Gibbs: By next week, health care reform will be law of the land
The health care reform bill will be passed by Congress and signed by the president by this time next week, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs announced today.
“We’ll have the votes when the House votes, I think, within the next week,” Gibbs said in a one-on-one interview with Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday.”Whoever sits here at this time next week, I think will not be talking about health care as a proposal, but as the law of the land.”
Asked about the recent ruling by the Senate parliamentarian that the House Democrats cannot use a tactic they were first reported to be exploring last week by The Daily Caller — to hold the Senate health care bill in their chamber after passing it to force the Senate to work with them on reconciliation — Gibbs simply said that he would leave the “technical” issues to the parliamentarian.
The press secretary also predicted the bill’s passage would help Democrats in the midterm elections.
“Once it passes, we’re happy to have the 2010 elections be about the achievement of health care reform,” he said.
When pressed by Wallace as to what it would mean for the Obama presidency if the bill failed to pass, Gibbs said that the president’s job “doesn’t mean doing what is politically popular…the president doesn’t pay a lot of attention to the pollsters.”
Speaking on ABC’s This Week, White House adviser David Axelrod struck an even more aggressive tone.
“I believe it is going to happen this week,” Axelrod said. “I am absolutely confident we are going to be successful.”
When asked about insurance companies and preexisting conditions, Axelrod was defiant: “Let’s have that fight,” he said. “Make my day.” And on the topic of parliamentary procedures that might stall the vote on the bill, Axelrod said that voters “don’t know or care much about the sequencing of parliamentary procedures.”
House Minority Leader John Boehner, appearing on CNN’s State of the Union, said the White House’s rhetoric is unrealistic.
If Democrats had the votes necessary to pass health care, “this bill would be long gone,” Boehner said. “Guess what? They don’t have the votes.”
Boehner added that he thinks the GOP has a “steep, but doable” chance to reclaim a majority in the House this November.
The comments come after the president decided to delay a major trip to Asia to focus on passing health care reform this week.
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I have to add….Paul Ryan has been a rock in this debate. He made an impassioned plea today at the budget hearing! My question is where are all of the other Republican Congressmen? Why are they not out EVERYWHERE making the same arguments? Get your butts out there and fight for the American people you represent! What the hell are you waiting for?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
“So if this bill passes, those of you who can’t get insurance because of pre-existing conditions will be able to get insurance.” What they aren’t telling you is that apparently there are no cost caps on that, so yea you can get insurance, but it will probably cost you 75,000.00 per year. SWEET!
There are no cost caps anywhere. The Health Care Industry is already bloated with subsidies from the US Government, with Medicare supplying half their revenue. To get the AMA deal, Obama et al removed cost containment.
They can drive up costs all they want. And now demand will rise even higher. Whereas people who chose to “pay as you go” instead of buy insurance will now be forced into insurance, they will want their money’s worth.
Supply – unchanged. Demand – increased. Cost controls – removed.
Can anyone guess what will happen?
Oh don’t worry, big Mr. government will step in and pay for it for you.
An those evil rich people are going to pay for it. double cool
And to quote fearless leader Nancy, ” now artisst can quit their day jobs with out worring about insurance.”
Why thank you evil rich people.
I have to go now I am selling red noses and big shoes to the members of congress, they are going to need them