Healthcare Reform - Rep. Anh " joseph " Cao, Republican Vote For Bill

Healthcare Reform - Rep. Anh " joseph " Cao, Republican Vote For Bill

Healthcare reform just passed in the Residency of Representatives over the weekend. It was expected that most Democrats would vote for it, and that virtually all Republicans would oppose it. That foretoken turned out to be chiefly accurate, but the biggest surprise of the bedtime was the one Republican who crossed party merchandise to vote in favor of the healthcare reform bill. Louisiana Representative Anh " Joseph " Cao ' s vote was largely up for grabs. While the first - term legislator has been relatively nondescript and has voted with the rest of his party on most other issues, his district is heavily Democratic. Cynics would tint his support for health insurance plan reform as an fling to increase his chances of re - selection; however, Cao claims that it was the best choice for his down-and-out constituents, a large population of which are uninsured. He has also pushed for greater funding of hospitals, as well as the maturity Cyclone Katrina recovery efforts.
The bill informal wouldn ' t have passed without Cao ' s vote, since the Democrats barely reached the needed 218 votes to pass the historic reform. It didn ' t help that 39 Democrats defied Speaker Nancy Pelosi to oppose healthcare reform. He also gives the proposals a veneer of bipartisanship. Although Cao waited until the bill had existent passed to pitch his votes, Salad days Whip Eric Cantor ' s efforts to call upon Cao back into line failed.
So how did this key vote come to be? Cao jumped on board at the last minute, after the Co-op agreed to add an amendment that strengthened the healthcare reform proposal ' s ban on funding abortion. The original speaking prevented health insurance subsidies ( used by lower - income individuals and families to buy plans on the exchange market that will be confessed ) from being specifically used to pay for abortion services. That provision wasn ' t strong enough for some trained - life Democrats undifferentiated Bart Stupak, who wanted to amend the bill. Residence leaders did not want their amendment to distance the floor, but anti - abortion Cao helped spark the sentence yesterday by calling the Chalky Diggings himself and pledging his support for reform if it was included. After some sparring match, their amendment passed by 240 to 194. The narrative of the bill that was passed forbids people from using government subsidies to buy any health insurance plan that includes abortion coverage, drop for when there is incursion, incest, or danger to the mother ' s life. The supplement of the amendment allowed the devout Jesuit to vote " undoubtedly ".
Cao ' s vote in assistance of healthcare reform may have torpedoed his political aspirations. He has alienated Republicans nationwide by bucking the trend of jaundiced the bill. On the other hand, his views in general are unlikely to authority to voters in a latitude where Obama acknowledged three - residence of the vote in linger year ' s presidential choosing - - a exceeding ratio of Democratic party is catechized - choice, and many are crummy with the bill despite being in favor of universal health care. He is unlikely to receive much financial banking from either national party or their bases, although Republicans are chalking his shocking vote up to his being from a " leathery district " with a larger than normal rate of people without a health insurance plan. Cao ' s consummation was mostly a fluke; he won a squall - tardy selection in December against an enemy infamously horny with hiding cash in his freezer ( Democrat William Jefferson ). Still, it ' s admirable to see a politician following his self-disgust.
Now, the healthcare reform bill will shift on to the Senate. The future of the ban on abortion coverage in the public option ( as well as subsidized private health insurance plans ) that swayed Cao is unclear. Both sides are gearing up for a heavy debate over the affair. Will Cao repentance his vote if the Senate ends up weakening the restrictions?