**UPDATE 745pm PT This monstrosity has officially passed the House, 219-212.**
Congress approves historic health care legislation
McArdle at The Atlantic: The Future After Health Care
What I hope is that the Democrats take a beating at the ballot boxand rethink their contempt for those mouth-breathing illiterates in the electorate. I hope Obama gets his wish to be a one-term president who passed health care. Not because I think I will like his opponent–I very much doubt that I will support much of anything Obama’s opponent says. But because politicians shouldn’t feel that the best route to electoral success is to lie to the voters, and then ignore them.
We’re not a parliamentary democracy, and we don’t have the mechanisms, like votes of no confidence, that parliamentary democracies use to provide a check on their politicians. The check that we have is that politicians care what the voters think. If that slips away, America’s already quite toxic politics will become poisonous.
Here’s the list of the 34 Dems who voted against the monster. Some did out of principle, some out of expedience. We’ll know more Monday.
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**During this mind-numbing House blather, the TAM Chat Room has gone live in the Members page. We’ll post a public chat room when these fools begin to vote.**
The public live chat room will be open prior to voting, but in the meantime, here’s an Open Thread and the link to C-Span’s Health Care Hub . Here’s the C–Span coverage of these Malignant Narcissists frantically trying to push this nation into the sewer of socialism.
In the meantime, some links:
A guide to the possible constitutional challenges to anything that passes: Is health-care reform constitutional?
Stupak: We are close to deal with White House
**UPDATE (Pat_s) Reuters: MSNBC reports Anti-abortion Democrat Stupak to back healthcare bill
House Democrat official: ‘We’ve got the votes’ on health care
“This is a historic day and we are happy warriors,” Rep. John Larson, D- Connecticut, told CNN’s “State of the Union.” He added, “We’ve got the votes.”
But the chief deputy whip in the House, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Florida, cautioned, “We don’t have a hard 216 right now.” Schultz made the statement to “Fox News Sunday” just as Larson was speaking to CNN.
Wasserman Schultz added, “I firmly believe we will have 216.”
“This fight is not lost, yet,” said House Minority Leader John Boehner on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
Re yesterday’s massive DC Tea party rally: Tens of Thousands Protest ObamaCare in D.C., Legacy Media Unimpressed
I am hoping that Fancy Nancy gets a Survivor-tribal-council-type blindside today with this health care vote. Maybe a whole bunch of the “yes” votes just told them they would vote yes to get the administration off their backs. Would that not be awesome? I know it’s not likely, but a girl can still dream!
Today, we officially become a Soviet Socialist Republic. Every Congressperson who votes in favor of Death Care is guilty of treason. It’s just that damn simple. Barney Frank, John Lewis, and their ilk deserve every epithet and slur being hurled at them by the crowds.
I agree, Frank; if this passes, we have become Soviet Socialist country. But who elected these people in the first place? WE did. We’ve got only ourselves to blame for this. All we can do now is fight to repeal this and vote those traitors out of office, including Urkel!
Well Newsweek said it more than a year ago, “We’re all socialists now”. Given the public opposition to the health care bill, I would say that assessment is wrong, but like Foreverautumn said, look who we elected. It seems to me we didn’t know who we were voting for, but Newsweek did.
I should add, this is not a permanent state of being. The accounts I’ve heard of what life was like under the government of FDR made it sound worse than anything we’ve been through yet (and I’m not just talking about the 10-year-long economic depression). For example the top income tax bracket under FDR was around 90%! In the early years of his presidency, government inspectors would literally come around to small businesses and check if they were selling products for prices that were “too high”. In WW II whole industries were getting their marching orders from the federal government. It was illegal to buy food and gasoline with cash. Everyone had to use ration cards. Some of this was ended two administrations later, under President Eisenhower, though price controls continued into the 1970s. Reagan scaled back this stuff more. Though it’s apparent that we’ll have to endure the regrowth of big government, because we forget history–we’ve been mistaught history, I believe we can come back from this. We’ve done it before. I am reminded that at the end of FDR’s administration the federal debt was more than 100% of GDP. Though it is not often talked about, Harry Truman’s presidency, his second term I believe, was marred by economic strife, due to skyrocketing inflation.
I am also reminded of the crushing defeats that the Democrats had with McGovern and Mondale in 1972 and 1984, respectively. Voters rejected leftist Progressivism (though not Progressivism in total–we elected them on the Republican side), perhaps because they remembered what they went though with FDR, and saw better things come from more limited government. That older generation has passed in the last 10-15 years. The memory has been lost. We are in some ways repeating their experience. I can’t remember who said it, but this saying seems apt: “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it rhymes.”
