Scrambling for Votes, Democrats Face Uphill Climb to Pass Healthcare Reform

rimrocker · Mar 20, 2010

MojoMan said:

Looks like the Dems are still scrambling for votes. There is only a little more than 24 hours before the final vote is scheduled to occur. Nancy Pelosi is going to need to hurry if she is going to get this passed. If the Dems are allowed to go home on Easter break, that will almost certainly be the final nail in the coffin of this monstrosity.

[RQUOTER]Chaos: Stupak proposal riles pro-choice Dems but shows Pelosi may not have the votes

An attempt late Friday by Rep. Bart Stupak, a pro-life Michigan Democrat, to change abortion language in President Obama’s health care bill riled pro-choice lawmakers who vowed not to allow the revision. The move by Stupak, who holds a crucial bloc of Democratic votes that if released would clear the way for the health bill, threw Capitol Hill into confusion late Friday, less than two days before the House is set to vote on the landmark legislation. Stupak, leaving the Capitol, said that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s willingness to talk to him about his idea shows Democrats “don’t have the votes, or they wouldn’t be talking to me,” he said in an interview with The Hill’s Molly Hooper.

It was not entirely clear how exactly Stupak’s proposal would work. Stupak is reportedly trying to change the abortion language through a procedure called a “concurrent resolution,” but a parliamentarian expert told The Daily Caller that such a move would face huge hurdles. The House would likely have to pass the Senate bill, and then hold it back from going to the president for his signature while they voted on the concurrent resolution. Or the president could receive the bill but not sign it into law, waiting for the resolution changing the abortion language to go through the Senate.

The chances of passing such a provision through the Senate, in addition, are not good.

Nonetheless, Pelosi appeared to be taking the proposal seriously, judging by the reaction from her pro-choice caucus. Rep. Diana Degette, Colorado Democrat, emerged clearly agitated from a meeting with Pelosi and other pro-choice members in a room just off the House floor. She said the Stupak proposal was a “non-starter.” “Nobody likes this,” she said, claiming that more than 40 pro-choice Democrats would oppose the move. “If Mr. Stupak and a few members … decide to use this to take health care down, then that loss of health care coverage will be on them,” she said.

Asked if she was willing to vote against the health care bill if Stupak got his way, she said “we are not going to vote for a bill that restricts the woman’s right to choose beyond current law.” “So you’re willing to take down the health care bill?” the Daily Caller asked. “That’s it! That’s all I’m saying!” she said. She then added: “I’m not taking any bill down.”

Pelosi, hurrying out of the meeting with the pro-choice caucus, refused to talk to reporters as she headed to a meeting with other lawmakers in her offices.[/RQUOTER]
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You go to the Daily Caller for your news on Dems? Is Michael Savage's web site down or something?

basso · Mar 20, 2010

FranchiseBlade · Mar 20, 2010

MojoMan said:

Looks like the Dems are still scrambling for votes. There is only a little more than 24 hours before the final vote is scheduled to occur. Nancy Pelosi is going to need to hurry if she is going to get this passed. If the Dems are allowed to go home on Easter break, that will almost certainly be the final nail in the coffin of this monstrosity.

[RQUOTER]Chaos: Stupak proposal riles pro-choice Dems but shows Pelosi may not have the votes

An attempt late Friday by Rep. Bart Stupak, a pro-life Michigan Democrat, to change abortion language in President Obama’s health care bill riled pro-choice lawmakers who vowed not to allow the revision. The move by Stupak, who holds a crucial bloc of Democratic votes that if released would clear the way for the health bill, threw Capitol Hill into confusion late Friday, less than two days before the House is set to vote on the landmark legislation. Stupak, leaving the Capitol, said that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s willingness to talk to him about his idea shows Democrats “don’t have the votes, or they wouldn’t be talking to me,” he said in an interview with The Hill’s Molly Hooper.

It was not entirely clear how exactly Stupak’s proposal would work. Stupak is reportedly trying to change the abortion language through a procedure called a “concurrent resolution,” but a parliamentarian expert told The Daily Caller that such a move would face huge hurdles. The House would likely have to pass the Senate bill, and then hold it back from going to the president for his signature while they voted on the concurrent resolution. Or the president could receive the bill but not sign it into law, waiting for the resolution changing the abortion language to go through the Senate.

The chances of passing such a provision through the Senate, in addition, are not good.

