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Merry Christmas: GOP gives in on timing of health care vote
McClatchy Newspapers ^ | December 22, 2009 | David Lightman and Margaret Talev

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 ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 0; 111th; healthcare; kneepadrepublicans; mccainmutiny; mcconnell; mclamesrevenge; mclamesrinoparty; obama; rinoparty; rinos; spineless; traitors; ussenate; vichy; wimps
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To: mdittmar
Twas the nightmare before Christmas
181 posted on 12/23/2009 8:01:12 AM PST by Between the Lines (For their sins of 50 million abortions God gave them over to be an ObamaNation {Romans 1:24-32})
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To: Catsrus
"If you will not fight for right when you can easily win without blood shed; if you will not fight when your victory is sure and not too costly; you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance of survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves."

Me thinks it is better to fight even thought defeat is assured.

182 posted on 12/23/2009 8:05:12 AM PST by jpsb
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To: onyx
He took the initiative to talk to the CBO director himself. Stand by for his press conference.

Jeff Sessions is #1 on my Good Guy list as of now.

And so far there's nobody else on it. He stands alone.


183 posted on 12/23/2009 8:06:14 AM PST by paulycy (Demand Constitutionality.)
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To: rabscuttle385
Washington had more fortitude than about 90 percent of the RINO Party, crossing the Delaware on Christmas Day, 1776 to attack the Hessian mercenaries at Trenton the next morning!

Absolutely! Our founding fathers must be rolling over in their graves.

The republicans could have let their staffs go home, and paid a special bonus for anyone who volunteered to stay, and brought in food, sleeping bags, as needed.

This is why I refuse to vote for the 'lesser of two evils' rino.
184 posted on 12/23/2009 8:18:21 AM PST by algernonpj (He who pays the piper . . .)
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To: onyx
Senator Ensign has the floor and he’s just called the entire bill UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND NOW HE’S ARTICULATING THE REASONS.

What is planned to do about the fact it is unconstitutional?
185 posted on 12/23/2009 8:28:55 AM PST by algernonpj (He who pays the piper . . .)
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To: Tawiskaro

Great graphic.


186 posted on 12/23/2009 8:33:16 AM PST by algernonpj (He who pays the piper . . .)
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To: algernonpj
I don't know.

I am watching c-span LIVE and waiting for Sessions' presser.

Sessions thread

187 posted on 12/23/2009 8:34:22 AM PST by onyx
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To: mdittmar
Merry Christmas, Mitch. Thanks for caving in again so the senate can get its Christmas break.


188 posted on 12/23/2009 8:38:05 AM PST by TADSLOS (Merry Christmas, FReepers!)
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To: RatsDawg

Laura Ingraham was back on this morning urging the GOP
not to give in.


189 posted on 12/23/2009 8:59:16 AM PST by rahbert (There are no fish here! What kind of ocean is this?)
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To: rcrngroup
Non-issue.

The time the bill was passed will be of no consequence in two weeks. The Repubs held their caucus together which will be extremely useful during campaign season.

I understand that people want to blow off some "anger steam" but it's really just a distraction.

190 posted on 12/23/2009 10:01:17 AM PST by what's up
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To: chilltherats

I think you misread what I wrote. I agree these elected royals and their staff now Think they are the elite..if your’ve watched the news, you will agree prostitutes have more honor than a lot of these “elitist royals” do. They have not the will to pass up a buck or position. They will do and say most anything to retain their pay, perks, power & privilege.


191 posted on 12/23/2009 10:42:55 AM PST by tillacum
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To: chilltherats

OH and chilltherats, as far as I’m concerned the Green Berets, Spec. Forces, Seals are still the elite, cream of the crop. I even think the regular military guy and gal are far more elite than our elected royals. I was one, once.


192 posted on 12/23/2009 10:46:37 AM PST by tillacum
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To: tillacum

I sincerely thank you for your service and agree with you wholeheartedly. I was speaking more in terms of what the media, Washington D.C., and pop culture promote as it relates to “elites”. etc., but you knew that, I’m sure.

Have a very merry Christmas and happy new year! Actually, I just happened to hear Burl Ives’ famous old Christmas song, so have a holly, jolly Christmas! :)


193 posted on 12/23/2009 3:46:33 PM PST by chilltherats (First, kill all the lawyers (now that they ARE the tyrants).......)
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To: tillacum

Well, I sort of thought that’s what you meant. I was sort of springboarding off what you said to point out that our media and culture have lost their way. They enable the new elites’ treachery and corruption. Yes, they have less honor than many whores, yet it seems they will enjoy the world’s finest whoremaster for the next three years.


194 posted on 12/23/2009 3:55:36 PM PST by chilltherats (First, kill all the lawyers (now that they ARE the tyrants).......)
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To: Sloth

things have gone to hell in a handbasket there in dc... I can’t believe, I don’t *understand how* anyone can be worried about how this “makes us look” when, in essence, war has been declared.

I’m so angry Republicans were totally shut out, and now they’re to be concerned about everyone getting home for Christmas? I’ve been thinking about the Republicans in Miami during the recount shouting “Let us in! Let us in!!” at the cheating Dems, not giving it a rest until they were let in.


195 posted on 12/23/2009 5:08:20 PM PST by cyn (Courage is not the absence of fear, but the mastery of it. ~Mark Twain)
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To: TADSLOS

Yep. That discussion continues here > http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2413822/posts


196 posted on 12/23/2009 5:20:04 PM PST by cyn (Courage is not the absence of fear, but the mastery of it. ~Mark Twain)
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To: chilltherats

Oh, I hope you’re wrong about the next 2 years. I hope Nov 2010 brings in conservative Republicans. We need to stop this headlong race into socialism. Our media has been headed in the direction it’s taken, for a long time. I remember sam donaldson, the scion of socialism. He had the audacity to tell Americans the wonderful world of the Soviet Union and how well their citizens were “taken care of”.


197 posted on 12/24/2009 6:41:11 AM PST by tillacum
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To: chilltherats

Thank you, and may you and yours have a Very Merry Christmas and a healthy, happy, 2010.


198 posted on 12/24/2009 6:44:12 AM PST by tillacum
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To: chilltherats
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

Only difference this makes is families have Christmas eve and Christmas to talk about Democrats passing ObamaCare.

Thats a good thing. Lots of liberal families are going to see some very ticked off relatives tommorow.

199 posted on 12/24/2009 6:48:12 AM PST by Brugmansian
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To: mdittmar
They should have stayed and sang Christmas music in the Capitol.
They should have had a prayer vigil round the clock. They should have been asking for God's forgiveness for our nation, as our Constitution that so many fought and died for; for is being dismantled.

There are hills worth dying on.

Instead they just want to go home and eat cookies.

Disgusting.

200 posted on 12/24/2009 6:53:53 AM PST by HereInTheHeartland (The End of an Error - 01/20/2013)
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