photo: eyeliem via Flickr
2:00 p.m. EST — Rep. Steny Hoyer making the expected acknowledgment of the historic nature of this debate and following vote. Recognizes the urgency of reform to Americans, “our families, our neighbors.” Wants to say to middle-class families, backbone of country, “you will have coverage you can depend upon.”
“This is the kind of tax-cut America needs.”
“You deserve a fair playing field.”
For 35 million Americans without coverage, “you will have what every man, woman child has in every industrialized nation.”
“It isn’t a simple bill, it isn’t a perfect bill; product of months and months of careful debate.”
“This is not a new idea, but it’s an idea whose time has come.”
Now reciting examples where Americans have died for lack of coverage, including the 12-year-old who died of a tooth infection.
We will vote for a system which reflects the “values we profess, principles we hold dear.”
“On this historic day, vote for a more perfect union…”
2:10 p.m. — Rep. Joe Barton — recognizes his wife for inability to go on anniversary vacation because he has to be here to do his job. Wife works in a public hospital. Begins a recitation of the costs.
Citizens will find out their money doesn’t buy but a very low level policy with their money.
Doesn’t think government should mandate people buy insurance or that businesses should buy insurance.
Doesn’t think government should be mandating but rarely.
2:14 p.m. — Rep. James Clyburn — thinking about voters who didn’t want government to mess with their insurance, but they don’t find out how bad their insurance is until they try to use.
Extended insurance for youth, access insurance for high risk, insurers will be prohibited from dropping you; displaced workers will not lose coverage and it will be affordable.
Three additional protections: no co-pays on preventative care, no caps, no discrimination against pre-existing coverage.
2:18 p.m. — Rep. John Shimkus — begins by attacking John Dingell as a long-supporter of a single-payer system; “this is a gateway to a single-player plan,” will achieve single-payer plan goals, including reduced Medicare coverage, increased premiums and rationed care.
2:19 p.m. — Rep. Rosa DeLaura — none of us serving in Congress will ever do anything as historic or lasting as providing health care for all. Will lift people out of poverty, will reduce discrimination in coverage.
Vote for America today, this is why we are here.
2:21 p.m. — Rep. Mary Bono — protests this bill, flies in the face of Hippocratic Oath to ‘first do no harm.’
Will increase costs to consumers, not provide more coverage.
2:22 p.m. — Rep. John Larson (chair of Dem Caucus — 36 million Americans depend upon the action of the house floor today. Today will address real threat to these Americans and not the fearmongering, citing examples of people who cannot afford health.
“Disease recognizes no borders, it affects all of us.”
“It is why we came here to serve, 36 million Americans deserve no less.”
2:25 p.m. — Rep. Nathan Deal — three concerns: by what constitutional authority does Congress require mandated insurance; illegal immigrants will receive care, since system can be abused; opt-out has been rejected, states can’t afford it.
2:27 p.m. — Rep. Chris Van Hollen — Nation stands at historic cross-roads: status quo, or access and affordable health care for all. Face unsustainable rising health care costs, health care premiums more than doubled since 2002 along with health care profits as insurers said no to insureds making claims.
Consumers Union and Consumer Reports, AARP, Doctors of America have endorsed this bill.
Not our job to protect insurance companies’ special interests.
Let’s vote for this bill.
2:29 p.m. — Rep. Marsha Blackburn — finds this a very sad day to vote for this bill; cites examples of Canadian medicine where care wasn’t provided as horror stories.
Cites H1N1 shortage as example of failure of government healthcare.
[chair trying to gavel down as she is running over her time]
2:31 p.m. — Rep. Waxman — acknowledges historic opportunity to provide health care for all. Failing to do so will bankrupt our country, individual families.
Health care insurance can be kept by those who already have it, but not lost by those who lose their jobs.
Caps on serious illness gone. No lifetime caps. Children up to age 27 will continue to have coverage under parents.
Provides Americans with more choice and competition, strengthening existing coverage and ending donut hole.
Only danger is to do nothing. Will not add to deficit.
Time to do something momentous for Americans.
2:34 p.m. — Rep. Bill Young — [sorry have to cut away here to publish]
Never mind, Rep. Boehner breaks in to ask about the Stupak amendment…Rep. Waxman tries to explain how it will be addressed…
2:37 p.m. — Rep. Frank Pallone — asks if Congress is going to ensure access to coverage, reasonable costs which won’t bankrupt families, and if they are in favor of supporting small businesses who need insurance for their workers, and if they are going to end discrimination against Americans for health care.
2:39 p.m. — Rep. Kevin McCarthy — it’s his second term, and boy have things changed since then. Notes stock market level and unemployment. Now blames Democrats. Insert usual litany about tax cuts and bailouts (can you tell I’m getting tired of this kind of Republican garbage?)
2:42 p.m. — Waxman recognizes Kennedy on mental health care components
2:43 p.m. — Rep. Charlie Rangel — surprised that opposition’s answer to citizens’ need for health care is no, points out it has been a standard response to other needs like Social Security.
Thanks members for working hard to ensure this bill would not only pay for itself but reduce the deficit over ten years.
It’s a small thing for members of congress who already have health care, but it’s a big thing for families who don’t have it or can’t afford it, in comparison to other countries’ which provided it for their people.
[gaveled out as he closes - audience claps, but no admonishment]
2:47 p.m. Rep. Ralph Hall — “This bill is a ‘generation killer,’” leaving debt for generations, asks members to vote no.
2:47 p.m. Rep. Anna Eschoo — This bill is a fitting memorial to Edward Kennedy who was a champion for underdog.
Abhorrent practice of dropping patients will end. Seniors will get stronger coverage.
2:49 p.m. Rep. Frank Upton — Notes (in his oddly squeaky voice) unemployment rate of 10.2% and Michigan’s 15% rate. How does this 20-lb. bill decrease our unemployment?
[what a moron, I'm sorry, apologize to the country for this idiot]
2:51 p.m. — Rep. Eliot Engel — proud of this bill to provide reasonable health care for all, it’s the reason many members of Congress sought to serve. Families will not have to worry any longer; don’t listen to the fearmongering.
Asks members to vote in support of bill.
2:52 p.m. — Rep. Kay Granger — Unemployment over 10%, deficit at 12 trillion, blah-blah-blah…going to vote for another trillion to force new debt, new agencies, new mandates on our citizens.
“What are people in this chamber thinking of?”
2:54 p.m. — Rep. Gene Green — a momentous day like those when Social Security and Medicare were created. Acknowledges how many people in his district do not have coverage or insufficient coverage. Lists the protections provided by the bill.
2:55 p.m. — Rep. Cliff Sterns — “I rise against this bill.” Bill makes a mockery of tort reform, bill undoes all states’ tort reform. allows trial lawyers to declare open season on all doctors. [whew, serious fear there...]
