Liberals will get single-payer vote on House floor

By GottaLaff

This was from last night, but it's worth reminding everyone that we have few good people trying to do good things:

Seeking to dampen liberal anger about deals cut with centrists, Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) said House leaders have agreed to allow a floor vote on a government-run, single-payer system. [...]

Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) offered a single-payer amendment in the Energy and Commerce Committee on Friday, but withdrew it after Waxman said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) had promised a floor vote. [...]

"I'm still not sure he has the votes," said Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.). "Some people who said they were a yes are not supporting it."

Legislation creating a single-payer system would be expected to lose, but would allow liberal members to record their support for the proposal. It will also be a tough vote for some Democrats who will be wary of upsetting the liberal base.

Many liberal lawmakers feel that the controversial "public option" that would compete with private insurers is a compromise from single-payer.

In another part of the deal, the House bill would allow the federal government to negotiate prescription drug prices and use the savings to lower insurance premiums in the health exchanges that would be established in the bill, according to a copy of the agreement obtained by The Hill.

Another provision calls for finding additional savings through other methods by simplifying Medicare and Medicaid administrative costs.

The cuts sought by the Blue Dogs would remain in place unless the drug negotiation and other initiatives yield savings. But any savings would be used to lower premiums.

Liberals strike healthcare deal with Blue Dogs

By GottaLaff

FYI:

Liberals on the House Energy and Commerce Committee have struck a deal with Blue Dogs that will restore some cuts by finding savings in other places, such as letting the government negotiate drug prices.

The deal would allow the federal government to negotiate drug prices and use the savings to lower insurance premiums in the exchanges that would be established in the bill, according to a copy of the agreement obtained by The Hill.

Another amendment calls for finding additional savings through other methods by simplifying Medicare and Medicare administrative costs.

The cuts sought by the Blue Dogs would remain in place unless the drug negotiation and other initiatives yield savings. But any savings would be used to lower premiums.

The deal is to be structured in three amendments: the Blue Dog amendment and two "unity amendments." [...]

The deal also cut funding to subsidize people who want to join the public plan. That angered more liberal members of the committee, who sought to restore the subsidies. They joined Waxman and the Blue Dogs in announcing an agreement this morning. [...]

Waxman’s committee is the third and final House committee to complete work on a sweeping health reform bill moving through Congress. Both Ways and Means and Education and Labor have passed similar bills.

Waxman Defeats Dingell

Huge. Via Matt-

Wow.

Rep. Henry Waxman (Calif.) has ousted Energy and Commerce Chairman John Dingell (Mich.), as Democratic lawmakers voted 137-122 Thursday morning to hand the gavel of the powerhouse panel to its second-ranking member.

The vote marks a stunning rebuke of the seniority system Democrats have honored for decades. It also constitutes a win, of sorts, for Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who is ideologically aligned with Waxman and has clashed repeatedly with Dingell.

That's a big deal. Looks like we could be heading for a progressive Congress. Cue conservative whining.

House Panel Backs Waxman Over Dingell As Energy Chair

By GottaLaff

The Mustache of Justice is rewarded, aptly, as opposed to say, Joe Lieberman:

ABC News has learned that House Democratic leaders have voted to strip Representative John Dingell of his chairmanship of the House Energy and Commerce committee, replacing him with Henry Waxman.

In a stinging rebuke, the House Steering committee voted 25-22 by secret ballot during a closed-door Democratic leadership meeting.

The move was a dramatic one for House Democrats -- considered a victory for House liberals and environmentalists, a big defeat for Michigan and the auto industry. [...]

The vote now moves to the whole House Democratic caucus who will vote Thursday morning. Given Dingell's role as a political mover in the House, despite his loss at the Steering Committee today, he could still pull off a victory tomorrow.

I vote for the Mustache.