The health care debate is coming to a close, and the House should be voting on the bill in the next half hour or so. It looks like the bill will pass, now that a key group of anti-abortion Democrats have reached a compromise with the White House.
It was good to see Gwen Moore, a Democrat from Milwaukee, get up and speak in favor of the bill. Her remarks seemed to specifically target some of the arguments made earlier by her fellow Sconnie on the Budget Committee, Rep. Paul Ryan, who was in charge of the Republican debate at the time.
Moore said that Republicans on her committee had been making some interesting points in favor of stopping health care reform. "First they say the Congressional Budget Office estimate from 17 months ago is too old, and can't be used. Then, when the new CBO estimate comes out, they accuse the CBO of playing with the numbers." And now, after a few other speakers, Paul Ryan is talking!
He shoots back, saying that the CBO numbers explain all of his concerns over the budget.
But he also makes a grand Republican speech, invoking a variety of Republican talking points, with the notable exception of abortion. Here are some paraphrased points:
"We know premiums are going to go up. Why are so many people swarming to the Capitol right now? Because health care affects every one of us. We're here debating whether government should play a bigger role in health care. Today marks a major historical event. America is not just a mass of land. It's an idea. Should we now subscribe to the idea where government creates right. Paternalistic...arrogant. Let's bring down this bill and bring back what made this country great!