2:57 p.m. — Rep. Lois Capps — Women will no longer be discriminated against for being women; no discrimination for being a victim of domestic violence, provides health care for their entire family.
Urges all members to vote for bill.
2:58 p.m. — Rep. Ed. Whitfield — does not support creation of a federal board to oversee health care, doesn’t support increase in taxes, deficit, definitely not in territories.
[gaveled out as time runs out]
2:59 p.m. — Rep. Mike Doyle — opposition trying to scare seniors claiming it will destroy Medicare; wants to straighten out the message, as this bill will strengthen Medicare. Not only provides health care for all, but extends Medicare solvency by another five years, pays down part of deficit.
3:01 p.m. — Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen — has a parent who requires long-term care; worried about families who must provide long-term care for senior family members, worried about unemployment, worried, worried, worried…
3:02 p.m. — Rep. Jay Insley — cites case of constituent has a wife who wants to start a small business; asks question about biosimilars and switching to generics; Waxman says only with doctor approval. Insley supports bill.
3:04 p.m. — Rep. Roy Blunt — can’t afford this bill, cuts Medicare, raises taxes, no estimate of job impacts, it’s a government takeover of health care; Medicare savings should be used to save Medicare, not to fund a new program.
Hope we reject this bill; if it passes, hope we can work together to really reform the system.
3:06 p.m. — Rep. G. K. Butterfield — we have a constitutional obligation to provide for the general health and welfare of our citizens. Not doing so is a failure of their duties.
Urges his fellow members to support the bill.
3:07 p.m. — Rep. Phil Gingrey — (after usually litany of fear) If they (members )forget, Americans won’t forget what they did and who did it to them.
* Must take a break, sorry, will pick up when I can. *
Who’d I miss? Just overheard Radanovich say government is more involved in our lives than ever — as if he had NOTHING to do with that. Agh.
3:15 p.m. — Rep. Jan Schakowsky — pushes HR 3962, stands up for womens’ health care. [WATCH FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THIS SEGMENT. Schakowsky said "It's a great day for women" or something to that effect, waiting for video.]
3:15 p.m. — Rep. [didn't catch name, help me here] — bill doesn’t not fix underlying problem of cost of health care, increases debt for future generations, state becomes responsible for everything and nobody responsible for state.
Urges members vote against the bill.
[time check, 13 min left for Dems, 17 for Repubs.]
3:16 p.m. — Rep. Tammy Baldwin — today we convene to debate a bill which provides meaningful health care reform, will vote for the bill, “every American deserves health care, every American shall have it.”
3:17 p.m. — Rodney Frelinghuysen — opposes bill, has received 13,000 letters, faxes, talked with constituents all over. Constituents worried about Pelosi’s 19,000 page bill how it will affect them. They worry with good reason.
3:19 p.m. — Rep. Barney Frank — cracks wise about important fishing constituents, not-so-important rancher constituents, asks about insertion of amendment related to commercial fishers [does this make any sense? couldn't understand this...]
3:21 p.m. — Rep. Joseph Pitts — ah, finally brings up the issue of government prohibition against federal funding of abortion, asks members to vote against any funding of same.
3:22 p.m. — Rep. Kathy Castor — families no longer have to worry about cancellations due to long-term or chronic illness.
Supports the bill.
3:23 p.m. — Rep. Cynthia Lummis — Trillion-dollar tax will force all Wyomingans to buy insurance even if it doesn’t make sense for them. Threatened with imprisonment if they don’t participate.
“This bill will shackle the American people…”
[gaveled out; admonishment that gallery is in attendance as guests]
3:26 p.m. — Rep. Patrick Murphy — Cites example of small business owner who can’t keep up with cost of insurance, other constituent kicked off plan due to health condition. Says he’s a “proud Blue Dog Democrat,” bill reduces deficit and reins in costs, looks forward to working toward doing more.
3:27 p.m. — Rep. Henry Waxman inserts comment to thank Murphy and assure him they will continue to work on costs.
3:28 p.m. — Rep. [can't keep up here at this point, it's the usual whine about costs, gov't intervention, blah-blah]
3:29 p.m. — Rep. Christopher Murphy — kids go to bed sick at night because parent can’t afford care. No excuse for this. We can provide care, can do better, supports the bill.
3:30 p.m. — Rep. Mike Rogers — huge consequences to citizens who’ve already earned their care in this bill. They will be another victim. When mother takes sick child to doctor, that relationship is no longer sacred; bill forces rationing of care. Violates fundamental relationship between mother and doctor. [Wow will he say that about women's reproductive rights? Not.] Urges strong rejection of bill.
3:32 p.m. — Rep. John Balazar — bill will increase the number of doctors, reduce families going bankrupt, it’s time to fix this now.
3:33 p.m. — Rep. [didn't catch name] — Holding the bill in his hand, big heap of paper, 530 million dollars of spending per page. Fails citizens due to tax increases, fails seniors due to cuts in services, fails citizens as it violates president’s promises.
3:35 p.m. — Rep. Betty Button — Americans have been waiting for this day, ending discrimination, caps, closing donut hole.
[time check: Dems 5.25 min left, Repubs 11 min -- ugh...]
3:36 p.m. — Rep. Michael Burgess — Americans wanted relief, including doctors wrt to formulary, medical (tort?) liability, didn’t provide what doctors needed. Many practices didn’t get what they needed.
[Running over, gaveled out]
Someone spoke for less than 10 sec, didn’t catch who they were.
3:39 p.m. — Rep. Tom Perriello — asking Waxman whether maternal care part of bill, Waxman confirms [didn't catch the other question, did you? pls advise in comments]
3:40 p.m. — Rep. John Shadegg — holding up baby named Maddie, claims Maddie wants freedom, that her health care won’t be there because of the bill.
[I can't write this guy's babbling, he is using a baby like a freaking meat puppet, "Maddie says..."]
[Audience actually claps for this crap; admonished for speaking to guests in the house.]
[Waxman says baby is remarkable child, and remarkable ventriloquist.]
3:42 p.m. — Rep. John Sarbanes — Americans need this bill; they just want to know if bill makes sense, if it will help them. Seniors will get donut hole filled, youths get extended coverage, adults will see abuses of insurance system stopped.
Urges support of bill.
3:43 p.m. — Rep. Steve Buyer — Americans fight for others’ freedom, but Congress denies them freedom in their health care. His amendments were denied last night in committee, veterans denied their choice [is YELLING at Congress].
[gaveled out, another admonishment to audience]
Waxman yields himself one minute, says bill allows vets to keep their benefits and participate in exchange if they desired.
[Much yelling now, house president now demanding (Buyer?) respect Waxman's time]
3:46 p.m. — Rep. Bruce Braley — says his class was voted to change direction, talks about an infant family member who had a partial liver removal; working parents who both have insurance still have steep bills they must pay, is very wrong. Bill will help them.
