Senate communists assured of 60 votes to debate health bill

Just in from the communist takeover leaders in the Senate:


Senate Democrats assured of 60 votes to debate health bill
Published: 11/21/09, 4:00 PM EDT
From Ed Hornick, CNN

Washington (CNN) - Senate Democrat Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas said Saturday she will support bringing the Senate health care reform bill to the floor for debate, giving Democrats the 60 votes they need to prevent a Republican filibuster. "Although I don't agree with everything in this bill, I believe it is important to begin this debate," she said. "This issue is very complex. There is no easy fix," she said in making her announcement on the Senate floor, just hours before Saturday night's 8 p.m. procedural vote. Earlier Saturday, Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-Louisiana, became the 59th lawmaker to agree to vote for debate. But she added a caveat on the floor of the Senate: "My vote today to move forward on this important debate should in no way be construed by the supporters of this current framework as an indication of how I might vote as this debate comes to an end. "It is a vote to move forward to continue the good and essential and important and imperative work that is under way."

Sixty votes are needed to move the controversial bill to the floor for discussion. The legislative body is expected to vote Saturday night. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid introduced the Senate version of the health care bill on Wednesday. The House passed its version two weeks ago. Reid says the 2,074-page bill would expand health insurance coverage to 30 million more Americans at an estimated cost of $849 billion over 10 years.

Proceedings got under way shortly before 10 a.m. Saturday and will last through the early evening. Around 8 p.m., the Senate will hold a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture. Reid needs 60 votes to overcome a certain GOP filibuster attempt and open the chamber's debate on the bill. It also would take 60 votes to close debate that could last for weeks, while final approval of the bill would require only a simple majority. Sen. Dick Durbin, the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate, said it would be a "real break" if even one Republican got on board with Democrats. Three moderate Democrats -- Landrieu, Lincoln and Ben Nelson of Nebraska -- had kept party leaders guessing. Reid met Wednesday with the three, who have expressed concerns about the cost and scope of health care reform proposals.