A reminder of where we stand now: Health care legislation passed by a 220-215 margin on Nov. 7. Since then, Reps. Neil Abercrombie (D-HI), Robert Wexler (D-FL) and Eric Massa (D-NY) have resigned. Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) passed away. Of that group, Abercrombie, Wexler and Murtha voted in favor. Massa voted against. Rep. Anh "Joseph" Cao (R-LA), who voted for the bill, has said he will vote against.How tense! I almost feel sorry for them. Almost. What's going through those 431 fervid little minds? Each knows his/her vote is crucial, but then what? Worry that angry voters will say this thing passed because of you? Worry that angry voters will say this thing failed because of you? So, then... be quiet and cooperative? Or be demanding and invite a Massa-style ethics investigation (with naked Rahm-poke)? And then what? Become a blustering media star while wussing out and resigning (like Massa)? Try to stand up to the Chief of Staff and his minions? Or maybe the stress will get to you and you'll keel over and die like Murtha? Lay low, stand and fight... or go like Murtha/Massa? Poor congresspeople. Not.
That means Pelosi has lost 4 votes, bringing her to 216. Because there are only 431 members of the House, thanks to the vacancies, Pelosi needs exactly that number to pass reform. Arcuri's decision today brings the number of yes votes down to 215 -- one below the number needed to pass.
March 9, 2010
What happens to the health care vote in the House when everyone knows each vote is "the" vote?
Hotline On Call has the details:
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32 comments:
I'm betting on Pelosi. She has yet to bring something to the floor and lose.
I think its a pretty sad state of affairs in that party that despite such a majority, the Democrats are scrapping and bribing anyone within their own party to get this most important bill passed.
Guess thats what passes for leadership among Democrats nowadays.
60 senators and almost 80 advantage in the House, and they were going to pass it before Labor Day, before Thanksgiving, before Chriistmas, before the State of the Union, and now before St. Patrick's Day, and it seems to be down to just how much Reid and Pelosi know about their members' personal finances and private lives.
This is a bill that should not be passed.
From the Democrats perspective, I think yesterday's mention of Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg is still relevant.
From the Democrats perspective, I think yesterday's mention of Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg is still relevant.
Yeah I can picture Pelosi charging forward with her hat on a sword like Armisted. It didn't end well for him either.
But in keeping with military analogies how about Custer's Last Stand? Charge of the Light Brigade? The Fetterman Massacre?
Minions to the left of them, minions to the right, into the valley of death charged the four hundred and thirty five...er, four hundred and thirty one...give or take two or three.
So we have the health care debacle and now a new poll showing America is less respected than two years ago. It's amazing what the Democrats can accomplish in a year. When do these clowns have time to sleep?
I'm betting on Pelosi. She has yet to bring something to the floor and lose.
Exactly why no vote is scheduled, and no schedule is even hinted at.
I'm betting on Pelosi. She has yet to bring something to the floor and lose.
And my dog has never once been in a multi-car accident while he was driving.
Ya gotta admit, the majority of Americans looked at Bush in 2008 and decided to go full court press with the Democrats.
Who gives a good goddamn what polls say now?
They won, and they won big.
They said they would do this when they were running. I heard it, you heard it, and y'all voted for them knowing this was planned.
I see no reason to bitch.
We're gonna get socialism good and hard. Exactly as they promised. So just lie back and think of England.
*sniff*
Poor Democrats!
Pofo,
Who's this "ya'll," Kemosabe?
I'm betting on Pelosi. She has yet to bring something to the floor and lose.
Exactly why no vote is scheduled, and no schedule is even hinted at.
If it can be won, Pelosi will win it.
We just haven't settled yet whether it can be.
I really and truly hope that "naked Rahm-poke" becomes a part of our political vocabulary. Perhaps it could be used to label any political confrontation that occurs in an inappropriate and uncomfortable location.
For example: Criticizing his fellow speakers during the Haiti fundraiser was truly a naked Rahm-poke.
And Garage, as Joan said, that is because she doesn't schedule a vote unless she knows she has all that she needs. Yes, that means she hasn't lost a vote but it also means she has likely failed to bring a great many forward.
It also means that everybody knows she doesn't have the votes unless she's actually set a date.
Pogo, this doesn't sound like you. You haven't been showering with Rahm now, have you?
Minions to the left of them, minions to the right, into the valley of death charged the four hundred and thirty five....
That should be rewritten: "...into the valley of death charged the two hundred and sixteen..." The Republicans aren't going to charge into the valley of death upon Pelosi's command. They're at the far end of the valley -- manning the cannon!
"Pogo, this doesn't sound like you."
I suppose not. I've got clouds of despair in my cofee this morning, I guess.
I'm sick of it, really. Thinking of what this will do makes me quite nauseous. I look at my kids and am frightened for them. I feel somewhat panicked and even think about leaving the country.
And then I get pissed at the huge huge number of Americans who voted these assholes into power. What did they think would happen? It is to the letter exactly what they promised and have been promising to do for 60 years, if given the chance.
Shit, what a clusterf*ck this is.
Pogo says what I am thinking.