Nonetheless, Pelosi appeared to be taking the proposal seriously, judging by the reaction from her pro-choice caucus. Rep. Diana Degette, Colorado Democrat, emerged clearly agitated from a meeting with Pelosi and other pro-choice members in a room just off the House floor. She said the Stupak proposal was a “non-starter.” “Nobody likes this,” she said, claiming that more than 40 pro-choice Democrats would oppose the move. “If Mr. Stupak and a few members … decide to use this to take health care down, then that loss of health care coverage will be on them,” she said.

Asked if she was willing to vote against the health care bill if Stupak got his way, she said “we are not going to vote for a bill that restricts the woman’s right to choose beyond current law.” “So you’re willing to take down the health care bill?” the Daily Caller asked. “That’s it! That’s all I’m saying!” she said. She then added: “I’m not taking any bill down.”

Pelosi, hurrying out of the meeting with the pro-choice caucus, refused to talk to reporters as she headed to a meeting with other lawmakers in her offices.[/RQUOTER]
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Just saw on FOX news earlier that Pelosi won't have a separate vote on the Stupak amendment. Looks like a sign that she has the votes she needs without Stupak.

MojoMan · Mar 20, 2010

FranchiseBlade said:

Just saw on FOX news earlier that Pelosi won't have a separate vote on the Stupak amendment. Looks like a sign that she has the votes she needs without Stupak.
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Maybe so. We will find out tomorrow. She did open the discussion though, and brought in a number of abortion supporters to discuss it, which apparently stirred up a hornets nest. Why would she have even engaged in that discussion if she was anywhere close to being as confident as you are?

Major · Mar 20, 2010

MojoMan said:

Maybe so. We will find out tomorrow. She did open the discussion though, and brought in a number of abortion supporters to discuss it, which apparently stirred up a hornets nest. Why would she have even engaged in that discussion if she was anywhere close to being as confident as you are?
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Why not have that discussion? It never hurts to talk, and it never hurts to try to build a bigger margin for error.

rimrocker · Mar 20, 2010

MojoMan said:

Maybe so. We will find out tomorrow. She did open the discussion though, and brought in a number of abortion supporters to discuss it, which apparently stirred up a hornets nest. Why would she have even engaged in that discussion if she was anywhere close to being as confident as you are?
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Do you think the votes are there or not?

MojoMan · Mar 20, 2010

rimrocker said:

Do you think the votes are there or not?
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I do not believe they have the votes right now, but I do think there is a plausible chance that they could still round them up by the time the vote is cast tomorrow. It is my sense that this vote is going to be close. If the margin is more than 2-3 votes, that will be because there has been a major meltdown, and the no side has carried the day by more than 2-3 votes. I do not believe it is likely at all that it passes by more than a 2-3 vote margin.

Granville · Mar 20, 2010

mc mark said:

Apparently I misidentified the person with special needs.
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That's the best you could come back with....

cml750 · Mar 20, 2010

rimrocker said:

Do you think the votes are there or not?
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I think it will pass but the final decision will be made by the Supreme Court. That could go either way. Should be interesting.

MojoMan · Mar 20, 2010

The House has decided not to use the 'deemed passed' approach for voting on the Senate's health care bill, as I suspected all along. Of course, that means that the problems they were expecting to circumvent by using this approach are back in play. And the Democrats who were uncomfortable about voting directly in favor of the putrid Senate bill will now have revisit their fears on this issue again. This could be quite interesting.

[RQUOTER]House Opts Against 'Deeming' Health Care Bill Passed

House Democrats on Saturday decided against using a controversial tactic to pass the Senate's version of the health care bill, a senior House source confirmed to Fox News.

House Democrats on Saturday decided against using a controversial tactic to pass the Senate's version of the health care bill without an actual vote.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-MD., said he believes Democrats have enough votes to pass the legislation.

The decision capped an ongoing discussion on whether to use a so-called "deem and pass" strategy that would allow House members to approve the Senate version of health care bill without an actual vote before taking up a second "fix-it" resolution, known as reconciliation.

The stage is now set for three big votes on Sunday: the first to bring the "fix-it" bill to the House floor. The second on the bill. Then the final vote would be on the Senate bill itself.

If the final bill passes the House, the Senate plans to take it up next week.

Rep. David Dreier, R-Calif., cheered the decision by Democrats to abandon "deem and pass,"calling it a sign that Democrats are buckling under pressure.