3:48 p.m. — Rep. Spencer Bachus — promised a “haircut of choice” but it’s going to be government choosing. Freedom is about choice, this bill denies choice, not freedom.
3:49 p.m. — Rep. Susan Davis — plans to support bill, concerned with Sec. 309, wants strong consumer/patient safe guards like in her state of California.
Waxman thanks her for her work, bill should not find loopholes in state laws.
3:50 p.m. — Rep. Jeff Fortenberry — bill is massive, risky revamp of insurance system, doesn’t address portability. Expensive bill will fail to address costs, will simply shift costs. Missed an opportunity for real reform, can’t support bill.
[Dems have used up most time, Repubs now taking more of theirs]
3:52 p.m. — Rep. [didn't catch name] — Thank goodness he lives in America where he can be treated as he chooses for his prostate cancer and not in other socialized medicine countries. Constituent has cried to him, “Don’t take away my options.”
[Question as to whether members of House can "approve" -- applaud -- comments; not strictly against rules. Oh joy.]
3:55 p.m. — Rep. Tom Cole — usual litany: Oklahomans know this bill will kill jobs, raise taxes, increase insurance costs, step backwards, voting against bill.
3:56 p.m. — Rep. Elijah Cummings — What should he say to a constituent with cancer who is choosing between eating and health care premium? what about constituent who paid insurance but still faced a $22,000 bill after having a baby? We should use our moral authority. Support the bill.
3:57 p.m. — Rep. Christopher Smith — Pro-Stupak amendment, prevents Christians from paying for abortions [insert usual excessively violent language here about the nature of abortion.]
[Question as to who has the right to close. Majority.]
3:59 p.m. — Rep. Jeb Hensarling — Canadians have to wait days, weeks, months for surgery; his elderly father got bypass surgery right away because he wasn’t in Britain, Canada, etc. Shouldn’t be bankrupting children for care we can’t get right away.
* need a break again here; keep me posted on what happens *
4:03 p.m. — Rep. Joe Barton — doesn’t believe we should have a system which stipulates what we should have for insurance. There is an alternative, the Republican alternative has a plan without mandates on Americans.
4:40 p.m. — Rep. Henry Waxman — 37 million Americans do not have insurance because they aren’t employed, their employer doesn’t offer, have preexisting condition, that’s not freedom. We want them to buy the same insurance all other Americans have, shouldn’t be forced into bankruptcy. Let’s do this for them.
- END OF THIS POST -
Related posts:
- Breaking: Pelosi Unveils Merged House Health Care Reform Bill
- House Releases Major Health Care Reform Bill
- Health Care Reform: Only the Baucus Bill is Deficit Neutral? Wrong
- Liveblogging Harry Reid’s Press Conference on Health Care Bill
- Sen. Kennedy Releases Draft of Health Care Reform Bill; Obama Pushes Reforms
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*Clutching Pearls* … Ohs Nos, let’s not force Murkans to adopt Canada’s Health care system !
Boehner seeking conference guarantees, but he understands there are no guarantees. Idjit.
Boehner needs some more basting …
“For 35 million Americans without coverage, ‘you will have what every man, woman child has in every industrialized nation.’ ”
What a fucking, bare-faced lie.
I’m outa here, and out of the Democratic party forever.
He is particularly well-basted today, and wearing his favorite new green tie. What a guy!!!
Someone should tell him to get stuffed !
((( Loo Hoo )))
Hey, Petro! Isn’t this exciting? Imagine when the senate votes…
Oh, Eshoo’s gonna throw herself on Ted Kennedy again.
Thanks Rayne
OK, anyone wanna bet me?
I gave to the fund for the critters taking the pledge that they would vote NO on any bill without a Robust PO. By their own definition, this bill does NOT have a robust PO. Now it has an amendment that every rightminded progressive would find completely unacceptable.
So I bet the progressives cave and vote FOR the bill.
Anyone wanna bet?
time to fish or cut bait …..
if you look at the big picture and don’t vote for it “you are dead to me.”
important as it is, this isn’t just about health care.
time to take the traitorous Republicans, including Jomentum, downtown…..
Lois Capps is focusing on the benefits to women in this bill.
The Democratic Party has been out of ME forever.
We’ll be lucky of we get a tin of Asprin once the dust settles.
“The Republican Health Plan: Don’t get sick, or if you do, die quickly.”
i like that. it has a nice ring to it. i give it an”8″.
I see Shimkus the Dimkus (the Congresscritter just south of me in the east Metro) has put a foot in it again. No one could have predicted, etc., etc.,
IL-12 residents, stay on top of Jerry Costello. He’s been pretty squishy on HC reform. (202) 225-5661
Andy
Alton IL
Howdy firepups – just getting to the action as I had some commitments this morning. Skimming through the prior posts to get caught up.
Oh, yay, I wonder if Roy Blunt will tell a monkey joke.
Just received this from Progressive Democrats of America in partnership with the LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE FOR GUARANTEED HEALTHCARE:
“Speaker Pelosi received a statement from Rep. Kucinich and Rep. Conyers, the co-authors of HR 676, that they do not think that this is the right time for a vote on national single-payer legislation. They made this statement despite the extensive mobilization in support of this vote across the country. In addition, Speaker Pelosi felt that offering a single-payer amendment would open the floodgates to amendments proposed to limit abortion funds, restrict immigrant access to health care and other regressive legislation.”
anyone else see the tragic irony of her logic?
Anger is an energy !! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzNjmIWbns4
return Howdy!
Guess she needs to dust off her crystal ball…what else does she think may happen?
The banality of the moment, masks the importance of the votes to come.
Hi Ell!
Ferdawgsake, there’s a shitload going on!
Agh. Must say this is one of the tougher kinds of live blogging to do.
only a minute each at this point, and much of it is not really noteworthy, just crap going on the record.
You’re doing great, Rayne, thanks for this.
She did not say that!
SHE FUCKING DID NOT SAY THAT!!
“This is a great day for women” — Jan Schakowski.
Maybe just lump it into “Continuing 1 Minutes” and then just highlight anything noteworthy?
We’ll be able to get the record later, and it sure seems like an awful lot of work…
Yeah, she did.
At least on my teevee she did.
Yeah, it got my attenetion too.
Lois is my rep. I love her…sometimes wish she were more aggressive, but she
is a hard worker.
Clarification, please: has there been a vote on the Stupak amendment? Is it now in the bill? Are they just bloviating now, or have there been any votes yet to modify the Democratic bill?
Arrrgh, I loathe Cynthia Lummis.
GOPs seem to have no compunction about speaking right through the gavel.
A fitting successor to Dick Cheney as sole Wyoming ‘critter, that one.
