Midterm Madness

Health Care Hits Another Wall

Facing election, some Dems shift to economic issues.

The health-care reform effort seems to be stalling out as congressional Democrats expressed doubts that President Obama would offer a path to its passage in his State of the Union address Wednesday. Democrats instead are shifting focus to jobs and the economy as they head toward the midterm elections this fall. “I would be surprised if he says, specifically, exactly how he hopes to get health care done,” House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) said. And Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said, “We’re not on health care now… there is no rush.” The Senate Democratic Caucus didn’t even formally discuss the issue when it met Tuesday, and some are considering pushing back a decision on how to proceed till Congress goes on break February 12. Few moderate Democrats have the stomach to try to pass the bill through reconciliation, a maneuver that would require only 51 votes but would be deeply controversial, and Democrats could lose several votes. House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-SC) said the House could pass the Senate version of the bill with a list of fixes, but Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi was uncertain: “Depends what the fixes are.”