Democratic senators: Some Republican votes needed to reach
President Barack Obama’s push to overhaul health care needs Republican votes, lawmakers from both parties say.

Democratic and GOP officials acknowledged Sunday that Obama’s ambitious plan would not pass without the aid of a doubtful GOP, whose members are almost united against the White House effort.

“Look, there are not the votes for Democrats to do this just on our side of the aisle,” said Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., the chairman of the budget committee.

Rep. Jim Cooper, a Tennessee Democrat and a member of the fiscally conservative “Blue Dogs,” said he doubts the Democratic-controlled House could pass a proposal as it’s drafted now.

“We have a long way to go,” Cooper said.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, however, insisted she has the votes to move forward with the plan despite concerns among fiscally conservative fellow Democrats.

“When I take this bill to the floor, it will win. We will move forward, it will happen,” said Pelosi, D-Calif.

Not so fast, Republicans said. Sensing a public uneasiness over the pace and price tag of the overhaul, Republicans said the longer the delay, the more the public understands the stakes of a policy that has vexed lawmakers for decades.

“We could have a plan in a few weeks if the goal is not a government takeover,” said Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C. “We’ve never seen the government operate a plan of any kind effectively and at the budgets we talked about.”

Democrats countered that their plans — and there are many iterations on Capitol Hill, as committees in the House and Senate work on versions — would expand coverage without adding to the deficit. Even so, they are likely to leave for an August recess without a vote.

President Barack Obama’s goal for health care bill – http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2009/07/democratic_senators_some_repub.html

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