H.R. 6675, The Social Security Amendments of 1965
Social Security Online
Legislative History
House of Representatives
Democrats
237 – Yea
48 – Nay
8 – Not Voting
Republicans
70 – Yea
68 – Nay
2 – Not Voting
Senate
Democrats
57 – Yea
7 – Nay
4- Not Voting
Republicans
13 – Yea
17 – Nay
2 – Not Voting
http://www.ssa.gov/history/tally65.html
As we reflect today on Martin Luther King’s gift to the nation, and on tomorrow’s historic inauguration, it seems fitting to look back at the vote that brought us Medicare. This was a vote for health care justice for our seniors, and a first step towards the dream, shared by Martin Luther King Jr then and Barack Obama now, of health care justice for all of us.
In 1965, the 57 Senate Democrats supporting the Medicare bill needed 10 Republicans to be able to invoke cloture if necessary. They received the support of 13 of the 32 Republicans. Opposition within the Democratic ranks was enough to prevent passage had these Republicans not supported the measure.
In 2009, to be able to invoke cloture the Democrats likely will need the support of one Republican plus one for each Democrat (or Independent) who breaks ranks, and that is out of 41 Republicans rather than 32.
Was passage of the Medicare bill feasible in 1965? It happened. Is comprehensive reform feasible now? Many contend that it is not because of the alleged increased polarization of politics.
Is it really true that Barack Obama has shifted from a liberal position to that of a moderate? Is it really true that he is going to try to govern from the middle while likely being frustrated in his efforts to bring about change because of the ability of either extreme to block the agenda of the other extreme?
Is all politics aligned along the bipolar linearity of the liberal/conservative agendas? Is Barack Obama actually positioning himself in the middle of this linear spectrum? Or is something else happening?
Using an analogy in geometry, points along a line are very confining and quite limiting in the realm of possibilities. If that line were rotated around a single point, the plane created certainly expands the possibilities, but is still very confining. Now imagine that plane being rotated around a linear axis to create three dimensions, not confined within a sphere, but extending toward infinity in all directions, with the added fourth dimension of time.
In this model, conservatism is at one point in a linear offshoot. Liberalism is at another point in a linear offshoot in the opposite direction. Moderates may think that they occupy the common meeting ground, but they are confined to a single point in the middle (think Blue Dogs).
Does this infinite four dimensional model represent the future to which Barack Obama is leading us? Is he discarding the old linear model that has caused so much harm and grief, and moving on to an all inclusive model that will work for all us us.
Maybe we are receiving a gift of a new start – a gift that Martin Luther King Jr would want us to have, and a gift that Barack Obama wishes to bring to us.
Today is a good day to take a mere six minutes of quality time to experience the hope that Americans are finally coming together:
Born Again American
http://www.bornagainamerican.org/
Correction and clarification of cloture vote
In 1965, when Medicare was enacted, cloture required two-thirds of those present and voting. My calculation was based on the assumption that the Democrats knew that they had only 57 votes, and would require 10 more if all Senators were present and voting. In fact, 10 did not vote so only 3 additional votes were required. Thus the Republican Senators actually gave them an extra margin of 10 votes (13 yea votes in total), but that could not have been known until the count revealed how many withheld their votes.
In 1975, the cloture rule was changed from two-thirds present and voting to three-fifths of those duly chosen and sworn. That fixes the number at 60 if all seats are filled.
In 2009, there are 56 Democrats duly chosen and sworn, plus Senators Sanders and Lieberman who usually vote with the Democrats. It is improbable that Norm Coleman’s challenge to Al Franken will be upheld, so the Democratic caucus will have 59 of the 60 votes required for cloture. Thus the Democrats will require 1 Republican to cross over, plus 1 more for each Senator that breaks ranks with the Democrats. (Obviously, 11 was in error – pure, simple klutz.)
Today’s message does not change. Let’s end the polarized divide and move on with an all inclusive model that will work for all of us. Let’s all become “Born Again Americans.” Martin Luther King Jr would want that, and tomorrow…
http://www.bornagainamerican.org/