Senate Mulls House-Approved Medicare Bill

[kysrsoze]

WASHINGTON - The fate of the Medicare prescription drug bill rests with 100 senators after the measure narrowly passed the House, which endured a dusk-to-dawn debate capped by the longest roll call vote in the chamber's history.

The Senate began an expected three days of debate soon after Bush spoke. But there signs that the partisan struggle in the House would not be repeated in the Senate. "I think you'll see an entirely different atmosphere in the Senate," said Sen. John Breaux, D-La., one of the architects of the compromise.


Democratic opponents took to the Senate floor to complain that the proposal would reward insurers and drug manufacturers at the expense of older Americans. "The Congress will be voting on a measure that will undermine Medicare," said Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., one of three current senators who were in office when the federal program was created in 1965.


But Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota said he would oppose a filibuster to delay a vote on the legislation, even though Daschle said he plans to vote against the bill. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., plans to bring the measure to a vote on Monday.


http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=4&u=/ap/20031122/ap_on_go_co/medicare


Compromise or coercion, Senator Breaux?

[UTUSN]

1. Oh, Crap: Senator COLLINS Is Talking in Favor Right Now. CSPAN

"The one drawback ---unfortunately, it takes time before this benefit comes online."

[Malva Zebrina]

7. Collins and Snowe, whores for Bush

neither of them has a brain cell that is functioning. Watch Snowe and be sure that Collins will dittol They are the bobsey twins--in this case one or the other has persuaded the other to kiss Bush's balls and they are both please to do so.

do not pin any hopes on these two flaccid brained women. They do not have the stuff necessary to buck Bush. They are both, after all, Republicans. Make no mistake about it.

[MaineDem]

8. Snowe isn't as bad as Susie Collins

They both voted with the Dems to block the energy bill the other day. And I had hopes that Olympia at least would agree that this bill was bad. I bet she's been "spoken to". I don't trust this administration.

Susie, on the other hand, is as much a poodle as Blair. I can't forgive the Mainers who voted for her last year. It sickens me to think of the alternative we could have had and instead we're stuck with baby-talk.

[kysrsoze]

9. I bet she's been "spoken to". I bet this is the rule

You always read in articles about how so-and-so received a phone call from Bush. It's disgusting how much coercion is going on. The even more disgusting aspect is how many of the Dems go along with it. Talk about a bunch of pathetic bootlickers.

[La_Serpiente]

2. Snowe has voiced some concerns about the bill

Collins has lended her support though.

Statement by Susan Collins:

http://www.senate.gov/~collins/high/record.cfm?id=215413

Statement by Snowe:

http://www.senate.gov/~snowe/pressap/record.cfm?id=215137

[0007]

3. John Breaux, why? Is the pharmaceutical companies making Johnny rich?

....and Daschle is gonna vote for it but won't filibuster it? What kind of nonsense is this? This is the Democrat Party. I'm ashamed, I'm pissed.

Why?

[baby_bear]

4. It's time for Daschle to be gone as Dem leader

First he caves on the energy bill, which stinks worse than a straight shot of MTBE, and he won't support a filibuster of the Medicare welfare-for-pharmaceutical-companies bill.

I have lost all respect for the man.

s_m

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

6. Daschle no longer has...

The best interests of the people or the Democratic Party in his heart. Only his own. It is time for him to go.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

5. Because of the...

Numerous chemical companies in LA. That, and he is yet another pink tutu.

[kysrsoze]

10. No kidding. The sad thing is that I would expect something like that

from Daschle. I haven't agreed with a few votes from Pelosi, but I'd be willing to bet she has two more balls than Daschle has. I see a lot of comments from her, but she never seems to get any press. I have never seen such a wishy-washy Dem leader. He's supposed to lead this damned party, but all too often it's Durbin, Kennedy, Byrd and even Rockefeller speaking out. Christ, Peter Fitzgerald (I know he's a Repub) pushes some of my main issues harder than he does.

BTW - Why doesn't the Democratic party push Dick Durbin to the top? He's one of the few Dems consistently fighting this crap from the right.

[baby_bear]

11. I agree; Durbin would be far superior

I don't think for a minute that Daschle could be pushed out now. He would have to either step down (behind the scenes pressure might help) or wait until the next Congress when they vote in a leader again. Durbin could challenge him at that point, if he hasn't gotten the message by then.

I just can't believe he wouldn't filibuster this, of all bills. It is so incredibly egregious, and the manner in which it was crafted and brought up at the last minute before winter recess was equally offensive. This is the one instance where political capital should be spent. What is it he doesn't get? Or maybe I just don't get it.

s_m

[FlashHarry]

12. I think the leader should resign when in a reelection fight.

Unless it's uncontested. Sens. have 6 years to serve--4 should be as party leader. Daschle should resign and the Dems should vote for a party leader who was elected in '00 or '02. Either that, or the party should elect co-leaders on staggered election schedules, so the one in a reelection campaign could relinquish power to his or her co-leader. My two cents...