Passage of historic health insurance reform bill is victory for Americans

After decades of trying, stretching back almost a century, the U.S. House made history and passed the historic health care insurance reform Sunday night.

A major progressive victory was achieved that will rein in the worst insurance abuses and expand health care to 32 million Americans. The real winners will be the American people where getting sick is no longer a ticket to bankruptcy.

Like most people, I was glued to C-Span and MSNBC - with the exception of the dramatic MSU basketball game and for my wife to watch to “Desperate Housewives.”

There were some great floor speeches, and none were more inspiring than that of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. She will go down in history as one of the Greatest Speakers in history for this accomplishment.

“This legislation will take its place in history beside the passage of Social Security and Medicare,” she said. “It will end the days of being denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition. It will help seniors finally afford their lifesaving prescription drugs by closing the donut hole in Medicare.”

It was accomplished, of course, with nothing but Democratic votes. That $1.4 million a day the insurance lobby was spending to spread lies and misinformation and kill the bill will now be spent to unseat those brave Democrats who did the right thing.

“For me, this wasn't about politics - it was about doing what's right for the people I represent,” said U.S. Rep. Mark Schauer, D-Battle Creek. “Doing what's right isn't always easy, but I didn't run for Congress to walk away from a tough fight.”

Perhaps the most courageous stand was that taken by U.S. Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Menominee, who realized federal law already barred federal tax dollars being spent on abortion and not only voted for the bill, he spoke for it when Republicans introduced an abortion resolution using language Stupak wrote. One of the classless teabagger Republicans called him a “baby killer” on the floor. He has not been identified, but Republicans know who he is.

The best result of health care insurance reform is that Rush Limbaugh will now be leaving the country.

GOP calls for protesters against Speaker of the House to bring their own crayons

The Michigan Republican Party and Chair Saul Anuzis are organizing a protest against Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi tonight at Borders in downtown Ann Arbor where she will join a panel discussion and sign copies of her new book, "Know Your Power" at 7 p.m.

The intention of the protest is to build on the Grand Oil Party’s juvenile stunt last week where they preached to each other in the dark after the House and Senate were adjourned for the annual summer break on how giving oil companies more leases in environmentally sensitive areas will reduce gas prices. The email blast to supporters says the intention is to “… send her a strong message that she needs to call Congress back into session now, and hold a vote on an energy bill that will allow America to develop America’s oil.” No word on why they don’t just ask the head oil man in the White House to call them back into session since he has the power to do that, or why for all but the last 18 months of President George Bush’s time in office when the GOP controlled both Houses of Congress no real energy plan was adopted.

To help in the protest and to lend an air of authenticity, Anuzis is asking his followers to bring homemade signs, and since he knows they probably can’t think of any catchy slogans for themselves, he sent along some helpful suggestions, such as “Gas b-4 Book Tour" "Bring Congress Back" "We Want Lower Gas $" "End The Shutdown" and "Give Us A Vote."

Bill Nowling and the MGOP communications team have really outdone themselves. That was money well spent.

I have a few slogans of my own for the Grand Oil Party attendees to use: “Food stamps for Exxon,” “We don’t need no stinking books,” “Books are for liberals,” “Tell Bush to tell you to bring Congress back,” “Drill on those thousands of leases you already have,” “oil execs need help to pay for their Bugatti Veyrons,” or “We need our gas prices to go down by 2 cents in 10 years now.”

The Ann Arbor stop will be Pelosi’s first stop on a 13-city book tour, and because there are so many people expected to want to meet the Speaker, Borders began giving out wristbands this morning when the store opened. According to Borders, the wristband guarantees a place in line, but offers no guarantee you'll meet the Speaker.

I have a better suggestion for the GOP: buy a book at Borders to benefit a Michigan company. That may be asking a little too much. Buy a DVD while you are there and do some real good. Make sure you carpool.