Obamacare Is Dead and Here's Why [Obamacare Ongoing Thread]

Town Hall ^ | 1-26-10 | Robert A. Levy

[JustPiper]

As the Massachusetts blame game unfolds, the president’s unpopular health bill leads the list. But the substantive provisions of the bill were just part of the problem. Perhaps more important, voters were appalled by how the deal unfolded.

Consider the pre-election giveaway to the labor unions. Negotiators agreed to exempt union contracts until 2018 from the tax on so-called Cadillac health-insurance plans. That backroom bargain not only outraged the voters, it also violated the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution, requiring the federal government to extend equal protection of the laws to all U.S. persons. Of course, not all voters understood the constitutional nuances, but they sensed that something was very wrong; and they reacted.

I have been disturbed by the socialists for years, ever since I learned many members of Congress 'openly' joined the DSA (Democratic Socialists of America). Several years ago, the names were published on the DSA site. (since removed of course) Please post any info you have, many of you have been on this issue for many years, & if we can store it all on one thread, we have our FreeRepublic Warehouse on the enemies of the state. How DO we combat this, when it's coming at us from every angle? When the people have been asleep for decades. Please post anything you have found or accumulated. Also choose a dictator these people follow, of particular interest,those in D.C. who have been quoted with their adulation of one.

Communism- Marxism-Leninism-Stalinism-Trotskyism-Maoism- Hoxhaism-Hoxhaism-Titoism ETC

[MestaMachine]

OK. Time out for me now. later. Love you.

[JustPiper]

Well, he’s not a DSA Member or Progressive Caucus member

He IS a radical part of the Hispanic Caucus
http://velazquez.house.gov/chc/

He is a pet of Pelosi
Modesto Bee Declares, “Pelosi, Name Cardoza to Farm Bill Committee

On the Issues
http://www.ontheissues.org/CA/Dennis_Cardoza.htm

Cardoza urges tougher penalties for corrupt politicians
~Ironic
http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/templates/print.cfm?ID=10789

THIS you’ll like
THIS is BIG
BUY OUT ALERT!!!
$500 million for UC Merced: Costa and Cardoza’s “ask” in health care bill
The Blue Dog Dems from Fresno and Merced — Jim Costa and Dennis Cardoza — got a lot of bang for their “yes” votes on the House health care package: More than $250 million apiece.
http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/politicsanyone/51640/

[Quix]

Please elaborate.

It’s all pretty annoying Greek, to me.

[JustPiper]

Love you lil one! I just busted Cardoza! Just happened on his payoff looking him up for thouworm

[JustPiper]

Ping to a buyout made in NOV! Read posters comments

[HiTech RedNeck]

Everything changes by the hour, it seems, in this story.

Since I wrote that, the Senate has warned the House that it will reject any amendments the House tries to make. So no fixit bill. Instead, there will be an attempt to negotiate an executive order from Barack Obama to address the most obnoxious parts of the Senate bill. I don’t know how many Democrats trust Obama, but liberal sources are crowing that the prize is in reach, if not in hand.

If this is more Greek then I apologize. What a ride.

[Quix]

THANKS THANKS.

[thouworm]

We probably have no idea of the bribes and their cost.

BTW: http://news.firedoglake.com/

has a chart of the vote tally; not sure how accurate but it might be useful for purposes of keeping our own tally.

[JustPiper]

TY & you are a great blogger! You will provide the meat tomorrow!

[thouworm]

TY; will try and TY for your updates; signing off til tomorrow.

[JustPiper]

Pete Sessions was Tweeting!!!

1. Rules Cmte has recessed for now - will be back later. about 3 hours ago via web

http://twitter.com/PeteSessions

[1COUNTER-MORTER-68]

Hey,Ya’ll,,,

I wanted to let ya’ll know about the mood of the folks

at the gun show I went to today in Bossier City,Louisiana,,,

All that I talked to are highly PISSED about O’Bammy’s

DeathCare mess!!!

Young and old man or woman alike all talked of Civil War!,,

One older lady had a little TV tuned to Fox,,,

“That Son Of A Bitch,,,That Son Of A Bitch!”,,,

Another lady:”It's Time To Drag Out That Ol’Battle Flag!”,,

I saw a Dad plop down near $2,000 for a tricked out AR-15

and hand it to his 12?yo son:”Happy Birthday,Son.”,,,

Dad had a day-pack full of mags and ammo,,,

What started out as a really krappy day(cold,windy,rainy)

turned out to be a good day for local AMERICANS!...;0)

[thouworm]

Another list to follow (From HayRide):

Update 3-20, 9:30 PM: And Nye is a NO! We needed that one.

Update 3-20, 9:25 PM: While I was typing the post below, Schrader announced that he will vote yes.

Update 3-20, 8:40 PM: Since we’re unlikely to get more news tonight, I thought I would run down the numbers and possibilities. Republicans have 206 publicly committed votes. We need 216 to defeat the bill. There were ten members of the Stupak group:

1. Stupak
2. Driehaus
3. Lipinski
4. Kaptur
5. Dahlkemper
6. Mollohan
7. Rahall
8. Donnelly
9. Costello
10. Berry

Obviously, if all of those held, that would be enough to defeat the bill, but the cryptic comment of Stupak that he had lost votes and ”at least six” will stand opposed is still puzzling. There are also still five uncommitted members who voted NO in November:

1. Baird
2. Tanner
3. Nye
4. Boucher
5. L. Davis

Pelosi likely has Baird and Tanner in her back pocket, especially Baird. Davis’ situation I detailed below, Boucher represents an overwhelmingly Republican district and said last week that he would vote against the bill if it had big cuts to Medicare (and it does), and Nye represents a Republican district and faces a strong challenge to re-election. I think that the three of them are likely to vote NO.

