The health care bill continues its slow march towards final passage as House and Senate Democrats work on negotiating a compromise bill. But even now, with the finish line so tantalizingly close, a special election in Massachusetts (of all places) could throw a monkey wrench in the whole works. Next Tuesday, Massachusetts voters will elect a senator to fill Edward Kennedy’s seat. Of course, Massachusetts is as blue as a naked Na’vi taking a quick dip in Lake Superior, but the political climate is such that even Massachusetts Democratic candidate Martha Coakley is facing a tough crowd. Polls are all over the place and it’s conceivable that the Republican candidate could win, thus taking away the Democrats’ filibuster-proof majority.
In such a scenario, the House could still pass the Senate version of the bill and be done with the process. But that solution is far from ideal. The Senate bill could stand a lot of improving and that can only happen if the House and Senate negotiate.
This was never going to be easy. I’m reasonably confident Coakley will win, but much is at stake and it would be a horrible shame if Kennedy’s successor killed his dream of making health care more accessible and affordable.
