Kucinich Reportedly To Announce Vote For Health Care Reform Bill

The House vote for health care reform is currently too close to call. While the original House health care plan passed with a majority, some of the supporters of the bill are threatening to vote against adopting the Senate bill with revisions.

The possible defectors include conservative Democrats who object to language in the Senate bill which doesn’t go far enough in their view to prevent government spending on abortion.

There is also opposition to the bill from the left, but there might actually be a change in support for the bill. Dennis Kucinich, who has opposed the bill based upon the belief it does not go far enough, has been under tremendous pressure from liberals who argue that passage is needed as a first step towards making the changes they desire. Kucinich is holding a press conference on Wednesday and is expected to say he will vote for the bill.

This story is resulting in considerable anger from the portion of the left which backs the “kill the bill” mentality. Jane Hamsher writes:

A thousand people have donated over $16,000 to Dennis since yesterday to thank him for standing up for what he believes in. We’ll be asking him to return it.

One question is whether Kucinich is changing his votes due to receiving major concessions, or if this is an example of the type of pressure being placed on Democratic Congressmen to support passage of the bill.

5 Comments

  1. 1
    Brett Robinson says:

    RT @ronchusid: Kucinich Reportedly To Announce Vote For #HCR Bill http://bit.ly/9BFBpw #p2 #ohio #oh #kucinich #rebelleft

  2. 2
    Charlotte Noble says:

    A few steps forward are better than none at all.

  3. 3
    libhomo says:

    Kucinich has sold out middle class, poor, and elderly Americans in order to grab big money contributions from the HMOs and health insurers.  He’s as corrupt and disloyal to Democratic voters as Obama.
    This bill is a huge step backwards, unless you are a health insurer, HMO, or shareholder. I can’t believe how many liberal blogs have been suckered in to supporting legislation that fines people for not being able to afford unnecessarily astronomical premiums.
    I am a swing voter between the Democrats and the Greens, and this blatant political corruption will give me no choice but Green in November.  A lot of Democrats will stay home because “Democrats” like Obama, Pelosi, and Kucinich are determined to prove that it makes no difference who you vote for.

  4. 4
    Ron Chusid says:

    The bill does not fine people for “for not being able to afford unnecessarily astronomical premiums.” The mandate has been greatly weakened in the Senate bill. There are exclusions based upon income, along with subsidies to help pay for the insurance.

  5. 5
    Ron Chusid says:

    The bill does not fine people for “for not being able to afford unnecessarily astronomical premiums.” The mandate has been greatly weakened in the Senate bill. There are exclusions based upon income, along with subsidies to help pay for the insurance.

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