Durbin: Senate Dems expect to miss Obama health care deadline
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/11/10/art.durbin1110.gi.jpg caption="Sen. Durbin, background, said Tuesday that Senate Democrats expect to miss the deadline for the health care bill set by President Obama."]
Washington (CNN) - Despite President Obama's pressure on Senate Democrats to finish health care legislation so he can sign a final bill by the end of year, a Senate Democratic leader said Tuesday they expect to miss that deadline.
Sen. Dick Durbin, the second-ranking Democrat in the chamber, said he hopes, at best, to complete the Senate's version of the bill by that time.
"I would say our goal is to get it out of the Senate this year," said Durbin.
Durbin, of Illinois, blamed the shifting timeline on a slower than expected cost analysis of the legislation by the Congressional Budget Office and an uncertain schedule for floor debate, which Durbin said they hope to begin before Thanksgiving.
Durbin's comments contrasted with those of White House spokesman Robert Gibbs who adamantly told reporters Monday that "the president wants to sign a health care bill before the end of the year."
Asked if there is a disconnect with the White House, Durbin, who is close to the president, responded, "The president called me yesterday, and I know what he wants - to bring a health care reform bill to him as quickly as possible."
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Come on Durbin, why he is putting this out there. Senate Dems, come together right now!!! I don't care if you are Dem because you couldn't get elected as what you really are. Stand up and do the right thing for America, how many times can this be shouted at you?
So if the government can't get this done on schedule (and it has already slipped several times) why would we think they can do a decent job of even crafting a plan? And if they botch it up (which I fully expect – all other countries' socialized medical systems are botched up... our liberal government is as incompetent as theirs are) how long will it take to get a bill through to rectify things? (Answer: a bill will never get through to rectify things... and the loony congressman Grayson will try to blame Republicans for all the people that die waiting for their turn at healthcare. It will be our version of Moscow breadlines.) Reverend Wright was Right! "The Chickens... Are Coming Home.... To Roost!"
And yet none of them miss voting themselves another pay raise, this while they will be cutting Medicare funding to the seniors and not giving those on SS a cost of living increase to boot.
So, Dick Durbin thinks it is okay to continue playing games with most of the American people lack of Health care....by not working hard to get this bill done before the holidays. Dick and company give the people something for Christmas ....HOPE would be Great but the REFORM BILL signed would be awesome.
I thank God I have a great healthcare plan at this time. Faith in law makers and their friends is down right upsetting. Putting it mildly.
There is a disconnect. This administration is permanently unplugged, they are making me come UN-GLUED. It is hard to keep my sense of humor sometimes.
Insanity – by any other name, is Robert Gibbs behind a President who is behind David Axelrod, who is behind Rahm Emanuel. These Bozo Dominoes will tumble in 2012. Now that will bring back my sense of humor.
Harry Reid and the rest of the Senate know perfectly well that the House bill has exactly zero percent chance of passing in the Senate, and that any bill that can pass in the Senate has zero percent chance of passing in the House.
Socialised medicine is, as it should be, dead, dead, dead, in the US.
There shouldn't be a deadline, time should be taken to do it right. They know that 2010 is right around the corner and these very people supporting this disaster will be voted out of office. They don't care about us, it's all about themselves and their power. How stupid are we? Do you really think the Government is capable of taking over health care? They can't even run the H1N1 vaccine program without problems. You really want them making life and death decisions for you?
Let's take away congress's insuance and see how much they whimpee and whine. Bet they would be done this time next week|
Here is a novel idea. Instead of pressing along with the monstrosity the Dems like to call health care reform how about fixing the existing fraud and waste problems with Medicare. This Congress needs to start taking a one step at a time approach instead of shoving through big changes all at once. Rushed decisions never end up having the intended results because there are always problems that get missed in the rush.
And that is why I didn't vote for Durbin last election and won't vote for Durbin this next election, even though I am a Democrat.
why are the democrates always rushing everything. how can it be thought out properly
When will the American news media actually start doing their job and informing America what's actually in this bill?
Where is the scrutiny from our press on so many issues?
H1N1
Global Warming
the Economy
unemployment
etc...
"Through scrutiny comes understand, and from understanding comes either support or opposition, and BOTH are necessary." – JFK
I would hope the senate realizes that the US cant afford another one trillion dollars
Please step down Mr. Obumer! Please wake up, all you fools who voted for this fake!
The senate democrats need a swift kick in the backside. If they don't pass this legislation soon, the tide could change.
If the Republicans were really serious about their concerns re: Health Care they should demonstrate their anger by refusing ALL the nationally paid Health Care that they receive each time they burp or worse pass ..........
A health care reform bill with a strong public option will help control flu epidemic. We shouldn't delay its passing for too long. If you don't trust our government for flu control, can you trust private insurers for it?
Have you got the money for the vaccine? Yes, come on in for a shot.
I will trust Uncle Sam for my health care, period. What do private insurance companies care about me for?
Senators we want you to work nights, weekends and holidays like regular people and pass this bill by the end of the year.
We don't want it perfect, we want it Tuesday.
We can fix it later. Get it done!
No big deal. This has long ago stopped being about health care reform( as if it ever was ) and is now nothing more than a political game. Mixing health care and politics is a disaster as we all see now, especially when it became too expensive to do right and they are trying to cram it into a broken economy. They need to start over.
Durbin is a scumbag, living in a liberal dreamland. Notice being a typical liberal, it is someone else's fault. Liberals lie and lack any kind of ethics or morals.
who cares if it is good or bad, just get me one to sign so I win!!!!
Rick Sanchez followed the health care lobbyist money in the House of Representative the other day and he showed that the house of representatives averaged about $450, 000. each (I assume to influence a no vote) and the Senate got over a million per senator.
When buying votes, it looks like the health care lobby thinks they get a lot more bang for their bucks in the Senate. As an American, I am sick and tired of our politicians sleeping with the lobbyists(evidently figuratively and physically). If we can't stop the lobbyists is there anyway we can tax that money. Maybe if we impose a 50% tax on all money the Lobbyist spend on Congressmen and then throw another 50% tax on any money a Congress accepts from a lobbyist. Then, we either have enough tax money to pay for healthcare, or the healthcare industry decides they have to work harder and smarter to make record profits and overhaul health care themselves.