a law they everyone American has to buy health insurance or go to jail. Insurance will tell the American people when and where and if they get health care.

American is the land of free we are controled by insurance companies, from our autos, homes, lives etc........... and they want will
millon dollars bonus and we the American people pay them as they want Congress will force us or we will lose everything.

Pass it with 51 majority and include robust public option.
Hell with southern democrats and stupid southern republican voters.
For them abortion and gay marriage is more important than 45000 people who are killed for lack of health insurance.
Shame on them on Jesus Christ's name.

Maybe someone can address what I heard on TV as to whether they are including a lot of those not covered by changing the rules of Medicade, but only covering it for 2 years and then leaving the states to hold the bag for billions in costs in the third year and forever. What other little goodies are they saying they will include but leave to the states to pay thereby coming under their budget limit because they are setting rules for states now they didn't have before.

With all the resources at your disposal, why hasn't an estimate been made of the savings from a public option, when the incredible amount of money that flows into the insurance companies is subtracted from overall health care costs. This is a saving DIRECTLY into the pockets of middle class consumers.
That figure HAS to destroy the estimates of the cost of the plan, and thereby the argument of cost. (This ignores, of course, the $ trillions spent on wars, while Americans go without health care or go bankrupt because of its cost, or go hungry.)

I cannot wait until fall 2010, when smart voters will clean out the liberal rats' nest on Capitol Hill & in the State Gov. mansions. I hope the "LAP DOGS" do vote for the health care fiasco. They will be history soon enough. By the way, Landrieu was paid off to the tune of 100 million by scumbag Reid. That's your tax dollars at work, folks!

Nobody trusts government to run ANYTHING competently anymore, let alone their personal healthcare system. The dismal record of government programs costly ten times more than they were estimated and requiring constant tax bailouts is there for all to see. Social security, medicare, medicaid, post office, Amtrak, and on and on. I'm from the government and I'm here to help is the standard JOKE.

Now are supposed to believe the current group of Democrat buffoons will "reform" one sixth of our economy while not adding to the already massive deficits and national debt? Any American citizen dumb enough to believe this should be committed to a psychiatric institution immediately!

This country is already facing a financial disaster in the years ahead WITHOUT this healthcare "reform" train wreck. Read the latest articles out there today on the skyrocketing interest costs of the national debt in the years ahead. This is over and above $106 TRILLION of unfunded obligations this government has.

The Democrats don't seem to care if they send this country over the cliff to financial ruin but the American people sure care. Mark my words, if the Democrats pass this fiasco, they will GUARENTEE their departure from power in 2010 and 2012 and then this train wreck can be REPEALED.

I'm tired of the Republicans complaining that they have no say so in crafting health-care legislation and that it is being rammed down their throats. They say they agree the system needs fixed but they are being left out of the process. If they really believe it needs fixed then why didn't they fix it when they had control of both houses of congress?

Those of you who feed at the Fox/Rush/Beck trough, you people will never learn after a decade of lies and misdirection you still listen to those clowns. Hard-headed is no substitute for intelligence. Have you even read the bill? I have. YOU ARE BEING LIED TOO AGAIN. But what do you care you would follow those people if they led you off a cliff........oops already happened. If your gonna be commenting do it from what you have read not what some idiot has fed you...............signed a former Republican(since 18yrs old.never again)

OK, since you both have done you bartering for your votes on HEALTHCARE, here's what you are going to get.

The same as all the other AMERICANs if you VOTE "YES"....quality care that can be truly used in the US.

If you VOTE "NO"....DEFINITELY a DEFEAT next year come re-elections.

The majority of AMERICANs want the government to fix HEALTHCARE, so at this point there is no major screaming, especially since the balance budget approach is in play. GET A GRIP DEMOCRATs PASS the BILL with a PUBLIC OPTION and move on.

CLINTON balanced the "budget and left a surplus" and he was a DEMOCRAT.

BUSH "wrecked the budget surplus" using CAPITALISM, GREED, WAR, MORAL VALUES and he was a REPUBLICAN. You see where we are now fighting tooth and nail to come out of a Depressed/Recession.

Pass the HEALTH CARE BILL this year and MOVE ON or ELSE PREPARE TO BE DEFEATED next year.

The republiCANTS have done a great job with their fear & smear campaigns-Will Americans ever learn that with them its all about the money, and they couldn't care less about their countrymen....SAD.Healthcare Reform NOW!

Cram it down our throats and we vote out all that passed it. We do NOT want a government take over of our health care, we want health care reform. Democrats are taking this in the WRONG direction.

Priceless. This is a perfect statement regarding Dems concerns for what the American people may want. Listen, now, pay attention.
Michael Bennet, freshman Democratic Congressman from Colorado says, (sic), " If it means losing my seat in Congress I'm voting for the health care bill."
Translation, so even though I could be voted out, knowing his fellow Coloradians are enough against it he will lose the election, he will vote the will of the party rather than represent what he suspects is the will of the people. You sir are an idiot.

Godless Rich joe $(cash)$ lieberman ($Connecticut$) says he will support Palin $(having voted for her to be vice president in 2008)$ and republicans to keep health care from the poor, disadvantaged, and helpless people.

passing with public option, thats it..............

What's next for health care? NOTHING !

It has all been a farce onto the American populace.

Depends on how many more states can be "bought" like Louisiana's vote was! Shameful!

Watering it down so the voters don't get mad.

If any senator needs to be supporting this legislation, it's the senator from Louisiana(Landreau). Her constituency is amongst the poorest in the nation. A Yes vote for her should be a no brainer. As for Blanche Lincoln, she is in a conservative right leaning state. She'll take heat for it, but she's doing what's best for the nation as a whole.

Maybe if they make it cover everyone, reduce costs, start in 2010 and not 2014, and make it deficit neutral (You know, fulfill all of the promises they made about what it will do), then get the 100 million of pork for Louisiana out of it. Then they'll have a good bill. The way it stands right now, all I see is a bunch of circus entertainers trying to put on a pathetic and costly show. Maybe that's what they mean by 'big tent"?

Blanche Lincoln represents my state (although she appears to be more for her party at this point). She is taking a shellacking here for her vote Saturday. 70% are against the public option in this state. Of course now 58% are opposed nationally (according to Rasmussen). Ms. Lincoln is in trouble for next year and this will not help. I suspect many democrats (especially southern democrats) will take a lot of heat if this thing passes into law.

AR and LA Senators are holding-up progress for the rest of the country. Give support or join the Republican party. Quit putting your finger to the wind and grow a spine.

These two women are toast nomatter what they do now and they know it.Guess their bags are full of payoff cash and they will live large and high off the hog long after they are gone from office.Lets hope they dont get too sick some day.