"I feel somewhat panicked and even think about leaving the country."
Time to buck it up, Pogo. You're forgetting that little bit of wisdom O imparted at Blair House -- elections matter, and the one that always matters most is the next one coming up. If the Dems pass O-Care, expect to see a different Congress with different majorities, empowered to undo the madness, next January. The simplest way is to de-fund it -- the House in 2011 can refuse to appropriate a penny to carry the scheme into effect. That may well lead to a gov'tal crisis a la Clinton vs. Gingrich in 1995, with no resolution until the '12 election. But that's what happens when the pols leave themselves no place to hide and no way to bridge the divide.
Mass political suicide by the Dems will invite (require, really) a resolute response from those who win election a few months from now by campaigning against O-Care and the rest of O's lefty agenda. If the Reps win a big victory in Nov, there won't be anywhere they can hide either. They'll have to deliver, and everyone will be watching to make sure they do.
The O-man said he wanted to change America. I don't know if he will pull that off but he has certainly changed the public's view of the Dems and the Reps much faster than anyone thought possible.
The people who vote for this know it will destroy the country as it exists, even though they may lose their seats. This is about ideology, any Permanent Democrat Majority would come after they're out of politics. There are about 50 less safe seats than usual this time around. They get no sympathy from me.
As for Pelosi Galore, she's probably lost other votes, but we haven't heard about it because they weren't this big. The closer we get to November, the harder it will get.
Hoosier Daddy said...
From the Democrats perspective, I think yesterday's mention of Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg is still relevant.
Yeah I can picture Pelosi charging forward with her hat on a sword like Armisted. It didn't end well for him either.
But in keeping with military analogies how about Custer's Last Stand? Charge of the Light Brigade? The Fetterman Massacre?
Balaclava and Fetterman (kudos for remembering), yes, but Little Big Horn was different in that Custer did not attack by choice.
He got to the valley about the time he should have, but still had to find the village. That took about three hours.
He thought he had been spotted (by some reservation jumpers who had gotten cold feet and were heading back, it turned out) and felt he had no alternative.
The irony is that, if all had gone well and he attacked the next morning, it may have turned out the same way. Terry got to the valley a day later than he was supposed to.
@David Walser: good edit.
Buck up?
I'll try.
Meanwhile, I'm wavering between This will end like California, a desperate unraveling,
and
This will end like Zimbabwe.
I think she schedules a vote even if she doesn't have the vote.
It's Machiavellian but why wouldn't she?
Or, come to the realization that Pelosi and Obama really really need you and wring a bunch of concessions out of them.
Me? I'd demand a villa in Tuscany and an evening out at a karaoke bar where Pelosi, Obama, and Reid have to do Bon Jovi's "Livin' On a Prayer." I would be King of Youtube once I posted the video.
This is what played out in the original house bill. When there is no other alternative, Pelosi will cut a deal with Stupak. If Stupak is looking for cover to retreat, he may overlook the unenforceabliliy of any deal depending on amending the senate bill which will be voted on.
The fact that the US Post Office is cutting Saturday deliveries seems to have gone unregistered by folks pushing national health care.
If they can't even get something simple like the mail delivered six days a week, how can they possibly deliver complex health care for seven?
Althouse wasn't so snarky during the Bush years. Obviously she has an issue with a black man as POTUS.
The motives of the Dems in fighting forever over a terminally scewed up Health Care Bill remains the mystery. A year ago I felt that they would not mind losing on this bill as a way to gain focus upon the Cap and Trade/ Green Jobs Hoax. Yet they have only distracted their allies and united their enemies. Is that what Dan Rather is saying? Why do Pelosi, Reid and Obama want to see a failed legislative program? They have made all the wrong moves so far.
Althouse wasn't so snarky during the Bush years. Obviously she has an issue with a black man as POTUS.
I really hate this sort of racism. How about that the deficit and debt have exploded, and if this passes, it will get much worse, while reducing the level of health care for most of us? Meanwhile Dan Rathers is being given a pass for talking about selling watermelons on the side of the road with state trooper assist.
"They said they would do this when they were running. I heard it, you heard it, and y'all voted for them knowing this was planned."
True, BUT BUT BUT, that was just the campaign rhetoric! Since when do politicians do what they say they will do?
Sorry about that dripping sarcasm. Really, I am more upset with the electorate for allowing this to happen. Heck, we buy right into the same campaign rhetoric, year after year. The audience, meaning the voters, have now become part of the show.
I think that part of the problem with some of the moderates who voted for Obama is that the Democrats have read what was a protest against Bush(43) as a mandate for a hard left turn.
We find out that the coming deficit reduction panel includes Andy Stern, SEIU president, and then that all government contracting is going to require essentially union wages (by executive order). This of course means significantly fewer jobs "created or saved" with all that "stimulus" money. All in the midst of the greatest recession of our life times.
Obama, Pelosi, Reid, et al. seem bound and determined to push as hard to the left, in as many ways as they can, regardless of what the voters want, and despite the damage to our economy, before the elections in eight months. And the American people seem almost powerless to combat this.
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