"In the words of Ronald Reagan, 'they may not have seen the light, but they certainly felt the heat," he said in a written statement.

....(More at the Link)[/RQUOTER]

mc mark · Mar 20, 2010

What will MojoMan whine about next?

mc mark · Mar 20, 2010

Dems Dropping Deem And Pass

Rep. Mel Watt told TPMDC after emerging from a whip meeting on Capitol Hill that Democrats will have three votes instead of the "deem and pass" one-vote move they were considering all week.

Watt (D-NC) told Brian Beutler that on Sunday there will be three votes, ending the kerfuffle Republicans made over the parliamentary tactic of holding one vote.

"There's gonna be three votes as I understand it: the rule, the reconciliation, and the Senate bill," Watt said.

As Watt spoke, tea party rally attendees were nearby yelling they want Congress to kill the bill.

cml750 · Mar 20, 2010

mc mark said:

Dems Dropping Deem And Pass

Rep. Mel Watt told TPMDC after emerging from a whip meeting on Capitol Hill that Democrats will have three votes instead of the "deem and pass" one-vote move they were considering all week.

Watt (D-NC) told Brian Beutler that on Sunday there will be three votes, ending the kerfuffle Republicans made over the parliamentary tactic of holding one vote.

"There's gonna be three votes as I understand it: the rule, the reconciliation, and the Senate bill," Watt said.

As Watt spoke, tea party rally attendees were nearby yelling they want Congress to kill the bill.
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I like it better that they are not using that for something this massive.

mc mark · Mar 20, 2010

cml750 said:

I like it better that they are not using that for something this massive.
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well at least there won't be any talk of SC decisions

mc mark · Mar 20, 2010

momentum is building

MojoMan · Mar 20, 2010

mc mark said:

well at least there won't be any talk of SC decisions

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Not on that issue, anyway. But the provision to mandate the purchase of health insurance is sure to be challenged on constitutional grounds. Also, the states will file a lawsuit relating to their 10th amendment rights. And there will be others.

But prior to any of those events occurring, the Democrats in the House first have to muster the votes to pass the bill. First things first, young Marky.

glynch · Mar 20, 2010

Space Ghost said:

I'll use myself as an example. I am a young healthy male with no major or minor health issues. Do you think I am going to pay several thousand dollars a year in health premiums that I will very likely not use or pay a few hundred in fines? If something serious does happen to me, all I have to do is go sign up for insurance and Im covered. How many people do you think will go this route? Further legislation will be required to fix all the holes in this sieve of a bill, and you expect congress to get along then?
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The loopholes will have to be closed. You have made a great argument for single payer insurance. Thanks.

As an aside I'm not sure if you have the potential to have the type of job that includes insurance. Let's assume not. Fining a guy like you a few hundred per year until you wind up a charity hospital or get insurance when you have a health problem is better than letting you pay nothing until you have a health problem.

Freeloaders are always a problem for any society.

glynch · Mar 20, 2010

MojoMan said:

Not on that issue, anyway. But the provision to mandate the purchase of health insurance is sure to be challenged on constitutional grounds. Also, the states will file a lawsuit relating to their 10th amendment rights. And there will be others.

But prior to any of those events occurring, the Democrats in the House first have to muster the votes to pass the bill. First things first, young Marky.

Click to expand...

The GOP Court will not dare to take health insurance away from 30 million people. Sorry, mocoman.

mc mark · Mar 20, 2010

MojoMan said:

But prior to any of those events occurring, the Democrats in the House first have to muster the votes to pass the bill. First things first, young Marky.

Click to expand...

Pelosi and Hoyer now have assurances from Reid via a signed letter from 50 senators that once the house passed the senate bill, the senate will pass the reconciliation patch.

this is why they are dropping deem and pass

it's a done deal

I'm going out to dinner this evening to celebrate with a half dozen friends or so to bask in the knowledge that healthcare will be the law of the land soon and it being the first day of Spring.

Ostara for you non pagans out there.

Refman · Mar 20, 2010

mc mark said:

bask in the knowledge that healthcare will be the law of the land soon
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With this particular bill, we will soon see whether it will be for better or for worse.

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Scrambling for Votes, Democrats Face Uphill Climb to Pass Healthcare Reform

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Scrambling for Votes, Democrats Face Uphill Climb to Pass Healthcare Reform

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