Nancy Pelosi: Democrats George Bush - GOP Aims to Repeal Health Care

Within moments of House passage of the historic health care bill, Republican House and Senate challengers across the nation were quick to react and vehement in their responses—with many promising to work vigorously for repeal.

Top GOP candidates, including Steve Stivers in Ohio’s 15th District and Stephen Fincher in Tennessee’s open 8th District pronounced themselves “appalled” in their press releases.

Former Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick, running against Democratic Rep. Patrick Murphy in Pennsylvania’s 8th District referred to the bill as a “disaster.”

“When I am elected to Congress I will lead the fight to repeal this horrendous legislation,” added Republican Jim Barnett, who is running for the open seat in Kansas’s 1st District.

Barnett was one of many Republicans promising to work toward undoing the landmark legislation.

Florida GOP Senate candidate Marco Rubio said in a press release he wanted to “reiterate my strong support for repealing it and offering alternative reforms that will lower health care costs without growing government and breaking the bank.”

Nick Jordan, a Republican running for the open 3rd District seat in Kansas, promised “to work tirelessly to repeal this harmful legislation."

In Connecticu’s 3rd District, two Republicans seeking the GOP nod against freshmen Democratic Rep. Jim Himes—Tom Hermann and Rob Russo—also highlighted their plans to vote for repeal if elected in November.

Russo went even went a step further, promising attention to the matter right out of the gate.

“I promise the very first act I will take as a Congressman will be to repeal this TRILLION dollar, job-killing, health care damaging legislation," he said in a press release not long after the bill passed the House.

Numerous challengers used the occasion to link their Democratic opponents to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. - Politico Story

Health Care Law to Face Legal Challenges

The health care reform fight isn't over. It's just changing venues.

Now that the House, in a historic vote, has passed the Senate's bill and sent it to the president's desk, state lawmakers and attorneys general already are lining up to challenge its constitutionality and wage an outside-the-Beltway war against it in the courts.

Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli was the first to announce Monday that he will file a legal challenge -- as soon as Obama signs the bill.

Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum also plans to announce Monday morning that he and top prosecutors from nine other states are filing a lawsuit to "protect the rights" of the American people from the bill.

They are expected to sue over the bill's mandate that requires everyone to buy health insurance.

"The health care reform legislation passed by the U.S. House of Representatives this last night clearly violates the U.S. Constitution and infringes on each state's sovereignty," McCollum said in a statement.

The lawsuit will be the first post-passage shot in a legal fight that's been brewing for months.

While some Republicans have threatened to pursue repealing the legislation down the road, the most immediate challenge will take place in the courts.

At least three dozen state legislatures are considering proposals to challenge the federal legislation. Some are pursuing amendments to their constitutions by ballot question; others are looking to change state law.

Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter recently became the first governor to sign state legislation requiring the state attorney general to sue the federal government over the mandatory coverage clause.

Constitutional lawyers have questioned whether such a lawsuit could be successful, since federal law trumps state law. But opponents are looking to get around that by questioning the law's constitutionality. - FOX News Story

Health Care Means Higher Taxes and Bigger Deficit

As this is written, the lobbying of House Democrats on the health care bill is going on apace, and every hour brings news of another no vote converted to yes, or a yes vote switching to no.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the House Democratic leadership is expressing confidence that the jerry-rigged bill they've put together will pass -- which is evidence either that they have the 216-vote majority pretty well in hand or that, like any party's House leadership, they're professing confidence to prevent a stampede against them. Republicans are saying the Democrats haven't gotten to 216 yet but admit they're getting close.

At a rally Friday, Barack Obama called on critics to stop talking about public opinion polls or the messy legislative process and to focus on the specifics of the bill. O.K.

The first thing to be said is that it would vastly increase government spending. Democrats have been focusing on the Congressional Budget Office's (preliminary) finding that it would reduce the federal deficit. But that's misleading because the CBO is required to assume that Congress won't increase the Medicare reimbursement rate for doctors (the doc fix) as it has done every year for a decade -- and as the Democratic leaders may be planning to do permanently later this year.

Over the last 40 years, federal government spending has hovered around 21 percent of the gross domestic product. The Obama budgets have pushed that up to 25 percent. The health care bill threatens to keep it in that vicinity indefinitely. And that, as the CBO has said, means deficits around 5 percent of GDP as far as the eye can see -- or higher taxes. Pelosi and other Democrats have been eyeing a value-added tax, i.e., a national sales tax.

The bill begins the march to higher taxes. High earners will pay 3.8 percent more in Medicare tax, on top of a promised increase, from 35 percent to 39.6 percent, in their income tax rate. Economists of every ideological stripe agree that raising taxes in a recession will slow or prevent recovery. The bill also creates a 3.8 percent tax on interest and dividend income above certain levels beginning in 2013. That's another growth-killer. - Rasmussen Reports

Health Care Passes While Majority Oppose It

Speaker Nancy Pelosi has scheduled a House of Representatives vote today on the health care reform plan proposed by the President Obama and congressional Democrats. Yet while in Congress there has been months of posturing and shifting of political tactics, voter attitudes have remained constant: A majority oppose the plan being considered by the legislators.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone poll, taken Friday and Saturday nights, shows that 41% of likely voters favor the health care plan. Fifty-four percent (54%) are opposed. These figures have barely budged in recent months.

