OBAMACARE HIT WITH TWO BIG BODY BLOWS TODAY

First off, body blow #1. It looks like we're back to civil war within the Democrat party. Like before, it involves the far left socialists vs. moderates and politicians not wanting to get voted out of office. The face of the far left socialists is none other than Howard Dean who wants to see the bill scrapped because it's watered down and doesn't provide the government option so desperately lusted after by the far left. He appeared on GMA this morning to make his case.

President Obama said he likes the Senate health care compromise and wants it passed by Christmas, but he faces a revolt from some liberals who say the health care bill has been gutted to appease insurance companies.

Gov. Howard Dean responds to the latest push on the health care debate.
"This is a bigger bailout for the insurance industry than AIG," former Democratic National Committee chairman and medical doctor Howard Dean told "Good Morning America's" George Stephanopoulos today.

CLICK HERE to watch the exchange between Stephanopoulous and Dean. Is it me or does Steph seem more than just a little agitated with what Dean has done?

Now for body blow #2. Republican senators Tom Coburn (OK) and Jim DeMint (SC) revealed what's inside the trojan horse right there on the senate floor. The Senator who gave coughed inside the horse as Coburn and DeMint were inspecting it is Bernie Sanders (I) of Vermont (yes, Dean's state). Sanders' amendment was the most outwardly socialist language in the bill and Coburn called his bluff and, using Senate rules, required the clerk to read it. At that point, Sanders pulled the bill ENTIRELY and went on a seemingly endless rant about something tangentially related, if at all.

DeMint is now threatening to require that the entire bill be read aloud on the floor.

UPDATE: The two body blows may have just been followed by a Haymaker. It remains to be seen if it lands. SEIU and the AFL-CIO may be withdrawing their support for the bill as well. According to HUFFPO

Two of the country's largest labor groups, the SEIU and the AFL-CIO, are each holding emergency executive meetings today to discuss whether they should support the latest round of health care compromises made by Senate Democrats.

Though there's no official word yet, early indications based on talks with various officials are that the groups will either formally oppose the legislation or, less dramatically, just not fight very hard to ensure its passage.

Labor leaders are fuming at the concessions that Democratic leadership made in the last few days to win the support of the caucus's most conservative members, notably Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.).

It could be that Lieberman ended up doing some good after all.



h/t to HA