She was spectactularly rude to gay cowboys who wanted to participate in Cheyenne’s Frontier Days; beginning the year Matt Shepard was murdered.
Tone deaf and MEAN! Perfect Republican!
Oh, jeez, Frank Wolf, who is keeping his seat warm for Barbara Comstock.
I was in Cheyenne for Frontier Days almost twenty years ago: FUN!
GOPs seem to have no compunction about
speaking right through the gavel.screwing over Amurrica. There, fixed it.I have not seen many members of the Congressional Black Caucus speaking today. I hope Waxman has done his homework on representation by speakers.
Yeah, I’m a little confused about the parliamentary status here too. I thought once an amendment was approved in committee, it became “part of” the bill on the floor.
Is that the case??? Or will the amendment be voted on separately again on the floor?
This is simply disgraceful what is happening.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/07/i-object-tom-price-tries_n_349587.html
I am gobsmacked by these Texas GOPs who stand up and say their state’s tort reform has lowered health care costs. It is an absolute and provable lie.
Stupak’s amendment is in the Rule, not the bill. It will need a floor vote, which I don’t THINK has happened yet.
I think the Congresspeople should be made to go on record NOW for or against the most fiscally sane and humanitarian plan. 30 pages of HR676, clean and clear honest economic and social renewal (and bottom line physical survival for 45,000 Americans) and proven workability VS. kabuki-denial-but-beneath-the-rhetoric-campaign-finance-mentor-payback of 1000+ pages of legal loopholes and ambushes to extort or deny even more from citizens? But the truth is too blindingly illuminating to let it expose their Plan B’s discounting of the “common good” or the “public trust”. Why would they honor a promise they made and make themselves suffer even a moment’s inconvenience of conscience?
Oh puke
TPM has a good read on this; it appears we’re in the 4 hour debate portion referenced.
WTF? Shaddegg?? New low.
We’ll see what Maddy thinks when she comes of age.
I think it was Rachel last night that had the stat that Texas leads the nation in uninsured at almost 25% (I think that was the figure – 24.7% or something like that).
Which seems to mean that it would be the leading example in the Rs eyes (after all their so-called health reform bill would continue to allow companies to block for pre-existing conditions.)
Alan Grayson is correct on his description of the R “plan”
Unfortunately, at this point I think Ian Welsh is right. The Democrats are committing political suicide by pushing this bill. They deserve it. By eliminating the provision that tied the public option to Medicare, and by limiting the eligibility to people who don’t have any other insurance, they’ve made it largely useless for controlling costs, and for keeping the insurance companies in line. Adding things like the Stupak amendment while not even putting Kucinich’s amendment (allowing states to set up single-payer systems if they want to), demonstrates their priorities.
When the bill for this comes due, a lot of people are going to be wondering why they bothered. I say this as one of the few people it’s likely to benefit, since I don’t have health insurance now, and couldn’t get it. If the House bill as it is at the moment passed, I could. But then, I don’t need family planning.
If there’s any justice, the Democrats will pay dearly for this failure at the ballot box.
Doh, that’s right.
My bad. Sorry.
There was a failure to reach compromise on wording to include Stupaks Amendment in Committee. He thus insisted on bringing it to the floor. He claims that with the Republicans and pro-life Dems he has the votes to get it in.
I don’t think it’s been approved on the floor as yet. But I’ve stepped away.
This idiot Buyer from Indiana is talking about “celebrating” Veterans Day.
Not really a celebration, idiot. More “commemorate”
Not bad at all. This arcana is very difficult to keep track of, and I am not sure I am correct.
Now they are yelling.
THere was a vote on allowing the Stupak amendment to be voted on.
The amendment itself has not been voted for or against. I believe that will happen before voting on the misbegotten bill itself.
As far as I know the Childrens Health Insurance Program has been eliminated, Eshoo’s biosimilars give away is still present, subsidies for up to 400% of poverty level are still present, millionaires tax to pay for it.
Public option is not Medicare+5%, it’s Public option with rates determined by negotiation by HHS. Rural democrats are getting money for hospitals and doctors in return for their vote.
Goddammed these fucking Republicans are OUT OF FUCKING CONTROL.
DAMMIT, I’d LOVE to have just 5 minutes in a room with these assholes. Please God, let that happen.
Bruce Braley from Iowa up now, after lots of yelling from the other side and extensive gaveling by Obey in the chair.
the amazing predictive abilities of those who hold accurate, rather than faith-based, beliefs about the Democratic Party, I give you, Matt Tabibi, from July 28th.
and he closes plaintively:
like a terminally cirrhotic patient finally deciding to lay off the Jack Daniels, yes, that would be a good start.
difficult, no fun, painful, but a needed start.
This idiot is telling us that he is cancer-free because of our wonderful health care system in American, without even acknowledging that he has coverage under the Congressional system. Yeah, dude, give us your plan, it is the best in America!
The irony of that shit just drove me crazy. He is cancer free precisley BECAUSE HE HAS GOVERNMENT HEALTHCARE
Was it like this before CSPAN?
Why do they keep talking about the stupid football game?
Elijah Cummings from Maryland.
There’s Cummings Teddy; Waxman must have heard you. :)
FINALLY! The Moral argument! Yay Cummings!
Re the talk/vido text of cspan the ‘poverty level’:
“The poverty guidelines are sometimes loosely referred to as the “federal poverty level” (FPL), but that phrase is ambiguous and should be avoided, especially in situations (e.g., legislative or administrative) where precision is important. ”
From here
No answer that comes to mind would make it past the mod, Teddy. But take yer pick.;)
thanks rayne. my misery loves company.
The GOPs just make up numbers, don’t they?
Falling out of long term lurkdom with a couple of questions.
Lois Capps is my Rep also.
I’ve been paying pretty close attention to this Healthcare thing and it was only yesterday that I discovered that there is (was) such a thing as the Capps Amendment that would continue the Hyde Amendment. Today I see that there will be a vote on the Stupak Amendment.
Can anyone explain to me if the Capps and the Stupak Amendments are the same and or if Lois is a co-sponsor of this Stupak Amendment.
I’m totally confused — How can Lois stand there and praise this bill on woman’s rights and have her name on something that codifies Hyde into this bill?
I don’t know what to think of Lois Capps. I like her personally but she was ready to vote for the Iraq Resolution until 10,000 irate people called her office. And what the hell is a “New” Democrat- seems DLC to me?
This Georgian Kingston thinks the federal government fucked up Cash for Clunkters.
They can’t let up on the meme that ‘gubmint is evil’ otherwise, they have no position.
It’s always made me wonder, that if they truly DO think the government is evil, why do they give it virtually unlimited cash for weapons?
Sometimes they make up letters, too.
That was a fine piece by Ian.
Yes.
