Sunday, March 21, 2010

Bloody Pelosi (Live Blogging)

Scott Stantis cartoon.

More.
Dishonest Process Fits Bill Sold By Deceit - Patrick McIlheran, Milwaukee JS

Obama's Started Mother of All Culture Wars - Michael Goodwin, NY Post

We Were Warned [Daniel Foster]

More. Pelosi in your face walk past protesters. She didn't need to do that, she could have gone through the normal tunnel. People are chanting Kill the bill.
Bill Kristol. Health care isn't like civil rights. Another comment.

More. Rasmussen:54% of Voters Oppose the Health Care Plan. 54% Say Cost Is Biggest Problem With Health Care--this bill doesn't solve that, it worsens it.

Health Overhaul's Assault On Business - Investor's Business Daily

More. RCP live blogging the debate. Sham Executive Order. Stupak's Problem.

More. Watching C-span. Debate has started. Wisconsin Republican Rep. Paul Ryan already stepping up. God Bless. Tentative schedule here.

...And for the Democrats, Louise Slaughter.

More.

On Stupak [Robert Costa]

Illinois Republican Aaron Schock tells NRO: "I believe Stupak, not the MSNBCs of the world."

03/21 02:12 PM

More.( No surprise Foster finks out, nor Pomeroy either. They are weasels.)
RCP: 2:19 -- Foster of Illinois is a yes. 209-211.
2:14 -- Pomeroy of North Dakota is a yes. 208-211.

More.
JackieSeal RT @toddstarnes: REPS McCarthy, Fallin, Posey and Davis unfurl DON'T TREAD ON ME banner from side balcony of Capitol bldg.
More.
joelpollak My full statement on today's Tea Party controversy: http://blog.pollakforcongress.com/
More.

Mike Pence tells NRO that Bart Stupak’s vote is still up in the air. He says that "this isn't over till the last vote is counted."

On the abortion executive order, he says the negotiations are "a tacit admission that this legislation provides for the public funding of abortion. There's no way around that. If the Democrats insist this isn't an abortion bill, then why the need for an executive order?"

03/21 02:34 PM
More. Paul Ryan says the bill is a fiscal Frankenstein. Trumps the Dems, tells of a woman who is fighting cancer here with a life-saving drug that is disallowed in the government health care in the UK. Excellent point. Applause on the House floor.

More. Well, I apparently zoned this out earlier:
michellemalkin RT @toddstarnes: Dem Chaka Fattah compares Healthcare passage to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. #hcr
More.
DanRiehl Hill Reports: Votes Still Not There, May Be Tough To Get http://bit.ly/9KdUm7
More. RCP:

2:52 -- Protesters are still grouped on the Southside of the Capitol, directly outside the windows of the 3rd floor House Press Gallery. Other than “Freedom!” their chants are inaudible up here, but they are constant nonetheless. The singing of “The Star Spangled Banner” is unmistakable, though. --KYLE TRYGSTAD

More. Tribune's Seeker Seeking Seekers Who Seek Same: Manya Brachear's Catholic Health Debate is a Monologue

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JillStanek RT @CWforA: CWA's CEO Penny Nance and Dir. of Leg. Shari Rendall just ran into Rep. Stupak on the Hill and BEGGED him not to FLIP!
More.
LegInsurrection Slaughter admits technical violation of House Earmark Rule #killthebill
More.

The Executive Order Option [Yuval Levin]

Given the nature of the abortion language in the Senate bill, which creates a mechanism to allow for taxpayer funding of abortion coverage while pretending to prevent it, it is very hard to see what an executive order from President Obama could actually consist of, even as sheer cover. His freedom of action would seem to be very limited, so that such an order would be almost purely symbolic. The language Kathryn cited from a source last night could not possibly be a draft of actual executive order language, and if the concept behind it is what they have in mind—applying language from one law to another by means of executive order—then it is not even a fig leaf, it’s a bad joke.

