Posted on 12/22/2009 4:09:15 PM PST by mdittmar
WASHINGTON — It may be the only bipartisan agreement that Congress reaches this year on overhauling health care.
Republicans, under pressure not to wreck Christmas for lawmakers and their staffs, agreed Tuesday that Senate passage of the Democrats' controversial bill seemed inevitable and scaled back procedural-delay mechanisms to allow a vote by the morning of Christmas Eve.
Had the full debate continued, the Senate would have voted at around 9 p.m. Thursday, too late for many lawmakers and their staff members to get home in time for the holiday. Instead, the vote is set for 8 a.m.
President Barack Obama had announced that he'd delay his own departure for his family vacation in Hawaii until the vote was over.
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., had said that he'd been willing to stay late into Christmas Eve because, "It's important that we take the time to analyze it in every way that we can before the final votes are taken in the Senate."
However, Democrats as well as Republicans expressed concern about missing Christmas — since many live in places where planes can't get them home in time — and others were concerned about an ice storm that's threatening the Midwest.
McConnell also said, "The final vote in the Senate is not the final vote. There are substantial differences between the House and Senate bills. This debate is not over."
If the Senate's version passes as expected, it will be considered by a House of Representatives-Senate conference, or negotiating, committee, which typically operates largely in secrecy.
"The American people are still going to have another month or so, I would guess, to weigh in and express their concerns about this package to each of their representatives," McConnell said.
(Excerpt) Read more at mcclatchydc.com ...
Xmas eve, Dec 26, Dec 31...whatever.
They would get their vote. 11 hours makes NO difference.
The Senate show is over. The House vote is where the front is now.
Brilliant. Just brilliant.
Well the Bible will rule over.
Nonsense. The Repubs are lockstep on this bill AND the debt ceiling bill.
They didn't give an inch.
>The GOP is dead to me.
So then, Nietzsche was only off by one letter...
They should at least fight it to their last dieing breath, if they just “give up”, that’s how people will see it, and that’s how the country will see it. If you want to support the “GUP” The Give Up Party, then go ahead.
On the
Potomac
Way to go!
We thank you!
"people" have no clue that the Senate is voting 11 hours earlier than planned and, even if they did they'd say "so what". "People" are busy racing around the mall and drinking Christmas lattes at Starbucks.
However, these same "people" have gotten the message over the last few weeks that the Dems were the ones who rammed this bill thru. That's why Ozero's ratings are now at -21. The GOP DID get that message across. Let's not blow that by constantly blaming our own guys.
“If the pubbies had any nads, they’d walk out during the vote or to make things even sweeter, walk out tomorrow! “
I have posted this twice. Let’s both call them tomorrow morning, and demand they vacate the chamber!
Fighting is one thing but the Republicans in Congress have little to fight with as they are drastically outnumbered. This article refers to which hour of a particular day an inevitable vote is taken and has little bearing on the end result. The Republican congressmen are unanimously casting their votes against this farce which is about all they can do now.
What a bunch of a**hats. Screw the country, they have to get home by Christmas, never mind the men/women overseas fighting their butts off for freedom, let’s take the freedom away from them because we have to get home for Christmas! I hate politicians, dimwits or republicans doesn’t matter, most of them are evil, selfish jerks.
‘”The American people are still going to have another month or so, I would guess, to weigh in and express their concerns about this package to each of their representatives,” McConnell said.’
Yes, Moron, you must not have been paying much attention for the last year. Nobody wants nationalized medicine nor any of the other socialist crap being dished out in Washington. Resident Obortion and his minions will hopefully get the message more clearly during the NATIONAL GENERAL STRIKE called for January 20th.
If I am mistaken in this, I am open to correction. But it sure looks to me as if the Republican Senate leadership has done damn little for months and has waited until the last week to attempt to throw sand in the gears. It also appears that this was a planned strategy, if it deserves that label.
The Republican "strategy" seems to be looking for election gains in 11/10. BFD. The Dems know this will not be repealed or even substantially gutted. And gains the Republicans make in 2010 will be of little practical value in restoring our STOLEN liberties. In addition, as history has shown us, the GOP will do little after gaining seats to justify our voting for them again. IOW, they won't hold them that long. The Dems are taking a long view & the Pubbies are too myopic to have a clue.
Lab rats learn better from mistakes than Republicans. And that is not just an analogy. Especially in the Senate.
Hopefully another major storm will hit about 9 AM, and they'll be stuck in DC anyway. ... I just looked a the forecast for DC... Right now the nasty weather (80% chance freezing rain) is not due until Christmas Day. Well, forecasts can change and weather can move in faster than originally forecast, so there is still hope for change.
Just stomp them into the ground with the heel of your boot.
Exactly. Bi-partisan is a word in todays language that means I can screw the public and hopefully excuse myself for doing it.
Amazing. The Dems must be threatening to break knee caps to get the likes of Kerry to show up for a vote at such wierd hours, let along getting him to put in more than a couple days/week attendance.
Did Kerry not read the bill? Smart money says no.
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