The morning papers are full of speculation about what the Democrats will do with their health-care bill if Scott Brown, a Republican, wins the senate seat formerly held by Ted Kennedy. Massachusetts is holding a special election for the seat today; if Brown defeats Martha Coakley, a Democrat, the Dems will lose their filibuster-proof majority in the Senate.
One option would be for the House to pass the bill already approved by the Senate. That possibility gets top billing in stories from the WSJ the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times.
But many House Dems object to some provisions in the Senate bill, including language on abortion and the tax on high-end health plans. Those elements of the bill that pertain to the budget could be tweaked through a process known as reconciliation, which requires only 51 votes in the Senate.
Another option — passing a final version of the health-care bill before Brown is seated (if he wins) — has been ruled out, the WSJ says.
Coakley backs the health-care overhaul, and Brown opposes it. In Massachusetts, more than 90% of those who back the overhaul support Coakley, and more than 90% of those who oppose the overhaul back Brown.
So the broader issue implied by the election in Massachusetts — a solidly blue state — is that the health-care bill has become unpopular with many Americans. A new Washington Post-ABC News poll found that 51% of people oppose the health-care changes being debated in Congress, while 44% support them. And whatever happens with the bill in the next few weeks, you’ll be hearing about it for months to come — as a central theme in this year’s midterm elections.
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