If you were hoping that Congress would move quickly on the health care program, you may have to wait until Xmas for Snowe to fall.
Senator Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) said she won’t support the immediate creation of any government-run insurance program, preferring a plan that would trigger a public option only if there isn’t enough competition for private insurers to keep rates low.
Snowe’s vote is crucial because her support would decrease the chances of Democrats such as Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson and Arkansas Senator Blanche Lincoln bucking their party. She might also bring along more Republican backing, from fellow Maine Senator Susan Collins or Ohio Senator George Voinovich.
60 Votes
Senate Democrats control 60 votes, the number needed to avoid Republican stalling tactics and pass major legislation if they stick together. And some Republicans, including South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint, have said it might be best to just work against Democrats and hope they fail.
That’s what happened in 1994, when Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton failed to pass their health-care plan and Democrats lost control of Congress. Snowe said she understands the political calculus used by some Republicans, yet disagrees.
“The question is whether or not you’re willing to be sitting at the table or being a bystander,” she said. “I think it’s important for Republicans to be at the table.”
