Monday, November 09, 2009

Told you so

From the New York Post:

Not so fast.

President Obama's victory dance yesterday for the House-passed health-care bill came as Senate foes -- mainly Republicans with one key Democrat moderate -- pronounced the measure mortally wounded, if not outright DOA.

Speaking from the Rose Garden after the squeaker 220-215 Saturday-night vote, Obama urged senators to be like runners on a relay team and "take the baton and bring this effort to the finish line on behalf of the American people."

Instead, he met with immediate resistance.

If a government plan is part of the deal, "as a matter of conscience, I will not allow this bill to come to a final vote," Sen. Joe Lieberman, the Connecticut independent whose vote Democrats need to overcome a GOP filibusters, told "Fox News Sunday."

Lieberman said he was concerned about new government spending the health-care legislation would entail, saying deficits have gotten gargantuan.

"I don't want to do that to our children and grandchildren," he said.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), on CBS's "Face the Nation," declared, "The House bill is dead on arrival in the Senate."

"It was bill written by liberals for liberals, and people like Joe Lieberman are not going to get anywhere near the House bill . . . It is a nonstarter in the Senate."

He said he firmly believes "the public option will destroy private health care."

Go read the rest.

You know you are in trouble getting a left-wing bill passed in the Senate when you can't even get liberal Joe Lieberman or RINO Lindsey Graham on board.

Like I said last night that whole dog and pony show in the House was most likely a bit of political theater intended to let Pelosi run a victory lap - and get Obama off her back - while kicking the whole matter over to the Senate where Reid can cite the independent nature of the upper house to explain why nothing comes of it.

That way the left can console themselves with the knowledge that they came closer than they have ever come before while still preserving some faint hope of electoral viability in 2010.

It is necessary to add one caveat here. This abomination could pass the Senate and be signed into law by the little tin messiah if we let our guard down.

The expected failure of this mess is contingent upon the public continuing to keep up the pressure on their Senators.

So keep up the pressure.