This has been another case of…
DWS speaking as an uninsurable with a pre-existing condition, her breast cancer.
So, Ways and Means gets 80 minutes now, divided between GOP and Dem.
I guess each of the three committees gets chat time, right?
My son just flipped off the television when I told him the guy on CSPAN right now is not only a Republican, but he’s our representative.
He asked if he had permission to say something inappropriate. Sure, I said.
“FUCK OFF DAVE CAMP, QUIT COMPLAINING ABOUT TAXES!!”
Yeah, what the kid said. The man’s worth millions and he’s complaining? Fuck the hell off.
David Scott is an inspiring speaker. Is he the one who had a swastika painted on the sign outside on of his district’s office?
Smart kid ya got there.
Nadler!
Raul G. said yesterday he was “leaning” to NO, but then it sounded like he was really leaning to YES.
Not possible to jump the chasm to health care reform in two leaps this way. (or many leaps?)
Midair vague promises are not sustainable, and procrastination is usually not a friend to improved conditions. It normalizes the not so good stuff. It demoralizes and erodes the vision of entitlement and empowerment. This was a window of opportunity for something BIG. Obama didn’t dream all that big about health care?
It’s because Rahm wants the win so they can go into the midterm elections saying that they fixed health care. I also suspect they want to have the bishops on board to counter the massive ad blitz from the Chamber of Commerce and other anti-reform groups; notice how many anti-reform ads have popped up on your TV screen lately?
“Today, elective abortion is neither covered by federal government insurance nor funded under federal law. Make no mistake — the Capps Amendment aims to circumvent all the protections the Hyde Amendment and other federal laws gave to taxpayers unwilling to fund the destruction of human life. It will put the federal government squarely in the abortion business.
The biggest disinformation being perpetuated by the abortion lobby is that the Hyde Amendment is already in health-care reform. It is not. That is why pro-life America is fighting vigorously for an amendment that adds an express exclusion of abortion funding and coverage in health-care reform, like that of the Hyde Amendment for Medicaid, to prevent profiteering by the abortion industry off of American taxpayers.
Does that help?
Sounds like you’re going to need blood pressure meds after today, Jane!
Go, Jerry! The status quo is not an option!
“This bill bulldozes individual liberty and puts the government just where it doesn’t belong, right smack dab in the middle of your personal health care decisions.”
Some R from Texas (”a true American hero”).
Now read that. I guarantee you this same R from Texas has NO PROBLEM WHATSOEVER getting right smack dab in the middle of a woman’s personal health decision when it comes to abortion. Would I be wrong?
He’s a future tax payer and he’s not worried. The kid just saw his grandfather bankrupted by long-term care needed for his grandmother over the last 5 years. We’re now supporting gramps.
And the grandparents had both health care insurance and Medicare.
Listening to these Texans make shit up, I am beginning to come around to the Rick Perry view of secession. Oh, here’s Sheila Jackson-Lee to make me regret that remark….
House Republicans have a vision? Why didn’t they do something to fix things when they had all the power?
How do you listen to these people..why are they up there if they hate gov’t so bad….Power to our commenter.
Why do I have the feeling Jane is on the phone, very sharply questioning some contact(s) somewhere….
Same here with my father. Long term care is not covered by any plans. I still don’t know how a supposed regulated industry got away with excluding all sorts of health care (mental health, vision, dental, long-term care) from health insurance coverage.
And having his own very good Gov’t coverage + Im pretty sure he is a Vet so he’s gotten that VA coverage for a long time. Is he complaining about that, too?
that makes sense. thanks.
You really do know the answer, don’t you? Cash for votes, IIRC
Sporkie, the big problem is in fact that Rahm (who gave us the 1994 midterm debacle) wants the bill to pass so the Administration and Democratic Congresscritters can go into the midterm elections saying that they fixed health care. I also suspect they want to have the bishops on board, as well as AARP, to counter the massive ad blitz from the Chamber of Commerce and other anti-reform groups; notice how many anti-reform ads have popped up on your TV screen lately?
The donut hole really hurt him. FIL had his own meds, she had hers, they really racked up a lot of costs that didn’t make out to the other side of the donut hole.
Very, very bad when a life-long Republican is hoping that the people I’ve voted for will fix the problem.
People who think dependence on government is a bad thing shouldn’t hold political office.
Thanks Phoenix Woman- I get Rahm’s part in this. I’m just trying to figure out the part my Congresscritter is playing. She usually stays in the background -safely in the crowd. That she stood up to have her name on something and it’s an anti-choice amendment is just stunning to me.
QFT.
I wish I could shut off the television, these people are toxic to listen to. My ears can’t process this much bullshit, I know there are big swaths I couldn’t put in text because it simply was too much bullshit.
No idea how emptywheel does this when she covers committees…
Understood….I really could not listen….All those old men been on govt payroll forever….rants about Canada….lies, lies.
The whole reason why we haven’t seen these ads from the very beginning — and financed by the pharmaceutical industry as well as the Chamber — is because of the deal to jettison the PO (and keep SP from coming anywhere near the table) that was cut this spring. But since the PO is still alive, the Chamber’s now cranking up its ads, and Big Insurance is likely to follow. The Democrats and Obama will need some big institutional guns to counter all of this, which I’m guessing is why they want the RCC (which can and does use its pulpits to push political agendae) on board.
Yes, I thought so, too. That’s the reason I provided the link – it nicely explains what’s wrong with the current bill(s).
Give her a call and ask her!
So Lois was trying to insert the Hyde Amendment language into this bill to prevent federal funding of abortions for any policy on the exchange?
My father was a union organizer for UFCW. He had about the best private coverage I’ve ever seen (I used to manage a pediatricain’s office with 4 Doc’s and 2 Nurse practitioners, so I’ve seen LOTS of insurances).
Yet, when he developed “peaks disease”, a terrible form of dementia, and required long term care, Mom and dad had to pay out of pocket until there assets were basically gone and then he became eligible for Medicaid, until he died in June.
It’s abosolutely disgusting that families work their whole lives and end up with a just little bit of something, only to lose that at the end when, as is usually the case when old, they get sick.
Unacceptable. Immoral. Just plain fucking wrong.
Plus now hearing from AARP and AMA….
Pete Stark lists what this bill will do and who supports it, but admits it is not the bill he would have preferred.
i had a ton of stuff i should have gotten done today, but like a moth to a flame, i just can’t seem to stop listening. and so i’m just sitting here stunned.
It’s a sad commentary on America when this carries more weight than the endorsements of the professional organizations for doctors and nurses. When an organization that only approves the bill after it caters to their notion that every sperm is sacred is trusted to decide anything regarding health care, there are some seriously ignorant people in those pews.
