Olympia Snowe Will Vote Against Health Care Reform

Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), considered one of very few Republicans who might vote for the Senate health care bill, said Sunday that she would not.

"This process denies us the opportunity to thoroughly and carefully and deliberately evaluate what's at stake," she said on CBS.

She also told the New York Times it was a rushed vote on a "a take-it-or-leave-it package."

Democrats no longer need Snowe's vote -- but the Washington Monthly's Steve Benen points out that they courted her anyway only to have her object over the debate's speed.

I just can't figure out what on earth Snowe is talking about. She voted with Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee reform plan, but now appears to be looking for an excuse to oppose the effort. But to sound even remotely credible, Snowe will have to do better than this.

Snowe has been complaining about the speed of the legislative process since July, but therein lies the point: how could this possibl[y] get slower?

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Comments

[Fotios]

02:02 PM on 12/22/2009

At first she wasn't crazy about the public option, but now that it's out, what's her excuse for not supporting the bill? What is the rational for all Republicans not supporting this bill if the debate on the public option is basically over and they won? Who actually believes that Republicans are honestly trying to help shape legislation rather than just trying to defeat Democrats?

[Targaray]

10:07 AM on 12/22/2009

WHATEVER!

[helonias]

09:17 AM on 12/22/2009

Liar

[saintaug1]

07:24 AM on 12/22/2009

Recent modeling of the Democratic healthcare bill found that a healthy 25-year-old in Milwaukee buying coverage on the individual market will see his costs rise by 178%. A small business based in Richmond with eight employees in average health will see a 23% increase. Insurance costs for a 40-year-old family with two kids living in Indianapolis will pay 106% more. Now that's change you can believe in. Grab your wallets folks.

[helonias]

09:17 AM on 12/22/2009

Modeling by Rush or Glen

[JeanPaulSatire]

06:49 AM on 12/22/2009

What Snowe is admitting is that, even with her full staff reading the bill and digesting it for her and then providing her with a boiled-down explanation of its provisions, she couldn't wrap her brain around it. This, despite it being the single most important issue taken up by the Senate in 2009. That does not bode well for her being able to understand complex legislation to address ANY issue that might arise. Time for Snowe to choose not to seek reelection.

What she is also admitting is that, once she has had a chance to fully understand it, she might actually conclude that it's a good piece of legislation that she should have voted FOR and not against. Sadly, Snowe has put process over substance.

[JeanPaulSatire]

06:41 AM on 12/22/2009

Snowe was uncomfortable with the fast pace of the bill. Not surprising, though, as the pace of life in Maine is much slower than, say, New York City or D.C. In fact, they sell t-shirts Kittery and Portland that say, "Maine: Life in the Break-Down Lane."

Just sayin'.

[Elyriaohio]

06:15 AM on 12/22/2009

She couldn't handle the pressure from her Party-Of-No-Ideas.

[Piatt]

06:11 AM on 12/22/2009

We've been at this since Teddy Roosevelt and Olympia feels rushed? Perhaps she should consider a job with less pressure.

[AlphaDoc]

06:21 AM on 12/22/2009

Or maybe we should create a "special congress" for those who can't keep up with the rest.

[Whinger]

04:24 AM on 12/22/2009

Do try to pay attention Olympia and don't be lagging behind.

[listentome]

12:13 AM on 12/22/2009

And then Olympia casts her spell, "Double double toiling trouble".

[Loveforlife]

12:12 AM on 12/22/2009

I agree that she is flip flopping. But this is a monstrosity bill. Done in the dead of night. No partisanship. Peoople have no clue what is in this. We'll pay for it for 4/5 years before we can even access it. Is this in our best interest?

[gorideabike]

12:03 AM on 12/22/2009

"This process denies us the opportunity to thoroughly and carefully and deliberately evaluate what's at stake,"
And how long did it take Congress to pass the PATRIOT Act? 24 hours.

[katooom]

05:39 AM on 12/22/2009

And it is a total piece of garbage bill. Two wrongs does not make right.

[blkbtrfly1]

11:38 PM on 12/21/2009

Poor Olympia. All that hair dye must be sinking into her brain,.

[LiberalScoop]

11:30 PM on 12/21/2009

I think Oly needs to know what it feels like not to have insurance. Too rushed? For her and the rest of the conservatives it's rushed because it is still moving forward.

[dmbraddy]

10:31 PM on 12/21/2009

There have been times when I was nearly seduced by Senator Snowe's apparent reasonableness. I should have known better. The only good Republican is a politically dead, out-of-office, Republican.