1. What was the final vote in the House on the health care reform bill?

2. a) How many of the Democrats are there in the House of Representatives?
b) How many Democrats voted against President Obama's health care bill?
c) Why do you think this many voted against the bill?

3. Pro-life Democrat Bart Stupak said he had at least 7 others who would vote against the bill based on the fact that taxpayer money would be used to pay for abortions. Why did they change their votes and support the bill?

4. a) What is an executive order?
b) How do Republicans view the executive order on abortion, compared to their pro-life Democratic colleagues?

5. What benefits did Democratic House leader Nancy Pelosi pledge the new legislation will provide?

6. a) Define bipartisan.
b) Polls have shown that a majority of Americans oppose making this health care reform bill a law. In addition to the pro-life Democrats who opposed the bill (but then voted for it) almost 15% of Democratic Congressmen voted against the bill. The president has said he will not campaign for any Democrat who opposed his bill, yet 34 still voted against it despite strong opposition from their party.
Why do you think that the media is not reporting widely on the number of Democrats who voted against the bill?
NOTE: The media emphasize "bipartisan" support for bills proposed by Democrats (e.g. one Republican senator is supporting the Democrats' immigration reform bill and it has been widely publicized as having "bipartisan" support - why not point out that Congress was bipartisan in their opposition of the bill?) Should the fact that Congress voted for the bill despite the fact that the majority of Americans oppose the bill be newsworthy?

7a) Skim through the headlines from Yahoo News, The New York Times, Washington Post. What is the overall tone of news reports on the passage of President Obama's health care reform bill?
b) Ask a parent whether he/she supports the passage of the health care reform bill and to explain why.