We waited almost a year to see the much heralded, much researched and much celebrated or cursed health insurance and health care reform legislation actually come to a vote in the Senate- would the historic bill actually pass through, then be equalized in both houses of Congress, then actually make it to the desk of the man who should be celebrating actually making it happen after decades: President Barck Obama. But alas, in a fit of tragic irony the life-long champion of health care reform, Massachusetts senator Edward Kennedy, died before the senate vote could go through. In his place, Massachusetts voters place one who has been heralded as the savior of the Republican party, and, if not that, certainly the spoiler of the year for the Democrats: Scott Brown. And so, we find ourselves at a cross-roads, with the future of the health care reform bill at least uncertain, if not gone.

That would be the way to tell it- with much drama and bravado. In truth, it’s a tragic thing and a horribly ironic twist, but it’s politics. That’s just how things work. What the hell did everyone do for a year while we all sat around twiddling our thumbs waiting for this thing to get through committee or hoping Lieberman or Snowe would vote for the bill. It’s too late for the bill that made it through as if it were walking a tightrope and had to hand out dollar bills every step of the way…

But President Barack Obama, ever the politician, has a new bill. His idea is to do a new bill that costs $950 billion (under a trillion, just for all you media writers and pundits out there), with a focus on making insurance more affordable and upping government authority to keep control of premium raises.

I have a confession to make- I don’t know if I can go along with this anymore. Reform that guarantees health insurance for everyone in America? That’s awesome. Reform that just makes insurance cheaper? And will cost almost a Trillion Dollars? I don’t think I’m into that.

It’s Obama’s contribution to this week’s bipartisan meeting to talk about health care reform. Republicans are already giving it the cold shoulder and calling for a complete do-over.

"This week's summit clearly has all the makings of a Democratic infomercial for continuing on a partisan course that relies on more backroom deals and parliamentary tricks," said House Leader John Boehner (R). What a whiner.

The new Obama plan is similar to what the Senate was talking about, with a few changes. The administration is thinking of it as an opening bid for the meeting this Thursday.

What will probably happen is that the Senate will move forward with a budget process being called reconciliation- meaning that in order to pass the Senate it would only require a majority- or 51 votes.

“Reconciliation is a legislative process in the United States Senate intended to allow consideration of a contentious budget bill without the threat of filibuster.” It was introduced in 1974. -- Wikipedia

President Clinton wanted to use reconciliation to pass his health care reform bill as well but it was said by Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV) that that was out of bounds, as reconciliation was intended for purely budgetary issues.

We’ll see what happens this time around?

Photo Credit: tsevis (via Flickr under CCL)