I won't requote the whole exchange here. I challenged the assertion that the Democrats "forced" passage of the PPACA, since it passed by a majority in both houses of Congress. rd 1978 responded as follows:
rd1978 wrote:The Democrats did run on this; you're correct. However, with the exception of 1 Republican who voted for the bill (and he did so only after the necessary 218th vote had been cast), it was a straight party line vote in the House. And in the Senate, not one Republican voted for it and, if I recall, 39 Democrats voted against it. Nevertheless, up to that point one could not say anything was "forced." However, by the time the two bills (House and Senate) had each been passed, Scott Brown had been elected to the Senate, filling Ted Kennedy's seat and denying the Democrats the 60 seat majority needed to ensure the passage of a final bill. So, knowing the bill couldn't possibly pass, the Dems circumvented the standard process and utilized a legislative slight-of-hand to "force the bill through!!!!" Yes, I said "force!"
Not once before, during or after the passage of the bill has a majority of Americans supported this bill. Not once!!!!! The current Real Clear Politics average of the most recent polls has it 51.5% opposed to Obamacare and 39.5 in favor. Americans didn't want it before and they don't want it now. PERIOD. And before you simply respond as per usual by telling me to prove it, I just did. The ball's in your court, PST. Prove your point or, please, keep it to yourself.
He says he has proved that passage of the bill was "forced," but he hasn't, and no number of exclamation marks turns an assertion into proof. In the spring of 2010, each house had adopted its own version of healthcare reform. The PPACA was the Senate version, the one that passed 60 to 39. The House version was called the Affordable Health Care for America Act. The Republicans hoped that a conference committee would adopt a compromise between the two bills, and that with the election of Scott Brown, they could prevent the Senate from voting on the compromise version because the Democrats would no longer have the 60-vote supermajority necessary to overcome the Republican's filibuster and bring the bill to a vote. However, that did not work out. Instead, the House concurred in the Senate version, and it became law. See the
legislative history from the Government Printing Office. I can't think of anything more official to cite.
I understand that this was frustrating to the opponents of the bill, but when a majority of both houses of Congress passes a bill, there is no sleight of hand. There have been accusations ever since that the bill was somehow forced through by illegitimate means, but I don't see how. It is common, but unseemly, for those who lose to accuse the other side of cheating.
