Repubs made a mistake by allowing Democrats a vote on the canceled policies.

[kentuck]

Because that was going to be their issue to take back the Senate and to keep the House. Now they will have 39 races where they cannot lay the blame on their opponents in the House races.

And it was a meaningless vote. If it makes it to the President's desk, he will veto it.

Think about it. Repubs, in their haste, gave the Democrats an exit strategy on this issue. And they may lose the House because of it.

It is premature and short-sighted to criticize these Democrats for this vote. A smart political move by the Democrats, in my opinion.

[Dawson Leery]

1. Something to consider.

Also, Reid can introduce the Landrieu/Udall substitute.

[unblock]

2. yup. an important distinction -- votes that matter vs. votes that don't matter.

whenever a bill is obviously going to win or obviously going to lose, there's always room for at least a few votes to go against the party in order to help an incumbent facing a potentially tough contest.

[Corruption Inc]

3. A smart, rather than corrupt, political move would be universal health care

along with war crimes and banking trials for individuals instead of piddly little fines handed out by a corrupt "Justice" department.

(D)s would run the government for another 50 years if those simple, demanded and justified actions were to occur. They won't occur though, everything American's demand is taken "off the table".

[vadermike]

4. votes

Maybe... hard to say.. I am really concerned how all of this fallout will affect our chances next year and into 2016... of course if the website is fixed and enrollemnt numbers go up , then we should be fine, but if not, the GOP will just bash 24/7 over ACA and probably do well enough in 2014 and then have 2016 all three branches, thats what sacres the carp outta me, we got to get ACA running smoothly soon!!!! just my .02!

[jeff47]

6. The rate of people signing up is similar to the MA rollout

Even with the web site problems, the rate of people signing up is similar to the rate that people signed up for the MA plan. In MA's case, the vast majority waited until near the deadline to sign up. We should expect a large number of sign-ups in December, and another in March.

And welcome to DU!

[Tx4obama]

5. Kick! n/t

[Laelth]

7. Interesting perspective. n/t

-Laelth

[bluestate10]

8. Wow Kentuck. When I get over the numbness from falling on my face, I will have to

think about what you wrote. Talk about being caught by surprise, I feel like Custer once he realized that his sure victory at Little Big Horn wasn't going to happen.

Seriously. You're right. The votes were cynical, but they will remove a bullet that 39 will have to dodge. The drawback for that 39 is that if Obamacare is a raging success, say by June, all of them could get primaried by other Democrats.

[WonderGrunion]

13. Primaried by more liberal Democrats

And there is nothing wrong with that.

[Dawson Leery]

14. Better to have a primary with a Democrat than a loss to a Rethug in the general.

[HijackedLabel]

9. Interesting take.

I hope you're right.

[Raine1967]

10. I don't know if this is ironic or not, so I'm just going to put it out there.

Bernie Sanders caucuses with the Dems.

and he has been known to vote with the dems -- but only if he knows his vote won't kill important legislation.

Somehow, these votes remind me of this.

Sanders is politically strategic. I respect him immensely. Perhaps this is politically strategic as well?

[moondust]

11. Interesting strategic view.

Now go enlighten all the corporate media who are breathlessly spinning it as "abandoning the President," etc.



K/R

[ReRe]

12. I can dig it.