Posted by
Defend America on Wednesday, March 10, 2010 8:27:36 PM
March 9, 2010 3:16 PM
By Reid Wilson
Dems are
aiming to pass health care legislation, once and for all, by Easter
recess. But for all their optimistic talk, one thing remains clear:
They don't have the votes just yet. Then again, they don't have a bill
yet, either.
The first step of what promises to be an arduous process will come
when Dem leaders unveil the package of proposed measures to fix the
legislation and make it more palatable to some House lawmakers. Once
the Senate demonstrates it is able to pass the bill via reconciliation,
the House will vote on the Senate legislation.
In our ongoing quest to keep tabs on how key Dems will vote, we've
broken Dems into 4 categories based on their votes on the original
health care bill, passed in Nov., and on the Stupak amendment, a
measure to toughen abortion language that passed with overwhelming GOP
support and 64 Dem votes.
Dems believe they have a total of 15 to 20 targets, "no" votes the
first time around who can be persuaded to switch their positions. Those
in the first category, members who voted against the bill and against
the Stupak amendment, may be their easiest targets. Those in the second
category, who voted against the measure but for the amendment, will be
harder to win over.
GOPers are not without their own targets. Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI)
claims he has up to a dozen votes among the second group, those who
voted for health care but who are willing to vote against it if
abortion language isn't strengthened. The third category include those
members who voted for both the bill and the amendment, and the
reservoir from which Stupak is likely to find his backers.
Finally, the fourth category will be harder for the GOP to win over.
They include 17 junior Dems, some liberal, some centrist, who voted for
the measure but against the Stupak amendment. The most effective
argument to win over these members will be an appeal to their
re-election chances.
http://hotlineoncall.nationaljournal.com/archives/2010/03/updating_the_he.php