It's finally done: a bi-partisan health care bill has passed.
There are some caveats before any Democratic celebrations take place, however. The bill has only only passed in the House of Representatives; meanwhile, the Senate hasn't voted on it yet, and there is no guarantee that the two bills will be identical, so there may be an even longer waiting period before any sort of legislation is passed.
The passing of the health care bill in the House of Representatives is still progress for the Obama administration's health care plans. The vote was down to the wire in the House: the vote was 220 in favor and 215 against. Among the against votes were 49 Democrats, many of whom were more conservative Democrats who have been opposed to many aspects of health care reform throughout the debate.
The surprise vote in all this, however, was the "yes" from Republican Representative Joseph Cao (last name pronounced "gow"). Like Republican Senator Olympia Snowe did earlier tihs year, Cao went against the Republican party's attempt to present a unified front opposing the new health care reforms by voting in favor of recent Democrat-led health care reform measures.
Who is Joseph Cao?
Joseph Cao is the current representative of Louisiana's 2nd congressional district--the district which holds most of New Orleans. After he defeated incumbent William Jefferson, his win was praised as a sign of the Republican party's good health, causing the Minority Whip Eric Cantor to claim, "The future is Cao." Cao is also the first Vietnamese congressman, another fact highlighted by Republicans as the party continues diversifying under the Republican Party Chair Michael Steele.
Why Cao Voted for the Bill
While the party is looking to add a wide array of members, Steele has also made it clear that in the fight against Obama's health care reform, dissent will be punished. So far, Cao, whose victory in a highly Democratic area against a long-standing incumbent, has shown little sign that he is worried about serious repurcussions from the party. When asked about Steele's threat, Cao laughed it off, citing his unprecedented election into office.
According to Newsweek's interview with Cao, his motivations were primarily because of his constituency. Gao's is one of the most impoverished districts in the nation, as well as one heavily in support for Obama--as well as a heavily Democratic one. While the question of political philosophy and constituency is often a difficult one, in this situation Cao was clear on where he stood.
Where does the bill go now that it has passed in the House? President Obama has already called on the Senate to begin discussing the bill. There will be some tough opposition from Republicans, as well as some Democrats unhappy with the public option present in the bill. Despite progress the current administration has seen in the past week, there is still plenty left to do.
Read Newsweek's interview with Joseph Cao
See Joseph Cao's statement about the vote here
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