Like it or not, Kennedy's Death Will Impact the Health Care Debate--But How?

Hopefully, the impact will be to stop the crazy and for senators to stop dicking around and start acting like responsible adults who hold the fate of 300 million American people in their hands. It won't mean that Republicans vote for health care reform, but maybe it will get the Democrats more in line, and maybe they'll even get the 59 Democrats plus Olympia Snowe to at least vote for cloture -- even if they don't all vote yes on final passage -- so that it gets enacted and Kennedy's legacy is upheld.

The Republicans can complain all they want about it being "inappropriate" to use his memory in this way but everyone knows -- even them -- that this is exactly what he would want.

I'd guess that Senate Republicans are high fiving each other right now (in a purely political way) that the Democrats no longer have 60 seats.

Olympia Snowe is never going to vote for a healthcare bill (even for cloture) that would make any Democrat happy.

So 2 primary political repercussions, as I see it-

1) Arguments about Republican obstructionism carry much more weight.

2) If Democrats are serious about passing healthcare this fall, the reconciliation option just got a lot more likely.

republicans..
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/07/29/medicare-flashback/

flashback:
Republicans Opposed Medicare in 1960s By Warning Of Rationing, 'Socialized Medicine'