Ladies and gentlemen, the first nail in the coffin:
Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) released a statement Tuesday night warning that it would be wrong “to pass a health care bill as if the Massachusetts election had not happened.”
The statement seems to advocate against ramming reform through Congress before Republican Scott Brown is seated and acknowledges that the House-Senate-White House negotiations are likely over.
The liberal congressman said he was “disappointed” in Tuesday’s election results—and that with Brown’s victory, “a reasonable compromise” between the House and Senate bills is no longer possible and support from GOP senators is now required to move the legislation.
“I feel strongly that the Democratic majority in congress must respect the process and make no effort to bypass the electoral results,” Frank said. “If Martha Coakley had won, I believe we could have worked out a reasonable compromise between the House and Senate health care bills. But since Scott Brown has won and the Republicans now have 41 votes in the senate, that approach is no longer appropriate.”
Expect more to come.
the second nail in the coffin:
Scott Brown’s victory in the Massachusetts senate race. Massachusetts, some of you may not know, has had “universal healthcare” since Romney was Governor, with gov’t mandate which requires that everyone purchase coverage or pay fines. Brown’s election can be considered a referendum on that.