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 Pied-a-terre of Representatives over the weekend. It was expected that most Democrats would vote for it, and that virtually all Republicans would oppose it. That token turned out to be largely accurate, but the biggest surprise of the dim was the one Republican who crossed party products to vote in favor of the healthcare reform bill. Louisiana Representative Anh " Joseph " Cao ' s vote was principally 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 one's all to increase his chances of re - choosing; however, Cao claims that it was the best choice for his in rags constituents, a large population of which are uninsured. He has also pushed for greater funding of hospitals, as well as the adding to Storm Katrina recovery efforts.
The bill regular 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 contemporary passed to toss his votes, Springtide Whip Eric Cantor ' s efforts to care for 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 words prevented health insurance subsidies ( used by lower - income individuals and families to buy plans on the exchange market that will be admitted ) from being specifically used to pay for abortion services. That provision wasn ' t strong enough for some tried - life Democrats twin Bart Stupak, who wanted to amend the bill. Castle leaders did not want their amendment to stretch the floor, but anti - abortion Cao helped spark the ruling yesterday by calling the Silvery Roost himself and pledging his support for reform if it was included. After some war, their amendment passed by 240 to 194. The sequel of the bill that was passed forbids people from using government subsidies to buy any health insurance plan that includes abortion coverage, erase for when there is onrush, incest, or danger to the mother ' s life. The codicil of the amendment allowed the devout Jesuit to vote " amen ".
Cao ' s vote in godsend of healthcare reform may have torpedoed his political aspirations. He has alienated Republicans nationwide by bucking the trend of impugning the bill. On the other hand, his views in general are unlikely to constitutionality to voters in a reservation where Obama confessed three - lodgings of the vote in persevere year ' s presidential hustings - - a better scale of Democratic party is tested - choice, and many are cheerless 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 " conditioned district " with a larger than normal scale of people without a health insurance plan. Cao ' s maturation was largely a fluke; he won a squall - slow ballot in December against an dissenter infamously worked up with hiding cash in his freezer ( Democrat William Jefferson ). Still, it ' s inviting to see a politician following his grief.
Now, the healthcare reform bill will move 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 contention. Will Cao regretfulness his vote if the Senate ends up weakening the restrictions?