Here’s the Capps Amendment explanation. Essentially it tried to amend the proposed amendments by the anti-abortion wing to allow a segregation of Federal funding in the plans offered by the exchanges. Each insurer would have to offer two plans, one with (A) and one w/out (B) abortion coverage. Federal funds would be used in both plans but not for the abortion services component of (A). These would be funded by the personal premium shares by those that enroll in Plan A coverages.
Ironically these plans could be cheaper than Plan B’s since there would likely be proportionately less costs by women who are not undertaking childbirth and who have associated costs (note: this is unpredictable since simply b/c women opt for plan A doesn’t mean that they WILL get an abortion; furthermore many men may opt for Plan A coverage, particularly if it is less expensive)
http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2009/11/07/capps-speaks-out-against-stupakpitts-amendment-full-text-remarks
Yeah, like watching an impending train wreck, can’t stop it, can’t look away.
The cluelessness about the current costs to Americans is stunning. Like the bankruptcies.
Or the insistence on job creation numbers from assholes who’ve done everything possible to help ship jobs overseas.
Useless sacks of meat.
I just got home. What time is the vote expected?
part of that i don’t buy. 1) the deal to keep sp off the table was in place by last summer (probably earlier) and 2) the po is functionally already dead as far as i can see.
could it be an industry double cross? that still fits with your rcc hypothesis.
but i haven’t seen any ads recently, so i’m depending on your take of them. thanks for that, and your analysis.
Easier link Capps Speaks Out On Stupak-Pitts Amendment
Did Nunes just call President Obama a drunk, broke gambler?
CSPAN occasionally says posts something saying about 10 eastern
Thank the cosmos for John Lewis. Thank you.
To be fair, I think he said “this House” drunk, broke, etc
some info on subsidized plans was in the nov 2 cbo letter. from that i infer that a family of four making $96,000 will be required to purchase insurance that, for the enrollee reference plan will cost $15,000 in premiums and $5,500 in average cost sharing for a total of $20,500/year. that’s 21.3% of their $96,000. and i don’t even know what the out of pocket max costs are (70% actuarial value which is the lowest cost tier i think)
i’ll do the same calculation for an individual…
Drunk…must have been talking about Boehner!
i think this is still the vote on the rule.
Aravosis is reporting source says final vote around 9PM EST. Also there’s a HealthReformNow twitter feed here
What would be the Federal Subsidy on that, if any?
lol!
“Orange, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son.”
F*cking Boehner. I am so sick of his moronic yap.
My take away was that she was trying to protect some avenue for women
who might need abortion services. Of course, all that would be unnecessary if women’s health care was treated equally with that of the Viagra crowd.
Oh good. I got home in time to see Boehner.
Thanks Cinnamonape! This was not up on realitychecks earlier.
I did call Capps’ Washington office. They took my name and number to have the health care policy person call me back. But this sounds like she is against the Stupak amendment.
Hey he has to make that tan match the nicotine stains on his fingers doncha know.
I see we’re negotiating with repubs again with the Stupak amendment. Tell me, what are the dems getting out of it?
Outstanding!
Tan may hide the cig smoke…but too bad the tan doesn’t make teh stoopit go away.
He pops up regularly, asking for a conference guarantee on the Stupak amendment.
Thanks, brook.
I was confounded by what she was doing and all my googling wasn’t helping.
What part of Ca-23 are you in. I’m City of Santa Barbara, Samarkand area
zero. i did the calculation for the income level just over the level of subsidies (400% of fpl) and for the cbo’s estimate of the average of the three lowest cost basic plans (with 70% actuarial value — i think typical employer provided insurance is typically about 80% or better, maybe someone here can provide the actual data on that).
Profoundly un-progessive part of San Luis Obispo County. But a great ocean view. In fact, considering taking a beachwalk break from all this stomach-
turning rhetoric.
LOL, I hope someone offers an amendment to the Stupid amendment that “prohibits any federal dollars or insurance companies in the exchanges from paying for boner pills.” LOL, THAT’L SINK the Stupid amendment. GUARANTEE IT!
http://kucinich.us/index.php
explains the thinking behind the strategy
Open Left has a list of possible persuadables against the Stupid Amendment if you’d like to make some calls.
Medicare got double-digit GOP votes in both houses of Congress in 1965.
Yes, she opposed Stupak-Pitts. She was working on a way to satisfy the insistence of those morally opposed not to have their tax dollars go to pay for abortion while at the same time allowing access to those who opted for it. It was a way of finessing both those concerns (anti-abortionists called it an “end run” around Hyde). It really isn’t since not a penny for abortion services would come from Federal stipends.
Let’s say a woman had a $15K heath care plan paid through a match of employer-personal funds with $5K of that covered by a Federal stipend. The way I read the Capps Amendment would be that the 5K stipend would be devoted to the non-abortion areas of her health coverage and that if she had an abortion procedure it would come from the self-employer paid funds. For a provider, as long as there were a collective contribution pool large enough to cover how many abortion related services there were they could continue to offer them to all those who opt for that procedure when needed.
What Stupak wants to do is compel women already receiving coverage from an employer-based plan to have to get INDIVIDUAL (and hence more expensive) coverage on top of paying for a plan that is now less than what they had before.
No it wouldn’t. These people can vote to block help for women while immediately thereafter voting in favor of Vi*gra coverage and do so with absolutely no sense of irony.
Davis, Kentucky GOP, talking about tyranny and the tens of thousands of Americans who traveled to Washington for Michele’s House Call. NO, dude, there were three or four thousand people at your teaparty.
similar thing for an individual (from nov 2 cbo letter, estimate of the average of the three lowest cost basic plans with 70% actuarial value) with income of $41,300 (350% of fpl) will be required to purchase insurance that, for the enrollee reference plan will cost $5,300 in premiums and $2,000 in average cost sharing for a total of $7,300/year. that’s 17.7%. no subsidy.
Sometimes I dream I’m in the Senate doing just that…;>)
Book Salon a couple of flights upstairs with Hillary Rettig’s The Lifelong Activist: How To Change The World Without Losing Your Way hosted by Joe Brewer
For reference to current situation of a single someone close to that salary- I currently have a great health care plan that costs $6500/year…paid by my State employer [but with co-pays and some other costs].
at least a bald faced lie. The truth would have revealed a certain co-conspiratorial reality.
i pay more than that too in premiums (out of my own pocket), but the actuarial value of my plan is much higher — and it was my choice (prior to 2006 MA reform) to purchase it. for people who haven’t purchased insurance, this is a very very big tax increase.
the plans here with the lower actuarial value have much lower premiums. i wasn’t sure how to compare apples to apples when i gave it a look yesterday which is why i just gave the numbers out of the nov 2 cbo letter. (it’s page 4 if you want to take a look)
Brian Higgins just hit luke warm Dems with a Machiavellian left hook.
NYT story, with this headline: “Health Reform Passes a Big Test, With Obama’s Aid.”
