An ugly finale for health-care reform

Washington Post ^ | 12-22-2009 | Dana Milbank

[Acton]

Going into Monday morning's crucial Senate vote on health-care legislation, Republican chances for defeating the bill had come down to a last, macabre hope. They needed one Democratic senator to die -- or at least become incapacitated.

At 4 p.m. Sunday afternoon -- nine hours before the 1 a.m. vote that would effectively clinch the legislation's passage -- Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) went to the Senate floor to propose a prayer. "What the American people ought to pray is that somebody can't make the vote tonight," he said. "That's what they ought to pray."

It was difficult to escape the conclusion that Coburn was referring to the 92-year-old, wheelchair-bound Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.V.) who has been in and out of hospitals and lay at home ailing. It would not be easy for Byrd to get out of bed in the wee hours with deep snow on the ground and ice on the roads -- but without his vote, Democrats wouldn't have the 60 they needed.

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the number-two Democratic leader, went to the floor to complain about Coburn's unholy prayer, which followed an unsuccessful request from Democrats for an earlier vote because of Byrd's "significant health problems." Said Durbin: "When it reaches a point where we're praying, asking people to pray, that senators wouldn't be able to answer the roll call, I think it has crossed the line."

Actually, the line was crossed long ago, during the summer of death panels and socialists. But Democrats weren't in the best position to take the high road Sunday evening. One of their own members, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (R.I.) had just delivered an overwrought jeremiad comparing the Republicans to Nazis on Kristallnacht, lynch mobs of the South, and bloodthirsty crowds of the French Revolution.

[Rembrandt]

“I think there is a good case to be made that he is entirely ga-ga, ill, heavily medicated, and suffers from senile dementia.”

That didn’t stop The Swimmer for the past ten of his last unholy years.

[Lancey Howard]

Actually, the line was crossed long ago, during the summer of death panels and socialists.

It sounds to me like Milbank disputes that the death panels included in Mengelecare are actually there (of course they are - - RTFB), as well as the fact that Mengelcare is socialist health care (of course it is). I think I see part of the reason that Democrat newspapers like the Washington Post are dying - - they persist in publishing columnists like Milbank who either have no clue or brazenly lie on behalf of their party (I believe it's the latter).

[Blood of Tyrants]

“No one wants Senator Byrd to die, but after many years of pretending to support the U.S. Constitution, Senator Byrd has finally achieved what he came to Washington to do — deliver the final death blow to the Constitution and the principle of limited government.”

Wrong, I want that old race baiting Klansman to die. But I wouldn’t put it past them to bring his dead body into the Senate and press the button for him.

[Belteshazzar]

Riiiiight, Dick Durbin, he of the Nazi, gulag, Pol Pot comparisons to the brave men and women of our Armed Forces fame, is now the arbiter of what it is to step over the line of propriety? The man is beneath contempt. He, along with the rest of the gang (and I use that term advisedly) from Chicago, have the gall to lecture anyone on what is seemly and what isn’t. That would be like Al Capone lecturing the public on manners ... which, come to think of it, he used to do to a fascinated press. Yes, Old Al could speak about manners and good behavior with such a kindly smile on his face even as pearl hatted boys laid his enemies in their graves.

Ol’ Snorky, if he could rise from the grave, would be amazed and pleased to see so many Chicago pols having learned the lessons he tossed out so freely from the upper floors of the Lexington Hotel. So, Dick, Barack, Rahm, David, Valerie, Roland, I hope you are all truly proud of your pedigree. You steal and thieve on a scale unparalleled in history, and pretend like you are doing us all a great big favor. When all of America looks like inner city Chicago or Detroit, maybe the public will finally grasp the nature of the favor you’ve done them.

Yes, you will be remembered, both at the polls in the short term and in the history books in the long term. And your entry in the history books will be the bitterest of all. So, enjoy your triumphs while you can. The judgment is coming, both of men and God.

[ari-freedom]

they want all those babies to die and now they are upset?

[CharlesWayneCT]

I would just like Byrd to have to submit to the Death panels before he gets any more treatment. But wishing Obamacare on Byrd is a lot like wishing him to die.

[higgmeister]

Said Durbin: "When it reaches a point where we're praying, asking people to pray, that senators wouldn't be able to answer the roll call, I think it has crossed the line."

Is this Dick declaring that the insurrection has started!?

[eyedigress]

Even 1860 could not figure out the starting point.

[higgmeister]

I suppose we will know when the “Death Panel”makes our final determination. In the meantime, keep your klystron hot.

[eyedigress]

You know it. It’s actually a new-fangled allinone Twystron in my arena but the reference is my original baby. :^)

[hocndoc]

How odd that they transformed Reid’s speech into one by Whitehouse.

And, of course, the news was full of doubts that Lieberman would make it back in time — at least until they could accuse us of wishing Byrd would die.

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

I do not think that its over.What Mitch McConnell needs to do next is to throw a monkey wrench in the House/Senate conference committee. He needs to object to the appointment of the conferees. This would cause all sorts of havoc and prevent the Democrats to convene a conference commmittee to reconcile the bill.

[Caipirabob]

Lets not lose hope nor accept defeat but keep praying unceasingly that we will see a miracle yet!!

"I'm warning you, you kids don't make me come down there..."

; )

[CoastWatcher]

It is an unfortunate fact that it is more likely that a demonic-rat will die, than display moral character. That is why the media never asks demonic-rats “Have you no shame?” Because the short answer is “No!” You have to have morals to feel shame.
Never the less - we should all pray that the democrates’ cups are fill to over flowing with moral character for the next vote; for if it happens it will truly be a miracle.