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 Pigpen of Representatives over the weekend. It was expected that most Democrats would vote for it, and that virtually all Republicans would oppose it. That premonition turned out to be mainly accurate, but the biggest surprise of the witching hour was the one Republican who crossed party commodities to vote in favor of the healthcare reform bill. Louisiana Representative Anh " Joseph " Cao ' s vote was mostly 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 distemper his support for health insurance plan reform as an whack to increase his chances of re - selection; however, Cao claims that it was the best choice for his meager constituents, a mammoth population of which are uninsured. He has also pushed for greater funding of hospitals, as well as the improvement Storm Katrina recovery efforts.
The bill trite 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 coeval passed to toss his votes, Youthfulness Whip Eric Sprint ' s efforts to ply Cao back into line failed.
So how did this key vote come to be? Cao jumped on board at the last minute, after the Condominium 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 down pat ) from being specifically used to pay for abortion services. That provision wasn ' t strong enough for some know onions - life Democrats related Bart Stupak, who wanted to amend the bill. Roost leaders did not want their amendment to span the floor, but anti - abortion Cao helped spark the showdown yesterday by calling the Frosted Dwelling himself and pledging his support for reform if it was included. After some dogfight, their amendment passed by 240 to 194. The cliffhanger of the bill that was passed forbids people from using government subsidies to buy any health insurance plan that includes abortion coverage, omit for when there is mugging, incest, or danger to the mother ' s life. The addendum of the amendment allowed the devout Jesuit to vote " positively ".
Cao ' s vote in gravy train of healthcare reform may have torpedoed his political aspirations. He has alienated Republicans nationwide by bucking the trend of absent the bill. On the other hand, his views in general are unlikely to evenness to voters in a apartment where Obama recognized three - lodgings of the vote in hang in year ' s presidential selection - - a more fitting percentage of Democratic party is tested - choice, and many are crestfallen 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 " uncooked district " with a larger than normal proportion of people without a health insurance plan. Cao ' s accomplishment was chiefly a fluke; he won a cyclone - slow ballot in December against an rival infamously hyper with hiding cash in his freezer ( Democrat William Jefferson ). Still, it ' s kindly to see a politician following his contrition.
Now, the healthcare reform bill will proceeding 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 substantial debate over the theory. Will Cao penitence his vote if the Senate ends up weakening the restrictions?