Higgins was pretty good, quite concise.
Rangel is bringing the diversity.
i missed the vote on the rule?
Yes he is!
and OT; my neighbor just came over to dump leftover Halloween and other snack stuff her husband bought before her grandkids come over. IN it, there’s a snack pack of …wait for it…
CHEETOS!
I’m eating them! LOL!
Do we have a list of the opposition’s standard complaints? I’m thinking about making it into a drinking game.
– 19,000 page bill – take a shot
– 20 lb. bill – take another
– trillion-dollar bill/trillion-dollar debt – and another
– higher taxes – too late, you’re already hammered
– lost jobs – give me your keys, you’re not driving anywhere
– lost freedom – the bathroom’s that way
– imprisonment – you owe me for barfing on my shoes
What’d I miss? Oh yeah, probably a shot each for abortion and illegal immigrants.
But I’m sure we’re looking at alcohol poisoning soon. How’s your health care coverage?
dday:
Conyers applauding Weiner and Kucinich for their work on single payer, likens this fight to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicare. Opposed by the same nay-sayers with the same arguments.
oh man
won’t take long to be passed out on the floor
You would have to do a double shot when Boehner pops up demanding guarantees again.
This is nothing like the initial bills establishing Soc.Sec. or Medicare.
Conyers sounds like Obama’s lakey.
My healthcare coverage is non-existent. Good thing I pretty much have quit drinking, huh?
He wasn’t addressing the content or purpose of the bills, he was talking about the arguments being used in opposition and those rising to oppose. Having been there at the time, he speaks with some authority.
If and when Mr. Tan Man shows up again, I will HAVE TO have a double just to stomach his stupidity and bullshit.
Maybe a Jaegermeister…
ROFLMAO
Per Chris Bowers, the number one reason for allowing the Stupak amendment:
Donna Edwards in the Chair — that’s a wonderful sight!
the big problem is Rahm, eh? Rahm Emmanuel? Did he hatch from under a toadstool in the West Wing, and was there when Obama moved in, and he decided to keep him?
Or, was he appointed by the Pres, to do what he does best at the Presidents behest?
and, both of them were promoted to the top of the Democratic Party because they exemplify what the party is today.
the Health Insurance Reform debacle is just another instance of a clear pattern, and you cannot just scapegoat the Presidents CoS with all that is horrible about the whole process.
it must be the talking points. my rep, who ought to know better, was telling constituents that on a wed night conference “town hall” phone call.
I agree.
i respectfully disagree. just read the timeline again:
http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2009/08/20/if-progressive-members-of-the-house-think-well-accept-co-ops-as-public-plan-think-again/
(and i remember her vote on the bankster bailout)
:(
Rob Andrews now correcting errors made by GOPs in floor debate so far re: taxes, deficit, “illegals”, TriCare, veterans
good, depressing call, selise!
The odious and execrable Dana Rorhabacker [hurling shoe at screen]
Rohrbacker looks like he just emerged from a barrel of oil.
LOL the R’s had to go back to the supply store for more tabs
I wonder how much difference the Bishops letter meant to Pelosi — recall that she was summoned to meet with her Archbishop here last year for her “errors” in understanding of the church’s historical position on when life begins.
i think “so-called progressives” is now in order for the 57 who caved on their pledge.
timeline
the july 30 letter
the money
ack. i’m so negative right now i don’t even want to sit next to me.
Last committee!
I don’t want Prez. ObamaRhama’s bill, Mr George Miller!
The debate on the rule should be a debate on the rule, but, of course, House floor “debate” in this era is nothing but Party point-scoring, by design – and thus the petty partisan sniping that America is being presented with today on the House floor in lieu of an actual debate about the rule, or, later, the merits of the health reform legislation at hand.
The rule for consideration of this bill is a travesty against democratic self-government. A point which Republicans made to some effect during the genuine debate that unexpectedly broke out in the Slaughter (Rules) Committee yesterday, but a point that doesn’t advance Party advantage, so it’s effectively ignored today on the floor, given the absence of any current group in Congress interested in reforming the undemocratic practices of the institution.
The reason this rule is a travesty is because it strangled in its cradle the self-governing will and wisdom of our representatives in Congress who don’t sit on the committees of jurisdiction, but who had proposals to improve this legislation. Anyone who witnessed the slaughter of even the opportunity for debate and a vote on every one of 200+ proferred floor amendments save one, that transpired between 1 and 2 a.m. last night, saw the Party’s House in action at the expense of the People’s House.
I will not soon forget the taunting, slap-dash, unserious, office-disrepecting, hurried quashing of democratic process, and good government ideas offered by his fellow federal legislators, exhibited by the contemptible Representative Jim McGovern, in the Chair, and the other servants of majority power on the Slaughter Committee last night. “You had your chance” [to do health care reform, and therefore the input of any minority Republican now sitting as a federal legislator is unwelcome] was basically McGovern’s closing line and taunt to Rep. Dreier, the long-time Republican member of the Rules Committee, as McGovern executed, in haste and without debate, Party orders to silence dissent, positive contributions, and/or democratic deliberation on floor amendments on this “historic” legislation.
That closing travesty of Party-line votes yesterday was a horrifying contrast – even though predicted – to the impressive and informative, if ultimately futile, debate on the merits of the bill itself which preceded it for hours (with enormous contributions by witness Frank Pallone of NJ in the unexplained absence of Henry Waxman). Legislators who agree to sit on the Rules Committee have truly sold their souls in the service of abusive, undemocratic Party power. My opinion of that committee and its membership has plummeted, after watching that performance. That committee really couldn’t behave more like a totalitarian Soviet Show Committee, if it tried.
Once those 200 amendments were quashed – and there were very good amendments offered, as the informed and respectful bipartisan debate made clear, including many that had been unanimously adopted in committee, only to be stripped out behind closed doors – any genuine “debate” on the details of this bill ended, of necessity, and the Party-serving game of sniping and point-scoring was set in motion for today. That’s what we are witnessing right now. These Party sales pitches are thoroughly beside the point of the merits of the legislation at issue, and the Party’s smoothest salesmen or nastiest punchers are the ones given their one minute to distract the public and detract from the other Party as best they can, all to the detriment of good government, the public interest, and a federal legislature worthy of the name.
C-SPAN’s cameras are covering another display of lockstep, unprincipled obedience to power in the name of Party, which is shockingly (though predictably) superficial compared to what unexpectedly transpired for most of yesterday in the Rules Committee – only to be ruthlessly ended in the wee hours of the morning before the worthy ideas of our Representatives could reach the House floor for debate.
Yesterday, legislating started to happen. Today, just as the Democratic Party leadership ordered – behind closed doors – implemented by the members of the Party-controlled Slaughter Rules Committee, it’s back to the circus.
I don’t know whether she’d put her religion above her job.
