Congress on the Verge of Passing Historic Health-Care Bill
November 7th, 2009Sparks Urges Davis ‘To Do the Right Thing’ and Vote FOR the Bill
by Glynn Wilson
After receiving a pep talk from President Obama, House Democrats cleared a key procedural hurdle Saturday in the debate over expanding the nation’s health care system, setting the stage for a day long debate and an evening vote that could push the legislation across a historic threshold by midnight Saturday night, according to news sources in DC.
The House voted 242 to 192 to approve the rules of the health care debate, a vote that officially permits the chamber to proceed to the substantive merits of the legislation, according to the Washington Post. If all goes smoothly on the House floor, Democrats may be hours away from delivering on Obama’s chief domestic policy goal, by approving a 1,990-page bill that would require individuals to buy health coverage and would create an individual insurance market to provide affordable policies for people who do not receive health benefits through their employers.
House Passes Key Hurdle on Health-Care Legislation
The Talking Points Memo is reporting that the voting will start about 10 p.m. and could be passed by midnight…
Dems Have 218 Votes on Health-Care Bill; Passage Could Come by Midnight
Meanwhile, Alabama’s Agricultural Commissioner Ron Sparks, who is running for governor of Alabama as a Democrat, urged Birmingham’s Congressman Artur Davis, who is also running to try to become Alabama’s first black governor, to “do the right thing” for the people of Alabama by voting for the bill.
Davis recently told the Alabama press corps he would vote against the bill. A series of TV commercials have flooded the airwaves in Davis’s district in recent days urging him to vote against the bill.
“In a very short while, perhaps within hours, one of the most historic pieces of legislation will be voted on in the United States Congress,” Sparks said in a press release, issued just after Alabama defeated LSU in Tuscaloosa by a score of 24-15.
“There is no question that health-care reform is badly needed by thousands of Alabamians,” Sparks said. “Artur Davis has a chance to show those who our most in need that he stands with them. Artur Davis must give priority to the people and not to the special interests of his largest contributors, big insurance companies.”
Sparks said a strong public option in our health-care system is required so that the people of Alabama and the U.S. can have equal access for all.
“Artur can end the days when the people of this state are held hostage by big insurance companies,” Sparks said. “If Artur Davis wants Democrats to vote for him, he MUST vote for a bill that they overwhelmingly support.”
The Davis campaign could not be reached for comment, since Davis does not answer questions from real reporters via e-mail or telephone.
Tags: Congress on the Verge of Passing Historic Health-Care Bill, Sparks Urges Davis 'To Do the Right Thing' and Vote FOR the Bill
November 7th, 2009 at 7:51 pm
We need health care reform now. The insurance companies have about ruined this country.
November 7th, 2009 at 8:21 pm
The Republicans have said that our biggest threat is to provide healthcare for our Citizens. What can I say, they are nuts. We need healthcare and we need it now!
November 7th, 2009 at 9:21 pm
From Pam’s List:
Excellent! Like John L. Lewis, Sparks just drew the line in the dirt.
Now we will see just which side Davis is on – ours or theirs. Theirs is it, the corporation.
- Peace, Al McCullough
November 7th, 2009 at 9:22 pm
From Jack Zylman:
Sparks for Governor! This one makes it easy!!!
November 7th, 2009 at 9:28 pm
From Jason Leopold at Truthout:
Update 5:30 p.m. PDT: Roll Call reports that GOP lawmakers have sent out an e-mail identifying 33 Democrats who “joined Republicans in a bipartisan fashion to oppose Speaker Pelosi’s trillion dollar plus overhaul of the nation’s health care system.”
Those Democrats, many of whom are Blue Dogs, include Reps. John Adler (N.J.), Brian Baird (Wash.), John Barrow (Ga.), Dan Boren (Okla.), Rick Boucher (Va.), Allen Boyd (Fla.), Bobby Bright (Ala.), Travis Childers (Miss.), Artur Davis (Ala.), Lincoln Davis (Tenn.), Chet Edwards (Texas), Bart Gordon (Tenn.), Parker Griffith (Ala.), Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (S.D.), Tim Holden (Pa.), Larry Kissell (N.C.), Suzanne Kosmas (Fla), Frank Kratovil (Md.), Dan Lipinski (Ill.), Jim Marshall (Ga.), Eric Massa (N.Y.), Jim Matheson (Utah), Mike McIntyre (N.C.), Michael McMahon (N.Y.), Charlie Melancon (La.), Walt Minnick (Idaho), Glenn Nye (Va.), Collin Peterson (Minn.), Mike Ross (Ark.), Ike Skelton (Mo.), John Tanner (Tenn.), Gene Taylor (Miss.) and Harry Teague (N.M.).
November 7th, 2009 at 9:39 pm
Who will speak for the patients? Indeed.
The Republicans are screaming because they don’t believe in lawyers and the American jury system…
November 7th, 2009 at 10:26 pm
From Pam’s List:
I’ll tell you which side Davis is on. He’s a flip-flopper who’s on whichever side that he “thinks” will get him elected!
Marcus Echols
November 8th, 2009 at 4:10 am
Flash: Artur Davis (Ala.) summarily expelled from the RSCSFM.