A behind-the-scenes look at the closing days of the push to finish health care reform:
The Congressional generic ballot crossed into Republican territory a few days after the November election. And, according to our composite TPM Poll Average, it just crossed, albeit minutely, into Dem territory: Dem 43.8%, GOP 43.7%. I wouldn’t invest too much in that minuscule margin. But as you can see from the graph, it’s part of a trend. I’ll be interested to see where those numbers go post-Health Care Reform vote. The most recent polls were taken on March 18th. So here’s your pre-vote benchmark.
(To see the full-size graph and data, click here.)
Senate Republicans go to work on Senate parliamentarian Alan Frumin.
In the wake of the passage of health care reform, Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) has decided enough is enough and it’s time to repeal the 17th Amendment which ended the appointment of senators by state legislatures in favor of direct election by the people. But why go all the way back to 1913? You could just freeze time in 1920 by repealing the 19th Amendment. There’s no way we’d have health care reform without women voting and a female speaker of the House. So there’s your real culprit.
USAToday/Gallup has a new poll out on Health Care Reform. And the numbers are striking.
Was passing the Health Care Reform bill a “good thing” or a “bad thing”. 49% to 40% say a good thing.
From the advance write-up by Susan Page: “The largest single group, 48%, calls the bill “a good first step” that should be followed by more action on health care. An additional 4% also have a favorable view, saying the bill makes the most important changes needed in the nation’s health care system.”
A handful of Democratic-affiliated offices scattered around the country have been vandalized in the past few days as the health care reform effort reached its climax.
A sampling of some the poignant remembrances of Ted Kennedy week as his signature issue is finally addressed.
Max Baucus says there may have to be some changes made in the Senate to the reconciliation bill for it to pass Byrd rule muster. Minor changes, he says, but enough to require the bill go back to the House for final approval.
Some days the NYT seems run by an order of cloistered nuns:
“Mr. President, this is a big … deal,” he said, adding an adjective between big and deal, that begins with ‘f.’