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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: mdittmar
Republicans, under pressure not to wreck Christmas for lawmakers and their staffs...

That's BS! Harry effin' Reid and his co-whores on the Socialist side, are the ones who pushed the timeline. If the pubbies had any nads, they'd walk out during the vote or to make things even sweeter, walk out tomorrow!

101 posted on 12/22/2009 5:50:32 PM PST by Road Warrior ‘04 ( I'll miss President Bush greatly! Palin in 2012! The "other" Jim Thompson)
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To: Ghost of Philip Marlowe
I try not to hate Obammie the Commie, but I’m not doing very well.

Here's some peace for your soul. You can't hate him because you don't know him - his life is under lock and key. You hate his deliberate intentions/actions of bringing down - A CHRISTIAN nation - America.
102 posted on 12/22/2009 5:55:50 PM PST by presently no screen name ( Elected officials are WELFARE RECIPIENTS.)
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To: SeattleBruce

I’m not talking about guys like DeMint.


103 posted on 12/22/2009 5:56:25 PM PST by Gene Eric (Your Hope has been redistributed. Here's your Change.)
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To: Gene Eric

Here are your comments:

“the GOP grants comfort to those that aim to kill it.”

“I’m not talking about guys like DeMint.”
+++++++++++++++

DeMint is part of the GOP.


104 posted on 12/22/2009 5:58:36 PM PST by SeattleBruce (God, Family, Church, Country - Keep on Tea Partiers - party like it's 1773!)
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To: presently no screen name

Here’s some peace for your soul. You can’t hate him because you don’t know him - his life is under lock and key. You hate his deliberate intentions/actions of bringing down - A CHRISTIAN nation - America.
+++++++++++++

That’s an excellent distinction.


105 posted on 12/22/2009 5:59:31 PM PST by SeattleBruce (God, Family, Church, Country - Keep on Tea Partiers - party like it's 1773!)
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To: presently no screen name

Well stated. Thanks.


106 posted on 12/22/2009 6:04:42 PM PST by Ghost of Philip Marlowe (Prepare for survival.)
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To: SeattleBruce

Unless your a kid, you know in life there are usually ‘a few men’ that stand out from the crowd. They may be in the crowd but not part of it. And in this gutless GOP, it doesn’t take too much to stand out, IMO. Doing the right thing SHOULD NOT be a big thing.


107 posted on 12/22/2009 6:06:59 PM PST by presently no screen name ( Elected officials are WELFARE RECIPIENTS.)
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To: SeattleBruce

>> DeMint is part of the GOP.

DeMint is also a Senator. You must therefore be satisfied with the actions of the Senate.


108 posted on 12/22/2009 6:08:22 PM PST by Gene Eric (Your Hope has been redistributed. Here's your Change.)
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To: SeattleBruce

A distinction without a difference. The o we know is as bad or worse than the one we don’t. I hate him as I hate all things evil, and I don’t feel one bit guilty about it. I didn’t hate him before. I LEARNED how and he earned it. It’s called righteous hatred, and hating evil for what it is is not a bad thing.


109 posted on 12/22/2009 6:09:37 PM PST by MestaMachine (Your CORE is the path you walk. RINOs don't walk paths, they build roads to nowhere..)
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To: Vision
Other than God himself.

God was sending the ice storm that could have deprived the 60th vote late on Christmas Eve, and what do we do? We let them have their vote early! Not even God can fix stupid?

110 posted on 12/22/2009 6:15:38 PM PST by LikeLight (FReepin tweetz @StephenLBloom)
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To: LikeLight

And you know this how?


111 posted on 12/22/2009 6:22:48 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: mdittmar

The GOP is dead to me.


112 posted on 12/22/2009 6:27:41 PM PST by Psycho_Bunny (ALSO SPRACH ZEROTHUSTRA)
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To: RatsDawg
We are tired of getting raped by both sides! Vote the BUMS out! primary primary primary!

Huh? You feel the Republicans are "raping" you because what? They allow a vote 12 hours earlier? Its an inevitable vote and a done deal and NO Republicans are signing on to it. The dems have the votes and are running the show. There is little Republicans can do to stop it.

113 posted on 12/22/2009 6:33:40 PM PST by plain talk
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To: Vision

Accuweather?

http://www.accuweather.com/regional-news-story.asp?region=eastusnews


114 posted on 12/22/2009 6:36:32 PM PST by LikeLight (FReepin tweetz @StephenLBloom)
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To: Ghost of Philip Marlowe

>> I try not to hate Obammie the Commie, but I’m not doing very well.

Is the parent motivated by hate for the perpetrator or love for the child?

It ain’t about hate, it’s about what you love.


115 posted on 12/22/2009 6:43:10 PM PST by Gene Eric (Your Hope has been redistributed. Here's your Change.)
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To: mdittmar

I loathe the Democrats in Congress. 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.


116 posted on 12/22/2009 6:45:48 PM PST by madprof98 ("moritur et ridet" - salvianus)
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To: All
Apparently, these Republican senators don't want to be in Washington, Christmas Eve to fight this bill.

I would add that few Americans were planning on traveling to Washington Christmas Eve to show their feelings to fight this bill.

We get the politicians we deserve.

117 posted on 12/22/2009 6:47:41 PM PST by FreeReign
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To: mdittmar
Conservatives want RED MEAT and we want this freight train to MARXISM stopped. You will not be re-elected giving in on anything the lefties running this country are promoting. PERIOD. Throw everyone out in Nov 2010.
118 posted on 12/22/2009 6:47:55 PM PST by Cheerio (Barack Hussein 0bama=The Complete Destruction of American Capitalism)
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To: Cheerio
Conservatives want RED MEAT and we want this freight train to MARXISM stopped. You will not be re-elected giving in on anything the lefties running this country are promoting. PERIOD. Throw everyone out in Nov 2010.

No reason to differentiate those who voted for the bill from those who voted against the bill, right?

119 posted on 12/22/2009 6:51:12 PM PST by FreeReign
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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.

Let me see if I have this straight.

Your three congressmen voted against the health bill and you aren't going to support them with your vote?

120 posted on 12/22/2009 6:55:12 PM PST by FreeReign
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