How can the CBO "score" the bill? There is no bill, only small and disconnected portions of legislation and a lot of hand-waving assumptions.

Bowing… teleprompters… apologizing…

Looks like the righties have their pantries stocked full of ‘canned complaints’!

Then you wonder why you’re no longer the MAJORITY party… you’ve got NOTHING!!

No ideas… no solutions… no leaders….

And btw:  I FULLY support bringing the Gitmo prisoners here to the IL maximum security prison!  Why are all the tough talking right wing nitwits such a bunch of cowards when it comes to OUR law enforcement doing the jobs they were trained to do?

There are days when the GEENOPEE hypocrisy is OVERWHELMING and today appears to be one of them!

The House bill is already $450 billion dollars over the made up "break-even" point Congress came up with. On the House side, Pelosi came up with a $1.3 trillion dollar bill while the estimated cost of health care without reform for the next 10 years was $850 billion. That didn't stop Nancy from doing her little Saturday night victory dance though. Now the Senate bill is such a mess that it can't even be scored.

Democrats in action. The country is not impressed.

I know Congress has to have a CBO score before moving forward to debate but there's too much focus on it.  It is important to Congress to have some clue as to how to proceed, where work is needed, what amendments will be beneficial.  But as Politico pointed out, the score won't really mean anything until you have a final bill.  

"I don't object to the change to the Pledge because it is just words..."

Jody, Iowa (Sent Monday, November 16, 2009 12:14 PM)
----------------------------------------------------

THAT!  Is the problem, Jody!  To you the pledge is "just words".  To REAL Americans it's a pledge of love and devotion to country and state!

NOW this is HOW things get accomplished!  

The chairman of a key Senate committee overseeing healthcare reform said Monday that the chamber will work every weekend in December to pass the bill by Christmas.

http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/67905-sen-harkin-says-senate-will-work-weekends-in-december

It’s about time us Dem’s start playing Hardball with the GEENOPEE!

Hell Harry needs to let them make good on their 'threat' to fillibuster! Let the people see them in action!

Jody, Iowa:  You must be so proud of Senator Harkin!  I know I am!

However, the costing for the house bill has been shown to be a sham.  Congress conveniently ignored the 300m required to prop up prices for medicare. (WP editorial today).

Currently we spend more on health care than any other nation, around 16% of GDP.  Can someone explain how it is not possible to insure all citizens for the same 16%?  This current proposal will put the amount we spend through the roof.  In every other industry workers are being asked to do more with the same or less.  Why are providers (doctors and hospitals) not being asked to do the same? why are they incapable of raising their productivity.  It should be very simple, if you want to earn the same amount you have to see 5% or 10% more patients.

This is what is making the people of the country  crazy. Mr Reid thinks the electorate is stupid. There is no bill to score. They should just go ahead and make up some off the wall numbers as they have for every other bill and think the people will swollow them.

Just like these morons in charge of Congress, lets have a vote to begin debate on something that isn't written, not scored for cost, and goes against the Constitution by federally mandating Americans purchase from Industry.  Oh, btw, what they do want to have in there is that congress is exempt from it, states that it isn't a tax, and all of the action on it..ie, when it starts, when the penalties hit, and such all take place after the 2010 midterms, 2012 main elections, and 2014 tax season...so they get to hold off for many years being accountable to the crap they are force feeding us.  Most of the idiots on these blogs just blindly support it because they are Demo/Libs...instead of actually reading/researching the mess that is coming.  I hear nice little comments about sharing the wealth...bug off...it's not yours to begin with (and this isn't supposed to be a tax...liars).  Two more recent reports in btw, one that says it will hurt medicare and seniors, another that companies (pharma so far) are raising rates again in front of the proposed legislation to offset it.  There goes your more affordable.

It will be more days of watching C-Span at lunch and at breaks at work.  Thanks, First Read, for this update.

Hey Joey,

Actually, there is a bill.  Reid presented a bill out of conference two weeks ago.  Try paying attention.  

Well, I bet it is pretty tough to get CBO numbers for something that isn't written.  I mean, Pelosi at least wrote most of hers (it was probably in crayon, though) -- it too had plenty of assumption holes that would have made it tough for the best actuary to work with; but if you don't write down anything!?!  Hmm... not surprised, to say the least.

what is taking the cbo such a long time to do a cost analysis? Get it together; we need healthcare now.

While we are can somebody stop those MADD sceintist at NASA from sending a ship into space when they know they are runnign out of money and are abusing not just our solar system but busting up the ozone layer, talk about climate change just wait and see after they go up or are these folks' being run by a separate Government for now this abuse must totally stop because we have not gotten anything valuble back for us to progress on and ore than hlaf of America doesn't care .

There are days when the GEENOPEE hypocrisy is OVERWHELMING and today appears to be one of them!
Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL

Your parents must have both been retarded, and that's why you're so special.

It’s about time us Dem’s start playing Hardball with the GEENOPEE


Feisty, tell me-how many Republicans do the Democrats need to pass healthcare?  

what is taking the cbo such a long time to do a cost analysis? Get it together; we need healthcare now.
voter (Sent Monday, November 16, 2009 2:10 PM)
................

look how well informed you are!  It won't go into effect until 2013.  We have to pay four years first so it has some seed money.

I can understand why cost isn't that much of a concern for Reid, in the end he makes decisions for other people, and sticks them with the bill.

what is taking the cbo such a long time to do a cost analysis? Get it together; we need healthcare now.
voter

You're joking, right? The program won't start paying benefits until 2013. The taxes though begin on Day #1.

And at last look we have health care. Best in the world.

Ed Garner, Iowa (Sent Monday, November 16, 2009 2:28 PM)

Are your parents aware you skipped school today?  Skipping school really limits your opportunities in life.  Please for America's sake, stay in school.

Ed Garner, Iowa (Sent Monday, November 16, 2009 2:28 PM)

Are your parents aware you skipped school today?  Skipping school really limits your opportunities in life.  Please for America's sake, stay in school.
Clara Kansas City, MO


Ed, listen to Clara. She's speaking from experience.

Please take my chosen insurance away, and make me buy expensive first dollar coverage.  And expand coverage to millions with no cost controls.  And put a tax on medical devices and other things that people need.  And make it even more expensive to hire people, and punish earnings more severely.  And preserve the trial lawyers' gravy train at our expense.  And do it all in a politically corrupt fashion, with backroom bargaining and secret side deals.  sheeesh!  No wonder non-reform reform is having such a tough time.

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