Posted on 03/20/2010 10:29:14 AM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
At the House Rules Committee meeting, Democrats desperate to pass their national health care plan are running into the barrier of basic civics. Here is the problem: The Senate has passed its HCR bill. If the House passes the same bill, it goes on to the president; once he signs it, the bill becomes law. But House Democrats, when they vote for the Senate bill using the "Deem & Pass" dodge, also want to simultaneously pass a package of amendments to the law. Except HCR will not, at that point, be law. It will only become law when the president signs it. Congress can amend the law -- it does so all the time -- but can it amend something that isn't law?
Which is where Democrats are tripping up. Passage of their HCR proposal should be very simple: Senate passes it, House passes it, president signs it. But House Democrats are terrified of voting for the unpopular bill, so they hope to pass it by "Deem & Pass," in which they will vote, not for the bill, but for a rule that both deems the Senate bill to have passed and, in the same vote, passes the package of amendments. So House Democrats will have two fig leaves: 1) they didn't vote directly for the Senate bill, and 2) they voted to simultaneously amend -- to "fix" -- the Senate bill.
The problem is the sequence. Can the House vote to amend something that isn't the law, as the Senate bill will not be law before the president's signature? The Rules Committee meeting turned into mass confusion when Democratic Rep. Henry Waxman said, "We're not going to 'deem' the bill passed. We're going to pass the Senate bill…I would be against the idea of 'deeming' something -- we either pass it or we don't."
To Republican ears, that sounded as if Waxman was speaking out in support of a direct vote on the Senate plan. "I hope we're making news here," said Republican Rep. Joe Barton. If so, Barton added, "Praise the Lord!" Other Democrats jumped in to say that no, there would not be a direct vote on the Senate bill.
Barton then asked whether there would be some period of time between House passage of the Senate bill and House passage of the HCR amendments. During that period of time, the president would sign the Senate HCR bill into law. For the House to amend the HCR law, Barton said, it has to be law, which means the president has to have signed it. "If he doesn't, it ain't a law," Barton said.
Democratic Rep. Sander Levin jumped in. "We're going to be amending the law," he claimed. Waxman added, "We change current law, and the current law will be the Senate bill once it's voted on in the House."
But it won't be law until the president signs it. Obviously, Democrats are performing such strange contortions because many of their members are scared of voting for a bill that will likely mean defeat for them in November. But their attempts to avoid responsibility have created some very basic problems.
I’m pretty sure it will be the Dominican republic at another thief’s house. PARTY AT RANGLES!!! /puke
I think the ammo shortage is about to get bigger...
Now Pelosi needs 12 votes or so. Thus, the trial balloon on the executive order to try to get Stupak.
I don't think they wanted to talk about that....
Short recess...not breaking up.
There is so much crap being flung around right now it's impossible to even know what the truth is or what's really even going on, I don't even think Congress knows.
Bammie has turned this into a turd world bananna circus, this is just un freakin believable.
YOU GOT IT RIGHT.
Chaos is the left’s middle name.
I think the NEO-LENINISTS miscalculated. But they will not cease and desist.
OTOH We may be on the verge of something positive.
Looking for a way out that would save face? If the Blue Dogs balk on the Senate bill, Nancy would say they are painted into a corner. In the meantime Bummer will have something else dramatic to distract the people.
I’d like to add a noobie who has shown a very Constitutional stance to the list - Rep. Jason Chaffetz of Utah.
He publicly declares his CCW permit and was glad to see that the local stores were finally carrying increased inventory of .40 cal. I forget which Glock he carries, The G23 or G27.
He’s also rated pretty highly (#3) by gradegov. http://www.gradegov.com/
Now it looks like Deem and Pass is dead, Jim. If it ever was alive and not just a gimmick to divert attention away form the end game plan.
Let’s not count chickens before they hatch, but the USS Obamacare may yet become a sinking ship............
Indeed. 'tis the fate of narcissists.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissus_(mythology)
Narcissus or Narkissos (Greek: Νάρκισσος), possibly derived from ναρκη (narke) meaning "sleep, numbness," in Greek mythology was a hero from the territory of Thespiae in Boeotia who was renowned for his beauty. In the various stories he is exceptionally cruel, in that he disdains those who love him. As divine punishment he falls in love with a reflection in a pool, not realizing it was his own, and perishes there, not being able to leave the beauty of his own reflection.
She's out on the steps with Jon Voight (sp>) and thousands of others 0 you know, the protest that there is a media blackout on . FOX live had it on - but there was no sound - and if anyone can find any current coverage, please post a link?
Is this a total blackout?
Sure, Osama only wants to kill you, or convert you. But these guys want to enslave you, and worse your children and grandchildren.
And play naked games in the Congressional showers.
okay ... re: my last post, “conspicuous by absence”, I must have misunderstood the statement when someone mentioned only Ryan and Cantor were worth sending back for re-election. Lost in translation, sorry FRolks!
Anyway, he forgot to file the paperwork to close it. He didn't file taxes for it because he did not earn revenues anymore. We had an IRS agent come to our house while nobody was home. This agent walked around our property and looked into the windows of our house. Our neighbor said that there was a “thuggish” looking guy in our yard looking around. He said the guy left just as he was about ready to call the police. He left his card jammed in our front door with “call me” written on it. My husband called him and straightened it out.
I guess I'm lucky that I didn't have a rifle jammed in my face or something like that. But these people literally walked around my property like they owned the place. That would be because they believe that they do.
Now you know why there is a 2nd amendment. Thank God for it!
I think the exact same thing. If this bill goes down, we have only God to thank.
Can we “deem” Democrats to be enemies of the Republic and recalled from office next week?
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