Harry Reid's Inflammatory Language vs Health Insurers Divorced from Reality

Reid Says Senate Bill Will Have Public Plan

WASHINGTON -- The Senate's top Democrat said the health-care bill he is bringing to the Senate floor will include a government-run health-insurance plan, a remarkable comeback for an idea that was voted down in a key committee less than a month ago.

The announcement by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid came as the White House-backed drive to overhaul the nation's health-care system picked up pace. "We're all optimistic about reform because of the unprecedented momentum that now exists," Mr. Reid said.

Read the full article here.

Pelosi wants to ram the pro-abortion health care bill through the House

Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Ca.) is planning to try to ram the massive health care bill (H.R. 3200) through the House on short notice, without allowing consideration of a critical pro-life amendment.  National Right to Life is urging every pro-life citizen to immediately TELEPHONE the office of his or her representative in the U.S. House of Representatives with a clear and firm message urging a NO vote on the so-called "rule," which is the procedural vote that would allow passage of H.R. 3200 with no amendments allowed, and also to vote against the pro-abortion bill itself.

Even if you have already called and written your representatives in Congress about the health care bills, it is critical that you call again now.  This will just take a few minutes.  For guidance on how to make your call, click here.

Once there, you will see a box labeled "CALL NOW."  Once you enter your zip code in that box, you will be shown the name and phone number of your representative in the U.S. House, along with suggested "talking points" that will help you deliver a crisp, clear message to your representative's staff person in Washington, D.C.

Nullifying National Health Care in Kansas

This Tuesday, 10-27-09, Kansas State Senator Mary Pilcher-Cook and other state legislators will be announcing a “Kansas Health Care Freedom Amendment” – a proposal for a state constitutional amendment that would effectively nullify national health care in that state.

Already, four states are considering similar amendments, and more than 15 may see them introduced in the 2010 legislative session.

Read more here.

Obama's Doctor Shortage

Alysia Finley at WSJ writes about Obama's doctor shortage and what he's doing to make it worse:

In his campaign for health-care reform, President Obama has repeatedly harped about a primary care doctor shortage. "The status quo is we don't have enough primary care physicians," President Obama said in an ABC interview in July. The president promises that his health-care reform proposal will address the problem of a primary care physician shortage---and he's right. He will make it worse.

Mr. Obama wants to provide insurance for an additional 30 million Americans, but recent experience in Massachusetts shows that universal coverage will result in an even greater physician shortage and longer waiting times for patients.

Read the full story here. 


H/T:  Kate Wicker.

Get to Work: The Impact of Goverment Health Care on the Next Generation

House Democrats Likely Won't Allow Vote to Cut Abortion From Health Care Bill

It appears House Democrats will likely not allow a vote on an amendment that would strip abortion funding from HR 3200, the legislation that will meld the three health care "reform" bills into one. Although a coalition of pro-life Democrats is hoping for a vote, it appears none is forthcoming.

Rep. Bart Stupak, a pro-life Democrat from Michigan, has been leading the way in an attempt to get an amendment that would remove the massive abortion funding and subsidies from the bill.

However, in a new report issued today, the Associated Press makes it appear that's not going to happen.

"Such an amendment would be almost certain to prevail, since it likely would attract the votes of most Republicans as well as some Democrats. So Democratic leaders won't let Stupak offer it," AP indicates.

Stupak told AP that he sees an impasse with one of the top pro-abortion Democrats who chairs one of the committees that approved a version of the bill, Rep. Henry Waxman -- who also said there is a hangup.

story here

cross-posted from A Catholic View