Perhaps that’s why so committed a champion of public funding of abortion as Diana DeGette could support the idea. Surely no pro-life Democrat could join her—and no one who joins her could be called a pro-life Democrat.

03/21 03:04 PM
Cubachi RT @DrewMTips RT: @noonanjo: From Hill staffer: "Paul Ryan is on the balcony, tea party went apeshit. Never seen anything like this."
More.
townhallcom Stupak is counting calls to his office yes/no. CALL HIM to make yourself heard. 202-225-4753 (via @EdMorrissey & @kamaainainoc)
More.Yes. Jesse Jackson Jr. makes a fool of himself presiding.
HeyTammyBruce Jackson completely out of his league up there, looking increasingly confused about how to shut down the Repubs

stix1972 If a bill is changed, it needs to be voted on again. Basic Civics 101
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.RepMikePence RT @BuckMcKeon VFW: #HCR Bill Betrays Veterans, servicemembers or their families by not protecting their health programs http://ow.ly/1p5jt
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HeyTammyBruce Drudge: Sen Repubs found provision in House HC bill that likely makes it ineligible for expedited 'reconciliation' procedures in Senate.

Drudge, developing:
FLASH: Senate Republicans found a provision in the new House health care bill that likely makes it ineligible for expedited 'reconciliation' procedures in the Senate. Dems refused to meet with GOP and Parliamentarian.... Developing....
WOW--House erupting. Republican David Dreir on the floor...

More. No cover for Stupak from the Catholic Bishops if he goes along with Executive Order: US Catholic Bishops: Executive Order Deal A Non-Starter

More.

Stupak@4 [Robert Costa]

Driehaus confirms: Eight or nine pro-lifers are having a press conference at 4, with Stupak.

03/21 03:38 PM
More.
michellemalkin RT @Dloesch RT @christinakb BREAKING... Mike Pence just came out onto the balcony w/ sign: "DEMS DON'T HAVE THE VOTES"
More.Geez. They should have Barney Frank up there, not Jesse Jr. Frank at least knows the rules and would be amusing.

God only knows what's going on with the Stupak vote.

More.
philipaklein RT @JeffreyYoung_HC: Abortion deal struck. Official announcement within minutes. Check http://thehill.com

ChiNewsBench FLASH: White House, Bart Stupak reach abortion agreement - POLITICO.com: http://bit.ly/9kpQo1
More on the procedural issues reported by Drudge.NRO:

This is what he's talking about:

Senate Democrats have balked at a bi-partisan meeting with the Senate Parliamentarian to discuss a rule violation that could doom the entire House reconciliation proposal.

DON STEWART, McCONNELL SPOKESMAN: “Republicans have been trying to set up a meeting with Senate Democrats since yesterday to discuss this fatal point of order but have been met with nothing but silence. We suspect Democrats are slow walking us so as to have the House vote first. Since Senate Democrats refuse to meet with us and the Parliamentarian, we’ve informed our colleagues in the House that we believe the bill they’re now considering violates the clear language of Section 310g of the Congressional Budget Act, and the entire reconciliation bill is subject to a point of order and rejection in the Senate should it pass the House.”
More. Stupak presser. So now we know. No principle here.

MOre. Drudge: FLASH: 'FIX' BILL MAY NOT ADVANCE IN SENATE...

Here:

BREAKING: “FIX” BILL MAY NOT ADVANCE IN SENATE

Senate Democrats Refuse Bi-partisan Meeting With Parliamentarian Until After House Votes

WASHINGTON DC – Senate Democrats have balked at a bi-partisan meeting with the Senate Parliamentarian to discuss a rule violation that could doom the entire House reconciliation proposal.

DON STEWART, McCONNELL SPOKESMAN: “Republicans have been trying to set up a meeting with Senate Democrats since yesterday to discuss this fatal point of order but have been met with nothing but silence. We suspect Democrats are slow walking us so as to have the House vote first. Since Senate Democrats refuse to meet with us and the Parliamentarian, we’ve informed our colleagues in the House that we believe the bill they’re now considering violates the clear language of Section 310g of the Congressional Budget Act, and the entire reconciliation bill is subject to a point of order and rejection in the Senate should it pass the House.”

