Wino Posted January 18, 2010 Report Posted January 18, 2010 What do you think the chances are of Democratic canidate, Martha Coakly losing to GOP canidate Scott Brown? Some say this special election in Massachusetts is very close. This 60th vote is needed to pass the health-care reform bill.
Beer Chang Posted January 18, 2010 Report Posted January 18, 2010 My gut reaction is that the Dems should win in this very liberal state but have no idea who Coakly or Brown are. If she doesn't it could signal deep disatisfaction with Obama.
patong Posted January 18, 2010 Report Posted January 18, 2010 What do you think the chances are of Democratic canidate, Martha Coakly losing to GOP canidate Scott Brown? Some say this special election in Massachusetts is very close. This 60th vote is needed to pass the health-care reform bill. Some say ??? Have a look at the various polls. They are ALL showing a close vote, some show Brown up a few points, other show Coakly up a few points. Now that the media have highlighted this situation I expect that the Democratic voters will turn out in force and Coakly should win. BUT what an upset if Brown did win. I will be watching the result with great interest.
Wino Posted January 19, 2010 Author Report Posted January 19, 2010 If Coakly can't win in the most democratic state in the union, then something is going on. Let us remember Mit Romney was elected governor of Massachusetts. Seems Obama is worried.
lvdkeyes Posted January 19, 2010 Report Posted January 19, 2010 I don't think there is a chance the Repubs will win in MA, but time will tell.
Bob Posted January 19, 2010 Report Posted January 19, 2010 I don't think there is a chance the Repubs will win in MA, but time will tell. Au contraire. If Obama and Clinton and others wouldn't have made these last ditch efforts, the polls reflected that she surely would have lost. We'll know tomorrow who wins/loses. Rather difficult to explain how the same state that elected Teddy Kennedy so many times also would vote for either Romney or any Republican. But it's happened before and will happen again. Inexplicable to me as Massachusetts isn't generally thought of as a swing state.
rucus7 Posted January 19, 2010 Report Posted January 19, 2010 What do you think the chances are of Democratic canidate, Martha Coakly losing to GOP canidate Scott Brown? Some say this special election in Massachusetts is very close. This 60th vote is needed to pass the health-care reform bill. Correct me if I am wrong . . . . 60 votes to end a filibuster, a simple majority to pass a bill. . . . .
Beer Chang Posted January 19, 2010 Report Posted January 19, 2010 Correct me if I am wrong . . . . 60 votes to end a filibuster, a simple majority to pass a bill. . . . . Think that's right and I believe 2/3 to over ride a veto but my memory is hazy.
Bob Posted January 19, 2010 Report Posted January 19, 2010 Correct me if I am wrong . . . . 60 votes to end a filibuster, a simple majority to pass a bill. . . . . Correct. 60 votes to end a filibuster (debate) in the Senate (without the 60 votes to end it, nobody's voting on that bill ever). Presuming a filibuster is ended by 60+ votes, then the bill rises or falls on a majority vote (and, if it's 50/50, the President of the Senate - Joe Biden - gets to vote). House rules are different and a simple majority can ultimately jam something through.
Wino Posted January 20, 2010 Author Report Posted January 20, 2010 I predict Coakly the winner. Obama was smart to rattle the base and get out the vote. I would hate to see health care reform go this far and be shot down at this late date.
patong Posted January 20, 2010 Report Posted January 20, 2010 I don't think there is a chance the Repubs will win in MA, but time will tell. You might want to reconsider that. At this time 84% of votes counted. Looks like Brown is winning, maybe won ... Edit update FOX News report claims that Brown is the winner. Coakley has conceded.
lvdkeyes Posted January 20, 2010 Report Posted January 20, 2010 I am afraid I have to eat my words. This is a major upset.
Beer Chang Posted January 20, 2010 Report Posted January 20, 2010 I would not call it an upset as Brown was ahead in the polls.
Bob Posted January 20, 2010 Report Posted January 20, 2010 I could care about Brown or Coakley personally but I'm afraid that the win by Brown means the total defeat of any attempt to revise the health-care system in the United States, an effort that's been underway since Teddy Roosevelt. A real shame in my view. Brown, like other Republicans, say they want to include all Americans under health plans by doing it a "better" way. That "better" way, to them, is to do absolutely nothing at all to change anything of substance.
Beer Chang Posted January 20, 2010 Report Posted January 20, 2010 I can't get riled up about healthcare reform since any reform won't help Americans living in Thailand one iota.
Wino Posted January 21, 2010 Author Report Posted January 21, 2010 I am sorry to see what looks like the end to health care reform. It is about time America cover most or all of its citizens. Even if it does not benefit me, I still think a rich nation like the US should have a health plan to cover all the people.
Bob Posted January 21, 2010 Report Posted January 21, 2010 I am sorry to see what looks like the end to health care reform. It is about time America cover most or all of its citizens. Even if it does not benefit me, I still think a rich nation like the US should have a health plan to cover all the people. I'm with you, wino. Once in a while, I can look past my own pocketbook - and it's tragic that it's the "working poor" have no insurance and only ever see a doctor in the emergency room of a hospital.
Beer Chang Posted January 21, 2010 Report Posted January 21, 2010 I guess I'm not willing to look past my own pocketbook. It's crazy that someone living in Thailand has to take a flight home to be covered by Medicare.
Wino Posted January 22, 2010 Author Report Posted January 22, 2010 I guess I'm not willing to look past my own pocketbook. It's crazy that someone living in Thailand has to take a flight home to be covered by Medicare. Those are the rules. When deciding to retire to Thailand, you have to factor in the cost of health care insurance unless you want to take the risk of having problems. Many retirees decide to move to Mexico because of the close proximity to the US.
Beer Chang Posted January 31, 2010 Report Posted January 31, 2010 I think the rules should be changed given that retirees abroad have been paying into Medicare for years and still must pay taxes while living overseas. The USA health care lobbyists want all medicare dollars in their greedy little hands.
lvdkeyes Posted January 31, 2010 Report Posted January 31, 2010 I agree with you BC. I paid God only knows how much into Medicare for 36 years and cannot use the "benefit".
Beer Chang Posted January 31, 2010 Report Posted January 31, 2010 It's kind of like taxation without representation as we are forced to pay USA income tax. OK, we can vote, but I'd rather have free medical care.
patong Posted February 1, 2010 Report Posted February 1, 2010 I am sorry to see what looks like the end to health care reform. It is about time America cover most or all of its citizens. Even if it does not benefit me, I still think a rich nation like the US should have a health plan to cover all the people. A 'rich nation' ... hmmm looking at the US government published data seems to me like a 'indebted nation'. I don't doubt that the US is a rich nation, but the national debt seems to be heading the wrong way, at an alarming rate. Time for the government to WAKE UP.
Beer Chang Posted February 1, 2010 Report Posted February 1, 2010 The government/Fed has an unspoken plan to reflate the economy. The reflation makes many of the problematic loans OK. From my personal financial perspective great Depression II doesn't hurt me too much but hyperinflation kills me.
Wino Posted February 16, 2010 Author Report Posted February 16, 2010 I agree with you BC. I paid God only knows how much into Medicare for 36 years and cannot use the "benefit". You are lucky you are able to collect your social security overseas. I have heard in some countries, if you are not in the country the majority of the year, the government lowers your benefit.
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