Speaker Nancy Pelosi-no democrat, small “d”—wants to shove her 2000 + page monstrous bill down our throats by forcing the House to vote before anyone—including legislators—can absorb all its provisions. Toward this imperious end, she scheduled the vote for a rare Saturday House session.
But all is not going down the collective throat smoothly. The very hangups I predicted would make health care reform difficult to pass—abortion funding and coverage for illegal aliens—may (emphasis, may) hold that up. From the story:
House Democrats acknowledged they don’t yet have the votes to pass a sweeping overhaul of the nation’s health care system, and signaled they may push back the vote until Sunday or early next week. Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., told reporters in a conference call Friday that the make-or-break vote on President Barack Obama’s top priority that had been set for Saturday could face delay.
The apparent problem: Democrats have yet to resolve intraparty disputes over abortion funding and illegal immigrants’ access to health care.
Pelosi and President Obama don’t care that the American people oppose this huge, power grabbing bill. But there may be enough House Democrats in marginal districts who like their jobs sufficiently to prevent this mess from moving forward without dramatic revamping. I am not holding my breath, but hope springs eternal in the human breast.
