The election of Scott Brown has rocked the political world in Washington, D.C. The question that most have is what will come of health care reform now that the Republicans can filibuster in the Senate. Let’s take a look.
Before we get into Washington politics, a quick word has to be raised about this election. The decision of voters to put Scott Brown into office is so full of irony that it is almost too much to believe. Brown was voted into the senate seat vacated when Ted Kennedy died of cancer. Kennedy, of course, was a long serving Democrat who was a huge proponent of health care reform. Unless Brown takes a left turn in his political beliefs, his election will effectively keep the Democrats from reforming health care on a partisan basis. Throw in the fact that Brown considers himself a family values man, but posed naked in Cosmopolitan and you just have to shake your head!
So, what does all this mean for health care reform? Well, pre-election the Democrats could get a reform bill through Congress without needing a Republican vote or dealing with a filibuster. This is no longer the case. The Republicans can now filibuster in the Senate and block a final vote. Given this, it makes one wonder why the Democrats did not push through the bill before the Massachusetts special election?
Health care reform is now teetering on the edge of total collapse. President Obama is already talking about trimming the plan way back to cover areas that both parties agree on. This means that at best we will see some weak plan that solves little or nothing. Alternatively, the entire bill may just collapse under its own immense weight and fall apart completely.
There is one wild card in the political process. It is Senator Olympia Snow of Maine. She has shown a tendency in the past to break with her party and vote as she sees fit. If she were to vote for health care reform, the plan could come back from the dead. Will she? It is impossible to know, but let’s just say there is going to be a long line at the door of her office and an absolute ton of pressure being placed on her.
Ultimately, it looks like serious health care reform is dead. We may get some reform, but it will be small. Given the incredible costs of medical care in this country, that is a shame.