TPM Reader BK disagrees that health care reform’s greatest vulnerability will be the 2010 election.
Actually, its greatest point of vulnerability will be the 2012 election, since much of it doesn’t take effect until 2013. The mandates that will drive up costs will take effect before then–young people will pay much more since premiums will be equalized for all age groups and private companies will have to cover even sick people. Since there will be no opt-out or no competition, they will be able to charge whatever they want.
There are many events in life that, while more or less predictable in themselves (House passage of the health care bill), turn out to have an impact and significance that is only truly apparent after they occur. The passage of the House health care reform bill last night strikes me as one of them. Read More
President Obama in a short Rose Garden statement just thanked lawmakers for taking a “courageous vote” on health care last night. He said he is “absolutely confident” the Senate will do the same.
He didn’t single out Rep. Joseph Cao (R-LA), the only Republican to break ranks and support the measure.
Read more about Cao here and learn his take on the vote here.
