Predictions for Obama Administration's Health Care Bill

While many of you were probably glued to your television set during the airing (or re-airing) of the Obama health care recovery plan, bloggers, twitter bugs, and journalists alike were busy writing up news stories for up to the minute coverage regarding Obama's healthcare proposal. Some journalists from CNN and NY Times were more concerned with the outburst of "YOU LIE!" during the middle of President Obama’s speech (allowing for more political theatrics). But contrary to the recent political coverage of Republican emotional melt downs, there were indeed a number of journalists who actually took to the web to discuss the aftermath of tonight’s proposed recovery plan.

Although not necessarily a front page bolster, NY Times writer Sheryl Gay Stolberg offered audiences a well structured afterward to Obama’s latest televised address on health care recovery. In her Sept. 8^th opinion piece entitled “Despite Fears, Health Care Overhaul Is Moving Ahead”, Stolberg provides readers with a bit “hope” when she reveals the status of the health care recovery bill that is currently collecting dust in House of Representatives.

Though there has been an enormous amount of coverage geared toward the indecisiveness of the Democratic party, Stolberg reassures us that “despite tensions… there is broad agreement within the party over most of what a package would look like”. She then continues by stating that 80 percent of the “Congressional committees considering health care legislation have already passed bills. Each would require all Americans to have insurance and provide government subsidies for those who cannot afford it.”Stolberg continues by mentioning the 60 some odd votes needed in order for the bill to be passed; which she claims the Obama administration has a “reasonable chance of corralling”.

Although she provides rather optimistic forecasts for the health care bill, she also informs the reader of the failures that could occur if no action is taken. Time is indeed ticking quite hastily for the Democrats to act. Stalberg quotes current White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel (and former Pres. Clinton aide) as stating at a recent meeting that if Democrats failed to act on the health care bill then there will indeed be political consequences. These “consequences” that Emanuel recalls, are the same “consequences” that occurred during his time as a Clinton aid in 1994 when Dems failed to act on the Clinton health bill forcing them to lose control of the House.

Many say that history indeed repeats itself. Do you believe that the Obama health care plan may receive the same stamp of disapproval as former President Clinton’s 1994 bill?

To read the full article visit: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/09/health/policy/09assess.html?_r=1&ref=health