With Reform Jammed, Pelosi Moves Forward On Insurance Industry Antitrust Bill

Pelosi is practially the ONLY gutsy and smart Democratic leader left in America. She should GO FURTHER WITH THIS APPROACH: pass the anti-trust exemption, and make sure some Senate Dems introduce it and force a vote there; ditto with something like importation of drugs. And, frankly, the real NUCLEAR OPTION in health reform would be to push forward on easy to understand and very popular rules saying the insurance industry must take all comers and charge similar rates to all and not cap benefits. Dems seem not to want to do this in isolation because they understand that it would not "work" in some ideal-systemic sense without subsidies and mandated coverage for the uninsured. But so what? Politics is about creating the right conflicts and riding them to a better place. Pass the regulations on insurance that the middle class wants, and then the insurance industry will start pressing its friends in the Senate to pass more comprehensive reform including subsidies for the uninsured! And if, for some reason, only the regulations pass and the insurance industry starts raising prices, that will soon create popular and business pressure for a more comprehensive solution.

In short, if the Senate will not work with the House to get it all done now, do ENTERING WEDGES that create disequilibria that favor further political action down the line, and that divide groups now opposed to real reform. I hope someone reads this and gives it to Speaker Pelosi. She seems the only Democrat in America smart enough to get it when it comes to political combat and setting up the right battles over time.

I would say the White House, too, but they seem out to lunch when it comes to politics. Good policy can be linked to good politics -- but too much egg-heady focus on getting policy right without paying attention to public support and dividing enemies is just dumb. Democrats have been doing that for decades. It is a loser politically -- and losers get thrown out of office, as the Democrats are going to find out within months.

I actually don't find this that encouraging. Wouldn't a bill like this require 60 Senate votes and a long, cumbersome debate? And if that eats up time, when will they find the space or will to take up a comprehensive reconciliation bill of fixes?

I would be a lot more comfortable if Pelosi were to move quickly on securing the reconciliation bill. That would give me some confidence that the comprehensive bill could pass the House and we could finish this debate. Passing standalone, normal-order pieces of legislation just reeks of the "break it up" approach and could signal that we aren't actually getting anything comprehensive.

That being said, I really trust Pelosi's judgment, so hopefully she'll prove me wrong.

Before it gets to teh Senate, the House GOPers have to vote on it. Same for all her other measures. It is partly about that.

Political wedges are all well and good but I'd much rather see the House pass substantive policy first. They need to pass the Senate bill. Then they can put the Republicans on the line for unpopular votes.

Straight from the TEA party recommended - republican HCR plan. Good girl, Nancy. Now, you're learning.

I often wonder why I keep hearing so many misogynistic remarks about Speaker Pelosi. Even seemingly reasonable commentators frequently reference her as some sort of beastly joke; always with the undercurrent that this (snicker!) woman thinks she can eat with the big dogs, but she just keeps making an ass of herself.

But I never wonder for long. She is effective; she is fearless, and let's face it, she's dangerous. She didn't get to be Speaker by not being so. And somewhere there is a pile of bodies, of the opponents who played her cheap.

So it's right out of the Republican playbook to marginalize her in every way possible.

What makes me want to spit is when I hear non-Republicans unwittingly repeating the meme.

Brilliant...how can the so-called republicans argue against an open market. I've long wished for this approach. Let's see Agent Orange Bohner argue against eliminating pre-existing conditions. Or dropping people once they actually get ill. It's easy to throw out a made-up term like Obamacare and use it to gin up fear. But they can't fight the real issues. When polled individually all these things score high no matter the party.

Set federal standard practices for insurance companies so that one state is not more attractive than another state, then let insurance be bought across state lines. Add to that ending insurance companies anti-trust exemption, make the tax fixes, and maybe squeeze in medicare buy in. Pass it in the House, throw it to the senate. If the GOP want to filibuster, let them look like fools. Then readjust and pass it reconciliation style. This allows repubs to oppose the very things they SAY they support, and gives time to garner the 50 votes needed for reconcilitation. Just an idea. I was wondering if there is an expiration date for the senate bill that has passed. Is there a certain amount of time the House has to pass it, or can they pass it anytime?

I doubt that the republicans will vote for this. Did you hear all the republicans voted NO to "pay as you go" in the Senate today???? Unbelievable. They can't even vote for something that is fiscally conservative because Obama asked for it. Sad.