Finally, we have the non-Stupak ones who voted YES in November but that we would like to flip our way:

1. Ortiz
2. L. Sanchez
3. Kanjorski
4. Foster
5. Michaud
6. Pomeroy
7. Schrader
8. Ron Klein

Sanchez is a new addition to my list. She’s been a presumed YES vote, but it turns out that she didn’t want to vote yes last time and was actually the final Dem to vote in favor. She said this week that “the Senate bill is a bad bill,” and she is facing a serious challenge this fall. She spent today in Florida (yes, you read that correctly) — thus avoiding getting buttonholed by the House leadership, who now reportedly list her as a NO. I also see Schrader, Ortiz, Klein, and Kanjorski as possible votes our way – they all have good reason to vote NO. And Pomeroy is a likely NO vote in my book.

So, I still see Nye, Boucher, Davis, and Pomeroy as likely for us. I also see another six as good possibilities. If we do get four votes from this group, then six from Stupak still wins it for us. And Pelosi still has a lot of other publicly uncommitted members, and we could still get one of those unexpectly, like we did with Lynch.

http://thehayride.com/2010/03/no-bill-no-cbo-numbers-bad-sign-for-obamacare/

[little jeremiah]

I saw a thread that had several videos - wanted to show someone and now I can’t find it.

Anyone know where it is?

[JustPiper]

Reps still speaking on CSpan now LIVE
Rep. Gohmert (R) TX

[JustPiper]

CSpan schedule update for tomorrow

11:18 am EDT Approx. 10 min. House Republican Conference Reaction to House Republican Conference Meeting

11:29 am EDT Approx. 47 min. Democratic Caucus,U.S. Capitol | News Media Stakeout,U.S. Capitol Visitor Center | Congressional Auditorium Presidential Remarks at Democratic Health Care Meeting

1:00 pm EDT Approx. 7 hr. U.S. House of Representatives LIVE House Session

http://www.c-spanvideo.org/videoLibrary/print-schedule.php?timezone=Eastern&date=Mar%2021,%202010

[JustPiper]

REYKJAVIK, Iceland (AP) Iceland’s civil protection agency says a volcano has erupted in the southern part of country.

[JustPiper]

Democratic Rep. Michael Arcuri switches vote to ‘no’ on health care

Read More:
http://email.foxnews.com/t?ctl=3E21:55A637457CD2F6B8E66CA07527084D3C&;

[JustPiper]

Rep. Sensenbrenner

Across the country, March Madness is unfolding. Bracket picks have been made and people are cheering for their favorite college teams. In Washington, we’re witnessing another kind of March Madness – Pelosi Madness – as the Speaker attempts to push through this health care legislation, regardless of cost, the desire of the American people and transparency.

I, along with my fellow Republicans, have heard you. We’ve appreciated your calls, emails, letters and visits and we are working hard to stop this bill; and to demand a vote that holds Members responsible for their actions, not permit them to hide behind procedural tactics.

You deserve accountability from your elected representatives. It’s clear in the way the Republicans have made themselves accessible throughout this debate that we believe in accountability. In the last few months, I’ve held dozens and dozens of Town Hall Meetings to hear your opinions on this health care overhaul.

Yet, in attempting to pass this bill before the Easter recess, the Democratic leadership is doing the opposite by trying to prevent that accessibility and accountability. They don’t want Members returning to their districts this weekend, or during the Easter break, and hearing from citizens how much they oppose this bill or how constituents will be giving them the pink slip in November if they vote in favor of it. Speaker Pelosi knows her side will be met with even more opposition than they were last August – and yet, she and other Democratic leaders continue to think that they know better than the American people.

During my time in Congress, I have never seen such an arrogant process unfold that blatantly dismisses the opinion of the majority of the American people and has leaders saying we know what’s best.

If this bill is really what’s best, why use sneaky procedural tactics to ram it through?

If this bill is really what’s best, why wouldn’t Members be proud to show on the record that they voted in support of the bill?

If this bill is really what’s best, why are small businesses fearful of hiring new employees because it may cost them too much in mandates and taxes?

And how can Democratic leaders say that nothing will change for the majority of people who already have health care? If there is already concern that emergency rooms are overflowing, and it takes too long to get an appointment to see a doctor, how is adding 30+ million more people to the health care system going to fix those concerns? Do President Obama and Speaker Pelosi think these people will not take advantage of the system? Not clog the system even more? If they believe that, I have a bridge to sell them.

Reforming health care is not a game, and one of the problem’s with Pelosi Madness is that she has turned getting health care passed into a game. Speaker Pelosi has become so focused on moving the pieces and changing the rules so that she can make that game-winning basket of passing this overhaul, she doesn’t understand that her team is down by a lot in public opinion.

I’m in agreement with the public that our health care system needs to be reformed, but this bill is not the way to do it. I will be voting no.

http://sensenbrenner.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=177158

[JustPiper]

None better than in the South my friend! You were only two states away & did not come to see me?! Bah!

Seriously this is the perfect post for this:

The Shot Heard Round the World

“By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled,
Hence once the embattled farmers stood,
And fired the shot heard round the world.”
— Ralph Waldo Emerson

http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/publius-forum/2010/03/the-shot-heard-round-the-world.html

Tea Party Protest at Illinois Rep. Bean’s Office
(TODAY)
http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/publius-forum/2010/03/tea-party-protest-at-illinois-rep-beans-office.html