Raise ‘em up: Health Care Reform passes

Three simple words from President Barack Obama via Twitter: Yes we can. Prez 44 did something no modern era leader of the United States has been able to do… pass a bill beginning an overhaul of healthcare and allowing millions of uninsured Americans access to medical services that will not bankrupt them. NPR's article says it best: Obama Achieves Health Law Success That Eluded Past.

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President Obama gave a brief conference after the passage. I wanted to see him come out to Big Daddy Kane's "I Get the Job Done" but that wasn't meant to be. He looked tired, worn but victorious. President Obama said that the House's vote on health care "wasn't an easy vote but it was the right vote." Speaking from the East Room of the White House, the president, who made health care reform a priority for his administration, said the vote wasn't a victory for a political party but for the American people. Obama said the reform plan won't fix everything wrong with the nation's health care system, "but it moves us decisively in the right direction." Here are the major points of the bill (from MSNBC):

Understanding the health care overhaul

If enacted, the reconciliation bill combined with the Senate-passed bill would, from 2010-2019: -Spend $938 billion on expanding insurance coverage, including $464 billion in subsidies to help uninsured people buy coverage. -Expand Medicaid coverage to 16 million additional people. -Require many employers to offer coverage for their workers. -Collect $69 billion in penalties from uninsured individuals and employers for non-coverage. -Provide coverage through an insurance exchange to 24 million people. -Reduce the number of uninsured by 32 million people, but leave 23 million (including illegal immigrants) not covered. -Cut Medicare spending by $455 billion from currently-projected levels. -Not affect next month's scheduled 21 percent cut in payment rates to doctors who treat Medicare patients. -Produce a net reduction in federal deficits of $143 billion.

And lest they be forgotten, here are the 34 jack-ass Democrats who did not back their President's play. They shall not be forgotten. Umm-hmm. We see ya'll:

John Adler Jason Altmire Michael Arcuri John Barrow Marion Berry Dan Boren Rick Boucher Bobby Bright Ben Chandler Travis Childers Artur Davis Lincoln Davis Chet Edwards Stephanie Herseth Sandlin Tim Holden Larry Kissell Frank Kratovil Jr. Daniel Lipinski Stephen F. Lynch Jim Marshall Jim Matheson Mike McIntyre Michael E. McMahon Charlie Melancon Walt Minnick Glenn Nye Collin C. Peterson Mike Ross Heath Shuler Ike Skelton Zack Space John Tanner Gene Taylor Harry Teague

More work to be done but for tonight at least, pop a bottle and raise 'em up! My President keeps promises to the American people. How great is that?