The one good thing that has come out of this debacle, is that we are now WIDE AWAKE. Let us remember the solemn words of Ronald Wilson Reagan about Freedom. You know what they are 🙂
Not everyone is awake, or they’re simply on the side of socialism. 44% still approve of Obama. After all the dirty stuff that went on yesterday, Rasmussen has his approval numbers UP sharply. A large percentage of our people are poorly informed, can’t think things through, or just aren’t particularly bright. But they can vote! And an uninformed vote cancels out your informed vote. I really despair for our country. I feel we’re going down, and there is no stopping it.
CROWD-size at High Noon yesterday–>Pic & calculation (thx for link to PajamasMedia.com)
Preparing myself for the worst… but still praying for a miracle. Yes, jupaczyn… I’d give a lesser appendage to see Queen Nancy confidently call this vote and then get totally and completely embarrassed. Don’t think it’ll happen, but as I say… praying for a miracle.
I dont buy the “We Just Have Ourselves To Blame” argument. If the progressives started their insidious plan to slowly dumb down and intentionally manipulate “We the people” in 1905 then we were taught to be useful idiots. It would have worked too if Obama had not jumped the gun and tried to take us into full blown communisim overnight.
Now that we are awake though we will either win today or lose a battle today but regardless what comes of today, this republic will be restored.
Is Stupak only looking for political cover? – legal experts say executive order won’t trump Congress
http://www.liberalwhoppers.com/2010/03/21/is-stupak-only-looking-for-political-cover-legal-experts-say-executive-order-wont-trump-congress/
Lets say Pelosi has 220 votes & Stupak votes no … just for cover to keep the seat in Dem hands … He knows executive order is BS … just by playing this game … he needs to be voted out of office & elect a true conservative
Let’s say I am Wrong … As for not voting for Obama Care based on Abortion not the fact it’s going to destory America … he & those like him need to lose their seat in Congress …
Palin was spot-on that the original House Bill should have never have gotten out of the House in the First Place … She knew what they would do … Put a strong anti-abortion language … gives the “Blue Dogs” cover who are 99.9% as liberal as Pelosi … (Why do you think she supported them) … Senate would take it out ( Pro- Abortion Liberals in House whose votes were needed knew this & why they voted for the bill that had such strong anti-abortion language) … Goes back to House & it passes … Obama, Pelosi will give cover to these “Blue Dog” frauds unless their votes are needed … Maybe not all but enough to pass the bill … Disgusting … Games are being played to keep the House in Dem hands in 2010 … This what it is all about … They are ALL RADICALS
P.S. IMHO the DEMON PASS will be used for Amnesty, Single Payer, Cap & Tax, etc … Perhaps this why they activated the slaughter rule … NOW … not necessarily for passing of Obama care but future agenda … Set up the framework to use it down the road … Devilishly clever of Pelosi & Crew … as I said Palin warned us All … That is why they want to destroy her ….
Looks like a A Sad Day For Amerika
Karajan Mozart Requiem BERLIN Requiem Kyrie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbI-ugz8KOw
Oh There we go … Stupak makes a deal with Obama … PHONY … ALL LEFT RADICALS
LOL. Rep. Slaughter complains about protesters attempting to spit on a congressman. They should be glad that that’s all they attempted to do…
Dr. Dan Beneshick, MI 1st FaceBook
Above is the facebook link to Dr. Dan Beneshik, Stupak’s GOP opponent for Michigan 1st district. I suggest we all join and support him in the November campaign,
His PayPal button for contributions is also up and running.
Benishek for Congress
What’s there to say that hasn’t been said? I don’t feel like saying it again just now.
I think this WSJ editorial is worth reading, in that it adds some historical perspective.
We talk about court challenges and the Constitution and the coming election, and these things will indeed be a factor. But aside from the foreseeable factors, the Democrats have pushed us into a time of great instability. As I’ve said and they’ve said, there are no more rules; Washington now makes up the rules as they go along. So the factors that affect the lawmaking process in the coming era may not be elections and the traditional exercises of American democracy. There will perhaps be bigger, and wilder, events, with unpleasantness for all. I wouldn’t presume to say how it will come out, but the process will be a difficult one. (I’m not being intentionally mealy-mouthed in my vague hints of coming nastiness; I honestly have no clear picture of what will happen — if indeed anything happens. I’m just observing that we’re stomping the accelerator after removing our training wheels and dashing into treacherous territory. This is the political equivalent of the worst visions of “climate change”, in that we’ve taken a stable economic/political system and rendered it unstable and susceptible to catastrophic breakdown. But exactly where the breakdown will come is anyone’s guess.)
jeaneeinabottle
@HeyTammyBruce MajoratWH Remarks in East Room likely after that call…Obama will NOT sign Senate bill tonight or Monday…later in week
My Lord, this is horrible.
