Posted on 12/22/2009 4:09:15 PM PST by mdittmar
WASHINGTON — It may be the only bipartisan agreement that Congress reaches this year on overhauling health care.
Republicans, under pressure not to wreck Christmas for lawmakers and their staffs, agreed Tuesday that Senate passage of the Democrats' controversial bill seemed inevitable and scaled back procedural-delay mechanisms to allow a vote by the morning of Christmas Eve.
Had the full debate continued, the Senate would have voted at around 9 p.m. Thursday, too late for many lawmakers and their staff members to get home in time for the holiday. Instead, the vote is set for 8 a.m.
President Barack Obama had announced that he'd delay his own departure for his family vacation in Hawaii until the vote was over.
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., had said that he'd been willing to stay late into Christmas Eve because, "It's important that we take the time to analyze it in every way that we can before the final votes are taken in the Senate."
However, Democrats as well as Republicans expressed concern about missing Christmas — since many live in places where planes can't get them home in time — and others were concerned about an ice storm that's threatening the Midwest.
McConnell also said, "The final vote in the Senate is not the final vote. There are substantial differences between the House and Senate bills. This debate is not over."
If the Senate's version passes as expected, it will be considered by a House of Representatives-Senate conference, or negotiating, committee, which typically operates largely in secrecy.
"The American people are still going to have another month or so, I would guess, to weigh in and express their concerns about this package to each of their representatives," McConnell said.
(Excerpt) Read more at mcclatchydc.com ...
We can always rely on the cowardly pubs to act in their own self-interest; in this case, making it home in time for their Christmas porridge.
All cave, no brave.
It doesn’t affect them personally because they’ll remain on their no holds barred, cadillac plans that we pay for, so only the small handful who take their responisbilities seriously give a damn about the American people. It’s just politics to the rest of them. Business as usual.
This is why I say over and over and over again that you could round up every one of these SOBs in congress and all of them added together, times 10, are of less value than one lonely soldier shivering in a foxhole.
I still want them to take a stand and stay there, fight it out as best they can for as long as they can, and then unanimously vote no. If they just leave before the vote, that will be used against them in the 2010 elections: “Their Christmas holiday was more important to them than this all-important vote.” Walking out to head home is not an option.
WTF have you been smoking? These are America’s elite. It used to be the green berets, but now it’s these assholes. They are the political ruling elite, they do as they please, we tolerate it, we pay for it, and the beat goes on. Almost every one of them should be dragged out into the snow and run out of town on a rail back to their districts and states for their “Happy Holiday” and told to stay there and don’t come back. They’re not needed and they’d do less damage if they’d just stay the hell home.
“Republicans, under pressure not to wreck Christmas for lawmakers and their staffs, agreed Tuesday that Senate passage of the Democrats’ controversial bill seemed inevitable and scaled back procedural-delay mechanisms to allow a vote by the morning of Christmas Eve.”
Perfect example of the priorities of the “stupid party”. If this were the rats, they’d fight to the death on this.
my mom was a nurse. she volunteered (after lunch) to work on Christmas so others with children could be with there families. i also worked on Christmas all through college. these politicians are about as worthless and gutless as you can find.
they get bit#h slapped everytime.
Never...ever should anyone trust their lives to these selfish snakes.
I have problems with Coleman against Franken. Why he gave up is beyond me knowing that Franken gives them 60 votes.
“If all the pubbies walk out the dems will pass the bill unanimously. What good will it do. “
It would highlight the fact that this bill belongs 100% to the Democrats. There would be no one in chambers but Democrat whores. They would indisputedly “own” the bill, and the MSM would pick it up for once.
“I have problems with Coleman against Franken. Why he gave up is beyond me knowing that Franken gives them 60 votes. “
Because our party never stands up to the Democrats on anything. Franken lost, but there he sits.
Just sent this to McConnell via his website:
Good Morning, Senator.
Thanks for folding like a house of cards on Obamacare.
Have you tried reading the Federalist papers (say #7) on the issues which come up when Federal taxes are apportioned differently between the several states?
You know, concerning the bribe Sen. Nelson of Nebraska received for his principled heroic stand on behalf of his constituents...which lasted all of, what, two days?
Hint: think “Unconstitutional”.
And you’re too LAZY to sacrifice Christmas for a mere 1/6 of the Nation’s economy? Our troops in Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere have to miss Christmas — and without the Cadillac plan, hefty pensions, Congressional banking (are your Dem friends back to kiting checks again? : you might want to double check as it’s been 15 years) — which you take for granted.
Here’s a clue, Senator.
Call your colleagues in the House.
I know they are mere mortals, and not part of the SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES, and you might get lice from them merely by having one of your staffers picking up the phone to call. I know they are beneath your dignity as those who have to (chortle) return to their districts occasionally to run for re-election and ask for money from the great unwashed in flyover country.
But I’m asking, in the spirit of Christmas, the time of giving, that you do this, as a gift. Ask them to reach out to threatened Blue Dog Democrats — you know, how one Democrat from Alabama joined the GOP yesterday? — and suggest that they band together to replace Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House.
Think of it as payback for Jumping Jim Jeffords, or for Arlen Specter.
How’d that dissing of the base by rejecting Toomey work for President Bush anyway, eh? Really solidified the party.
...oh, and Merry Christmas.
Well done!
UPDATE!
Sessions met with the CBO director last night. He has issued new statement.
It is a NOT a deficit reducing bill. Sessions press conference to be held within an hour.
Someone is still fighting!
GO GET 'EM!!!!!!
Sessions is a fighter.
He took the initiative to talk to the CBO director himself.
Stand by for his press conference.
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