BACKGROUND

DEMOCRAT LEADERSHIP RELEASE:The Congressional Budget Office estimate of the health care legislation shows an increase in Social Security revenues… CBO projects that the resulting increase in wages will generate $29 billion in additional FICA contributions to the Social Security Trust Fund.” (“Health Care Reform Update,” Office of Rep. Steny Hoyer, 3/21/10)

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET ACT: “LIMITATION ON CHANGES TO THE SOCIAL SECURITY ACT.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, it shall not be in order in the Senate or the House of Representatives to consider any reconciliation bill or reconciliation resolution reported pursuant to a concurrent resolution on the budget agreed to under section 301 or 304, or a joint resolution pursuant to section 258C of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, or any amendment thereto or conference report thereon, that contains recommendations with respect to the old-age, survivors, and disability insurance program established under title II of the Social Security Act.” (Congressional Budget Act Of 1974, Sec. 310g, P. 31)


More.
rcpblog Boehner Response to White House Executive Order: Minority Leader John Boehner's office just released the following... http://bit.ly/bbuADH
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kathrynlopez notice dan lipinski isn't at the press conference.
So Dan stayed true?

More. 4:10 central
. rsmccain RT @kerpen: Most of the Stupak group at the presser were already yes votes. They are still a couple votes short. DO NOT LET UP.
RCP Blog:
4:41 -- The million dollar question is how many Stupak brings with him. I think this is it, but Berry, Mollohan, and a few others weren't at the presser. Kaptur was there, but she was already a yes.
I took a break, so catching up:

Anti-EO Stupakers [Kathryn Jean Lopez]

Appar to be Dan Lipinski, Jerry Costello, and Gene Taylor.

03/21 04:33 PM
Dan Lungren (R-CA) quoted Sir Thomas More on the House floor.

More.
mercatus Is Obamacare constitutional? http://ow.ly/1p5xE #healthcare #hcr
MOre. Republican Bill Cassidy of Louisiana points out that small business people in Massachusetts can't afford the health insurance--similar to ObamaCare--so this does not solve anything. He said it better than I did. He also said the Massachusetts Treasurer, who I believe just switched from a DEm to an independent, said that if ObamaCare passes it will bankrupt the country, based on his experience with Massachusetts.

More.
rachellefriberg Stupak's GOP challenger @benishek has twitter @michellemalkin! Follow him :)
More. RCP Blog:
5:24 -- Well, the Hill still has Berry, Costello and Lipinski as no votes, with three undecideds (Cooper, Kanjorski and Sanchez). Stopping it would still be the equivalent of an inside straight; Republicans would have to win all 6 votes.
More. Related:Challenger to liberal Dem Jan Schakowsky Joel Pollak, Big Government:
24thstate More on the fake slurs. Eyewitness to Tea Party Protest: http://bit.ly/aQeUAG
More.
GOPLeader Will Democrats Stand Up and Be Counted? A Defining Bill Requires A Transparent Vote http://bit.ly/aVA2nw #hcr
More. RCP Blog. Toast on this phase:

5:57 -- Kanjorski is a "yes."

5:55 -- Jim Cooper is a "yes." I think that takes it from a 95% chance of passage to a done deal.

5:48 -- The more I think about it, the worse I think this was for Stupak. On the one hand, the left doesn't like him now for almost killing the bill, on the other hand, the right doesn't like him because he didn't kill the bill.

More.
reppaulryan My reaction to the recent announcement by Congressman Bart Stupak on MSNBC.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyUYAsBWlTA

gopconference Pence talks Stupak abortion deal on Fox: http://bit.ly/cFLeh3
More on the Dem race card sideshow here.

That's it on this post. Will start a new one as developments warrant. 5:18 central. God Bless us everyone.

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