I just turned off Fox News because that soulless witch Pelosi was vomiting out her usual bile, and decided I’d come to TB for a little distraction. Well, whose voice should I hear? The witch again!!!
I have died and gone to hell.
I still can’t believe this is happening. We’re actually witnessing tyranny in action on a scale never seen in this country before.
What’s with that lyin’ bag of botox’s crazy-house laugh during the applause breaks? She ready to be carted off .
Just wait until November!
216TH vote=Bart Stupak
Kick his ass out!!
Stupak probably doesn’t realize the harm he’s done to any future Dems who will try to run as pro-lifers. He proved there really is no such thing, and at a time when the polls show America is becoming more and more anti-abortion.
What happens if they now pass immigration reform and flood the country with a massive number of voters who will vote democrat? ….just asking….
Time to stop contacting our reps and start mailing checks to candidates
Isn’t it unconstitutional for the president to issue an executive order to change a passed bill? What happened to separation of powers? Stupak is a fool to trust President Obama.
You are Spot-On …. That was for cover for the “Blue Dogs” … Yeah
Stupak has proven that there is no such thing as a pro-life Democrat. Nice legacy bub.
He is a fraud … You tube video … Always for it … No such thing as Blue Dog … All LEFT Radicals … This now a real Constitional Mess As State AG as a group will file lawsuits.
This is how democracy dies . . .with thunderous applause.
Welcome to Amerika, comrades.
No, our Republic did not die tonight … W e\\e fight on… The courts … Midterms …. 2012 … President Palin & rid of the remaining Dems in Congress
“So this is how liberty dies: With thunderous applause.” – Padme Amidala
Time for us all to become Jedi. Overthrow the Empire! Restore the Republic!! Darth Obama will not stand!!!
I hate it when I get a quote wrong! LOL!
And yes, Jedi we will be to stop Darth Obama.
Actually is he Darth, or is he the Emperor? And if he’s the Emperor, then who is Darth?
Actually it doesn’t matter.
I am reminded of another sci-fi great – Dune:
“EMPEROR! We come for YOU!”
That’s how I felt when I wrote it, listening to the Dems thunderous applause.
But it does not mean I am defeated in any way. I will fight on with all of you. Trust me. I will.
😀
but it sounds like none of this can be reversed, except we have control of Congress and a conservative President. If Obama gets his way with immigration, he will have 12 million more votes in 2012. Future doesnt look too bright right now.
Hey Tammy,
Stupak packed it in to easy, I think he was going to vote yes from the start.
Did you hear his speach against the Recomittment?
USA-Rest in Peace
July 4, 1776 -March 21, 2010.
it was a good country while it lasted.
I understand your sentiment, but, it ain’t over yet. The next battle has begun. Maybe they ignored us, but we will have the last word, in November….
WE are not Obama dunder heads, we are AMERICANS!!! We never give up and never give in:)
You bet I will!!!!
Never give up! Never surrender!
Irving Berlin was a Jew born in Russia I believe, or Germany. He knew true tyranny. He came to this country and found freedom and success. He wrote all those great patriotic songs and had such a great love for America. Talk about someone rolling over in his grave. He must be looking down from heaven with tears in his eyes and great sadness in his heart. It’s people like him, who knew tyranny, who turn out to be the best Americans. I’m so sad today, and sad for freedom lovers. We need more Irving Berlin’s, more Frank Capra’s. God Bless America and God Bless Irving Berlin.
he was born under the russian empire- and the czars had a history of pogroms against the jews. his father was a cantor.if the russians were so adaptable to the tyranny of ‘ socialism’ it’s because they had lived under the exact same circumstances with czars. jews fared the same under the lot of it.
being jewish, he also wrote some of popular music’s most famous songs about christian holidays- like ” white christmas” and “easter parade”.
Thank you, Thierry. Yes, I failed to mention all the other great music he wrote. Thank you also for the information re: his background. He was a true patriot, a great man.