It’s open thread time! While a lot of us recover from last night’s event talk among yourselves.
Here’s some news I’m reading – Barbara Boxer says that there will not be a Stupak-like amendment to the Senate health care reform bill, despite reports that Ben Nelson and Bob Casey are working on one:
“If someone wants to offer this very radical amendment, which would really tear apart [a decades-long] compromise, then I think at that point they would need to have 60 votes to do it,” Boxer said. “And I believe in our Senate we can hold it.”
“It is a much more pro-choice Senate than it has been in a long time,” she added. “And it is much more pro-choice than the House.”
Boxer’s reading of the political landscape might seem like the hopeful spin of an abortion-rights defender. But it was seconded by a another lawmaker, Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.)
“It would have to be added,” sad the Montana Democrat of an amendment that mirrored that offered Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) in the House. “I doubt it could pass.”
Good for you Barbara Boxer. Codification of the Hyde Amendment is bad enough but further restrictions are just unacceptable.
Senator Jerk Lieberman is standing firm for health insurance company protection.
In a scrum with reporters just now, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) was asked how strong his commitment to filibustering any health care reform public option really is. Asked if he saw any “wiggle room” on his pledge — say, a trigger for example — Lieberman said he’ll stand firm.
“I don’t feel like wiggling,” he said.