Posted on 03/20/2010 1:02:50 PM PDT by Uncledave
They Still Don’t Have the Votes [Jeffrey H. Anderson]
The most likely explanation for the breakdown of talks between Rep. Bart Stupak and Speaker Nancy Pelosi is not that Pelosi decided she didn’t need Stupak and his crew in order to have enough votes to pass Obamacare. Rather, it is that Stupak — who is increasingly emerging as this drama’s Jefferson Smith (Jimmy Stewart’s heroic character in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington) — held firm in insisting on language that would truly prevent taxpayer-funded abortions, and in insisting that such language be passed by the Senate before the bill could become law.
In turn, Pelosi either decided that by accepting the language, she would lose more votes in the House than she would gain, or else knew that Democratic senators, with their strong preference for taxpayer-funded abortion, would never go along with this concession to the views of the vast majority of Americans.
In any event, by all accounts, Pelosi is now trying to pass the bill without the pro-life Democratic vote — or at least without Stupak. As of now, it doesn’t appear that she has the votes. I currently count 208 leaning in favor of Obamacare and 214 leaning against, with 9 undecided. Here they are — with the margin by which the presidential vote was won (by one party or the other) in their districts over the last three elections:
• Marion Berry (D., Ark.) (GOP +8) — pro-Stupak Amendment
• Henry Cuellar (D., Tex.) (Dem +1) — pro-Stupak Amendment
• Bill Foster (D., Ill.) (GOP +4)
• Jim Matheson (D., Utah) (GOP +30) — with nearly two-thirds of his constituents having supported GOP presidential candidates over the last three elections, a “yes” vote on Stupak, and an earlier “no” vote on Obamacare, a “yes” vote would mean that, for the rest of his days, he would be remembered as the guy who sold his vote for the price of Obama’s having just nominated his brother to a federal judgeship
• Michael Michaud (D., Me.) (Dem +7) — pro-Stupak Amendment
• Solomon Ortiz (D., Tex.) (GOP +1) — pro-Stupak Amendment
• Earl Pomeroy (D., N.D.) (GOP +21) — pro-Stupak Amendment — yes, that’s GOP +21
• Nick Rahall (D., W.V.) (GOP +6) — pro-Stupak Amendment
• Zach Space (D., Ohio) (GOP +12) — pro-Stupak Amendment
Also, here is a partial list of some particularly key members who are leaning “no”:
• Christopher Carney (D., Pa.) (GOP +15) — pro-Stupak Amendment
• Dan Lipinski (D., Ill.) (Dem +22) — pro-Stupak Amendment
• Kathleen Dahlkemper (D., Pa.) (GOP +3) — pro-Stupak Amendment
• Glenn Nye (D., Va.) (GOP +9) — “no” last time
He’s as tedious as he is arrogant.
You may be right. They have to get in front of the people and ‘splain why this Healthcare Bill was so wonderful... and how they are all so wonderful for “fighting” for us. Praising of all the crooks... rah...rah...rah!
“So why is the MSM (including Fox) acting as though it’s in the bag?”
It’s disinformation. Can’t have the proles gettin all uppity now. As to the “why?”: just follow the money.
> “turn off the TV” <
I did as soon as that Maxist Kenyan’s face appeared on Capitol Hill.
We haven’t lost yet, but we haven’t won either. Everyone stay alert and involved. Please.
When Kusinich folded Sheppy described it as “good news.”
Somebody needs to yell “YOU LIE!” in the chamber right about now...
Sorry... make that “Marxist.”
Michael Moore is unhappy with Bart Stupak.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-moore/my-congressman-bart-stupa_b_506649.html
I still beleive there will be some surprise “no” votes.
And Matheson looks like s strong possibility.
from
Update 3-20, 2:35 PM: The list below is of the thirteen remaining truly undecided members. Pelosi needs all thirteen to win. There have been others that still say they are undecided but have really given strong indications of how they will vote, and almost all of those are the “leaning yes” types. So Pelosi could still lose one or two that we don’t expect. Of these true undecided, though, the first five voted “no” last time, and this would be a flip. I feel very confident about Nye, who has consistently made signals that sound like “no,” and he is in a very tough re-election fight. I’ve also been counting Space, who told Democratic leaders yesterday that he was strongly leaning towards a “no.” Berry, Carney and Kanjorski are pro-life. Though they aren’t in Stupak’s group, it’s still a factor for them. Kanjorski would also lose jobs in his district from a Sallie Mae processing center which would be negatively affected by the student loan provisions in this bill. Baird and Tanner are retiring, and they clearly don’t want to vote yes, but I expect that they will if Pelosi needs them.
Baird, Brian
Davis, Lincoln
Matheson, Jim
Nye, Glenn
Tanner, John
Foster, Bill
Kanjorski, Paul
Michaud, Mike
Ortiz, Solomon
Carney, Chris
Pomeroy, Earl
Space, Zack
Schrader, Kurt
Keep praying that America prevails in this fight!
“I still beleive there will be some surprise “no” votes.”
I thought this as well, perhap ssying “yes” to avoid the Chicago thugs.
I’ve had 57 faxes in the que since 11:40 this morning. None have gone through since then. So frustrating, errrr.
There are probably at least 50 spineless cowards who STILL have not really decided, who are just praying the deal is done before they have to vote, so they can jump on the winning side when no courage is needed.
It’s a good thing i don’t have a supply of bricks in the house. If I did I would lose a tv every time that lying sack of s—t is on.
I admire him for that, in part, because my pro-life views are not as strong as his I feel. Shames me in a way, a good way. I will re-evaluate my beliefs in this matter.
Funny...we keep hearing how Pelosi is talking to this one or that one. And Boehner's not talking to anybody?
Don't think so!!
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