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Merry Christmas: GOP gives in on timing of health care vote
McClatchy Newspapers ^ | December 22, 2009 | David Lightman and Margaret Talev

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 ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 0; 111th; healthcare; kneepadrepublicans; mccainmutiny; mcconnell; mclamesrevenge; mclamesrinoparty; obama; rinoparty; rinos; spineless; traitors; ussenate; vichy; wimps
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To: whatisthetruth
that nobody read to force a vote on Xmas eve

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.

121 posted on 12/22/2009 6:57:10 PM PST by what's up
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To: madprof98
But both my Senators and my Congressman are Republicans, and I don’t plan to vote for any of them next time they’re up for election. They’re not worth the effort it would take me to walk over to the polling place.

Brilliant. Just brilliant.

122 posted on 12/22/2009 6:57:15 PM PST by denydenydeny (The Left sees taxpayers the way Dr Frankenstein saw the local cemetery; raw material for experiments)
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To: LikeLight

Well the Bible will rule over.


123 posted on 12/22/2009 7:03:53 PM PST by Vision ("Did I not say to you that if you would believe, you would see the glory of God?" John 11:40)
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To: Cheerio
You will not be re-elected giving in on anything the lefties

Nonsense. The Repubs are lockstep on this bill AND the debt ceiling bill.

They didn't give an inch.

124 posted on 12/22/2009 7:05:05 PM PST by what's up
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To: Psycho_Bunny

>The GOP is dead to me.

So then, Nietzsche was only off by one letter...


125 posted on 12/22/2009 7:08:02 PM PST by OneWingedShark (Q: Why am I here? A: To do Justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with my God.)
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To: plain talk

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.


126 posted on 12/22/2009 7:17:44 PM PST by RatsDawg
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To: mdittmar
Girlymen

On the

Potomac

127 posted on 12/22/2009 7:17:56 PM PST by ScottinVA (The arrogance of this Congress is staggering. November 2010 can't get here quickly enough.)
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To: ChildOfThe60s

Way to go!

We thank you!


128 posted on 12/22/2009 7:22:42 PM PST by stephenjohnbanker (Support our troops, and vote out the RINO's!)
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To: RatsDawg
if they just “give up”, that’s how people will see it

"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.

129 posted on 12/22/2009 7:26:19 PM PST by what's up
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To: Bushbacker1

“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!


130 posted on 12/22/2009 7:26:24 PM PST by stephenjohnbanker (Support our troops, and vote out the RINO's!)
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To: RatsDawg

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.


131 posted on 12/22/2009 7:35:17 PM PST by plain talk
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To: mdittmar

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.


132 posted on 12/22/2009 7:39:40 PM PST by calex59
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To: mdittmar

‘”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.


133 posted on 12/22/2009 7:43:35 PM PST by FlyingEagle
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To: plain talk
The Republican congressmen are unanimously casting their votes against this farce which is about all they can do now.

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.

134 posted on 12/22/2009 8:08:59 PM PST by ChildOfThe60s ( If you can remember the 60s........you weren't really there)
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To: mdittmar
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

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.

135 posted on 12/22/2009 8:43:01 PM PST by El Gato ("The Second Amendment is the RESET button of the United States Constitution." -- Doug McKay)
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To: buccaneer81
Another slap in the face of real, hardworking Americans who have worked holidays all their lives.

I know, right? They make me sick.
136 posted on 12/22/2009 8:43:01 PM PST by divine_moment_of_facts
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To: diamond6
Where are all the “men”?

I've been asking that for 11 months.
137 posted on 12/22/2009 8:45:01 PM PST by divine_moment_of_facts
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To: presently no screen name

Just stomp them into the ground with the heel of your boot.


138 posted on 12/22/2009 8:45:50 PM PST by freekitty (Give me back my conservative vote; then find me a real conservative to vote for)
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To: Czar

Exactly. Bi-partisan is a word in todays language that means I can screw the public and hopefully excuse myself for doing it.


139 posted on 12/22/2009 8:47:37 PM PST by freekitty (Give me back my conservative vote; then find me a real conservative to vote for)
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To: EBH

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.


140 posted on 12/22/2009 8:52:18 PM PST by OldArmy52 (The German High Command sent Lenin to destabilize Russia. Who sent Obama?)
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