Posted on 11/07/2009 11:06:57 AM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
It’s Saturday. Welcome to the Pulse Weekend Vote Edition. “Saturday night’s alright for Pulsing.”
THE RULE, included in a six-page, 1:51 a.m. press release from Vince Morris, House Rules Committee communications director: "Attached is the rule which we just approved; we expect to be on the floor [Saturday] morning. For planning purposes, we still expect to do the rule after suspensions; [Chairman Louise] Slaughter will speak on the Rule and Rep. Sessions will speak for the other side." http://bit.ly/47XOoh
STATE OF PLAY – House Democratic leaders caved to pressure from anti-abortion Democrats by granting them a vote on an amendment that would bar insurance companies from covering abortion under the exchanges. It’s another bitter pill for liberal Democrats, but party leaders are gambling that it will be just the breakthrough they need to get to 218. At least 23 Democrats have come out against the bill giving Speaker Nancy Pelosi a buffer of 17 votes to work with. But there could easily be another 20 Democrats in the "lean no" category, not to mention the broad universe of undecided lawmakers. So Pelosi and her team essentially need every undecided vote and four or five "lean no’s." That's a difficult dynamic for any party at any time, but the election results and unemployment rates that just eclipsed 10 percent don't help. President Obama will try to push the undecideds into the yes column when he addresses the caucus at 11:30 a.m. today. After all, few rank-and-file House members have the conviction to say "no" to their party’s president.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
POLITICO’s Charlie Mahtesian finds 23 solid Democratic no votes ...all from districts that went for John McCain in 2008......
Please Let your REPRESENTATIVE know your OPPOSITION to this bill: HR 3962
(202)224-3121
or http://www.congress.org/congressorg/directory/congdir.tt
The way to defeat this bill is to have Republicans vote against the Stupak amendment that takes away public funding for abortions. Make the so called blue dog democrats vote for a final bill that has public funding for abortions. I think it would cause a defeat of the final bill!
>> I thought she has the 218 solid this morning. I am no beginning to wonder.
If she’s bluffing, it wouldn’t be the first time.
My opinion: her caucus is fragmented and held together by lots of weak threads — and after Tuesday she’s watching those threads fraying a little more every hour. Contrary to what she says, she does NOT know that she has the votes to pass today.
On the other hand, she doesn’t know for sure that she DOESN’T have the votes, and she figures if she doesn’t at least try ASAP, it will slip from her hands forever. Along with the Speaker position in 2010.
JMHO
Astute analysis. Have to agree on all points especially the last.
This deal is weak as hell. I don't believe they have the votes to pass the final bill without this and I don't believe this will pass.
Even if it did, I think they may have a slight problem with their pro-aborts on this little issue, no matter what they are saying.
Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) said "pro-choice members are not happy this morning."
Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) said. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."
No matter what she says, they would not bring the bill up for passage if they were not sure it would pass...it is scheduled for a sat evening vote now. Even the Traitor in Chief stayed close by, rather than going to Ft Hood, so he could push it through. One big screw job for the country.
Steve Hayes on the Fox All-Stars on Friday was cynical about the anti-abortion vote—thought the liberals would sneak in abortion funding another way if they allowed this vote to go through to appease the pro-life Democrats.
They vote yes; they can pack and go home.
They'll buy off enough of the releuctant votes by promise of a plush-after-losing job with some foundation....
Most politicians are bought off. That’s why they live the high life off our tax dollar.
Saw a clip on FNC where Boehner tried to get Rangell to guarantee that anti-abortion language would not be dropped in the conference stage and Rangell refused.
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