No matter what side of the fence you sit on concerning healthcare reform, President Barack Obama is pushing the final vote hard. Obama has said that it is time for Congress to vote on it and get it passed. Even if that passage is by the slim Democratic majority that Congress currently holds. Obama has stated that he believes that this is too important to be delayed by the politicians and after more than a year of debate.
According to the President, "Everything there is to say about health care has been said and just about everyone has said it," Obama said. "So now is the time to make a decision about how to finally reform health care so that it works, not just for the insurance companies, but for America's families and businesses."
The Obama Healthcare plan is supposed to include ideas that came from both the Democrats and Republicans. Obama wants his plan started and not placed on hold while Congress continues to argue over details on their plans. Republicans are advocating that both bills passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate be 'thrown out' and that we start again with a systematic approach.
Obama is firmly against that option stating that "Given these honest and substantial differences between the parties about the need to regulate the insurance industry and the need to help millions of middle-class families get insurance, I do not see how another year of negotiations would help."
The Democrats have been preparing to pass a final measure in the Senate without Republican support through a process called reconciliation, which requires only simple majority approval instead of the usual 60 votes needed in the 100-member chamber.
Using reconciliation to pass the final healthcare bill is a two-step process. The House of Representatives would approve the Senate bill and changes to the Senate bill that the House sought would be passed separately through reconciliation.
Expect a huge wave of opposition from the Republican side of the aisles. Their hands may be tied with the vote, but you can be sure that considering the state of the economy in our nation, they will be screaming about priorities.