Another finding that has remained constant is that the intensity is stronger among those who oppose the plan. The latest findings include 26% who Strongly Favor the plan and 45% who Strongly Oppose it.

The partisan divide remains constant as well. Seventy-four percent (74%) of Democrats favor the plan, while 87% of Republicans are opposed. As for those not affiliated with either major party, 34% are in favor, and 59% are opposed. - Rasmussen Reports Poll

Congress Approval only at 14%

(CBS) Americans aren't sure about the implications of the health care reform legislation passed late Sunday by the House of Representatives, and they remain skeptical about whether the bill will help or hurt them.

In a CBS News poll conducted before the conclusion of Sunday's vote, a majority of Americans admitted they were still confused over how the reforms will affect them and their families. Just 42 percent said they had a good understanding of its likely impact.

There was a lot of confusion even among Democrats, who mostly supported the President's reform efforts. Just 37 percent of Democrats said they had a good understanding of the bill.

The confusion over reform - and the long-running health care debate - has not endeared Congress to the American public. The legislature's overall approval rating was near an all-time low.

Just 14% of Americans said they approve of the way Congress is handling its job, while 76 percent - the highest figure ever - said they disapprove. Approval of Congress has dropped 16 points during the past year. - CBS News Story

Health Care - Partisan Politics or Change?

President Obama, with Vice President Biden at his side, hailed historic passage of the health care reform package Sunday evening, stating that the vote proves government "still works for the people."

Passage, he said, showed that lawmakers "didn't give in to mistrust or to cynicism or to fear."

"Instead," he said, "we proved that we are still a people capable of doing big things."

The president thanked members of Congress, stating that while they didn't have an easy vote, they made "the right vote." He also thanked his staff, the vice president and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

The vote, he said, "answers the dreams of so many who have fought for this reform." He said the package was "worthy of the people we were sent here to serve" and hailed the people who had fought for it, among those who knocked on doors to encourage their neighbors to back the bill.

"This moment is possible because of you," said the president.

Mr. Obama went through the bill's provisions, stating that "this isn't radical reform, but it is major reform."

The bill "will not fix everything that ails our health care system, but it moves us decisively in the right direction," he said. "This is what change looks like." - CBS News Story

Health Care Vote - Party over People?

The polarizing health care votes cast late Sunday will have a profound effect on reelection campaigns across the nation, leaving a host of House Democrats—and a few Republicans—to explain or defend a politically treacherous vote that could determine control of the House come November.

Some members of Congress will end up with primary challenges as a result. Others may have signed their own political death warrant.

Here is POLITICO's rundown of lawmakers whose reelection prospects have been significantly imperiled by their announced support of—or opposition to—health care reform. - Politico Story

Health Care Passes - Now Comes the Spin

With sweeping health care reform almost reality, another battle is about to begin to define what it means for a skeptical public.

Whether it is the Democratic definition that prevails or the Republican one, the outcome will havehuge consequences for the 2010 midterm elections, and ultimately forPresident Barack Obama’s chances of re-election in 2012.

Starting Monday, a coalition of progressive groups — from labor unions to health care advocates — will sink millions of dollars into television advertising and sponsor grassroots events in swing House districts thanking Democrats for passing the law and highlighting its importance for average Americans.

“We’re going to let our friends know we are going to be there for them,” said AFSCME President Gerald McEntee. “We expect in three months, the American people will understand the bill and they will be happy and satisfied with it.”

Health care stakeholders — including drug makers and insurance companies — are also weighing a second, post-passage public relations campaign that would educate the public about future insurance options and streamline the enrollment process, which is scheduled to begin in 2014.

Republicans scoff at the idea that the Democrats can quickly turn around public opinion, which most polls show runs against the reform package. And they are vowing to bring relentless attention on those who cast the “yea” votes for reform.

“I don’t think any American is going to forget this vote anytime soon,” House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) told POLITCO. - Politico Story

Health Care Passes - See Who Voted Which Way

Health care reform: How House members voted The House voted Sunday night on the Senate bill for health care reform, passing it 219 to 212. Find out how each member of the House voted below, beginning with the Democrats in favor.

Final vote tally
YES: 219
NO: 212

Click Here To See Who Voted and How

How Much Will Health Care Really Cost?

WASHINGTON (CNNMoney.com) -- The momentous vote the House took on Sunday made far-reaching changes to the American health care system.

When enacted, it will extend coverage to 32 million more people. It will protect policyholders from being bounced for pre-existing illnesses. It will expand Medicare prescription drug coverage and offer subsidies to help people pay for insurance. (Highlights of the bill.)

The expansion of coverage isn't cheap. According to a preliminary estimate by the Congressional Budget Office, the legislation would cost $940 billion over the course of a decade. Offsetting provisions would reduce deficits by $143 billion in the first 10 years and by more than $1 trillion in the following decade.

But the economic mechanics of health care reform are exceedingly complex. Does the legislation do enough to protect the budget?

CNNMoney asked a panel of fiscal experts to size up the legislation from a budget perspective. - CNN Story