I’d think less of her if she did.
well that’s a diary.
You know powwow, they did have a chance. The 2006 Medicare Part D was a chance, for example. They had a crapload of debate about that, and then they put the screws to Medicare recipients by ensuring drug prices would have no controls to keep them from hitting the donut.
And that was under a Republican president, under a Republican Congress.
Had the majority at that time ensured that real health care reform had been started, perhaps we wouldn’t be here today.
The arc swings back and forth, taking big sweeps of two-, four-, eight-years and more before it corrects its errors and adjusts its swing the other direction. If the Dems screw this up badly, the arc will swing back.
Cosmos help us all in the path of that pendulum.
Well good for Phil Hare!
YOU LIE Wilson! The “Pelosi Takeover Bill”
ptui!
Ooo, Pelosi talking, saying “being a woman won’t be = to having a pre-existing condition.”
That’s only true if there is no Stupak amendment.
I bet Jane’s head is exploding…..
thanks pow wow. as jim is my rep, it was particularly depressing. how many times have i wondered if there is something in the deecee water and the longer one drinks it, the more damage it does to those who crave power.
Hey, Sporkie, you were claiming that Obama and the Dems really didn’t want a bill. As I pointed out, the problems here are resulting largely from the fact that they DO want a bill, so much so that they are willing to cut corners and deals to get it. Why? So they can say that they did what Bill Clinton couldn’t do (and what they think caused the 1994 debacle), which was to fix health care.
But go ahead and move the goalposts so you can claim victory.
Part of the problem is that they, like most Americans (especially the people who vote for them) don’t read blogs, much less blogs like this one, but get their news from the TradMed. The really “informed” ones might branch out to Politico or even The Hill. Or the Moonie Times.
and part of that is the decree that the 60-hour work week is now normal. Workers are too exhausted to be informed citizens, which is part of the general corporate plan. Work 12 hours a day, commute 2-3 hours, sleep 8 hours and leave a note for the kids.
I sure hope that these people don’t try to get us to give them money based on what they’re doing with this bill.
If they do, I want them to provide signed, witnessed (preferably with video as well), and notarized statements that
they will vote the progressive/liberal position on everything for the rest of their Congressional careers, or
they must refund all the money they’ve collected from voters by making promises they knowingly broke, or that they made with no intention of keeping.
I want them to understand that voters are not to be ignored or talked down to, and especially not lied to.
work eight, commute two to three, possibly each way, and sleep six hours, if you’re lucky.
Wasn’t that 2005?
(My mother died just about the time it was being set up, and that was in 2005.)
jim knows better, unless he’s been getting his info from the hcan propaganda, which i seriously doubt. and i’m saying that, not based on the rules committee performance, but my previous interactions with him and his wednesday “town hall.” he just flat out lied about, for example, controlling costs and wouldn’t respond to my question re the cms report (which shows higher costs and no cost control).
he’s got smart people on his staff. his knowledge isn’t limited to what he reads.
I don’t know anybody that works eight, anymore. “…possibly each way…” is exactly right.
I don’t disagree at all with the fact that “the Republican Party had its chance” [to reform health care], as McGovern put it, and as you further elaborated.
What I do vehemently disagree with is McGovern using that fact, or failure, or Party-blinded description of our federal representatives as any sort of justification for blocking all but one amendment offered by House members on this bill (including from experienced physicians not on the committees of health reform jurisdiction) from reaching the House floor (and/or refusing to lengthen the debate beyond one day, so members might use more than a minute each to say something). But that’s what McGovern was doing, both with his words, and with his democracy-hostile race through the votes to defeat every Republican attempt to bring amendments to the floor (including Democratic amendments).
[It's dawned on me that Waxman's unexplained absence from the Rules Committee yesterday is probably because he was pulled into the closed-door negotiations with Stupak, et al, to try to make the sale, while the Rules Committee waited around to receive the pre-approved (abortion amendment-containing) rule that Alcee Hastings eventually obediently read off of a blue piece of paper when the moment was right, two-three hours after Stupak and Kaptur had unhappily departed the closed-door Party meeting(s).]
In other words, I’m not content to let our representatives defer to a top-down-controlled Party until the Party says ‘the time is right’ for action on x, y, z. I want Members of Congress who think for themselves and self-direct – and if they are members of a Party because of a Party platform they believe in, that will manifest in their votes, without backroom deals and power plays from unaccountable leaders forcing them into conformity. I know this can’t happen overnight, because of the current stranglehold the Parties have on Congress, but it does have to happen, and it has to start somewhere, if we are going to get our Congress back, and our federal government under the control of the people.
[Thanks, Elliot @ 187 - I think I've already pretty well covered the general subject to the best of my ability, in my recent diary here. Last night's performance just further cemented things for me, even knowing what rubber stamps the members of the Rules Committee are 'hired' to be. The thought of the rarely-filmed Rules Committee quietly deep-sixing amendments along rigid Party lines, in the middle of the night on the third floor of the Capitol, so they'll never reach the House floor below, is a haunting, evocative image for me of the top-down strangling of democratic self-government that is the Party's House today, equally now as when the Republicans were doing the same thing.]
Jack Kennedy never thanked the “Catholic Bishops” for supporting legislation, did he?
Did Michelle just get back from Hawaii?
Sorry to go a little OT (but not really, because it speaks to the obfuscatory tactics of the Insurance Industry Protection Program and their surrogates)
Marsha Blackburn can go to bloody hell.
Up here in Canada, we are proud of how many folks with high risk of complication have been immunized against H1N1 already (ie. 20% of the total population in my province which likely represents up to 75% of high risk folks in just two weeks since the publically-funded vaccine was rolled out).
What we do hate, however, are the selfish bastards of privilege who have been using the thin edge of the Anti-Universality wedge (ie. private clinics) to jump the queue and take vaccine from people that could actually die if they were to suffer complications due to this virus.
Bastards like this.
And this.
Marsha Blackburn is a shill and a liar.
It’s as simple as that.
(sorry for the interruption)
.
This is a game, I’m still disappointed but its still a game that’s being played out.
This stupid anti-woman rhetoric from the ConservaDems and the Right I hope is removed from the bill.
Women are constantly used as escape goats in many social debates and considering what happen to Dr Tiller earlier this year, women as well as minorities are going to have to stand up and say enough is enough.
Nobody Pro Choice likes Abortion, they just don’t seem to get that. So we have to constantly run around this invisible issue when its largely a non-issue in other Western Countries.
I watched this sham on c-span until blood nearly started spurting from my ears. I don’t know which party was more infuriating. The GOP’s mock indignation over job loss and deficits, or the Dems acting as though they had just invented fire. This whole goddamn charade is nothing but a huge shit sandwich. As I said last week, why the hell aren’t we rioting in the streets.