They should have decided this in the beginning.
With Democrats increasingly confident they have enough support, the House of Representatives planned for an historic vote Sunday that would enact the most dramatic changes in the nation’s health care system in decades.
As a sign of that confidence — and to quiet concerns among Democrats as well as Republicans — House leaders Saturday abandoned a plan to approve the Senate’s health care legislation without a direct vote.
President Barack Obama held a last-minute rally with the House’s 253 Democrats. He urged them to vote for the legislation because "good policy makes good politics." But he also said he recognized that voting for the bill in the face of often rowdy protests was a difficult step.
Behind closed doors, House leaders worked to round up the last undecided votes they need to reach the 216 needed for passage.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., was confident about Sunday’s prospects, saying flatly, “We will pass the bill.”
The mood at the Capitol was unusually calm, but not without last-minute drama.
With Tea Party demonstrators rallying outside to protest the legislation, the House Rules Committee dropped a controversial plan that would have "deemed" Senate-approved health care legislation passed as part of a resolution setting rules of debate. The maneuver had been seen as a way to allow Democrats to avoid voting on the bill, but Democrats were uneasy about the prospect. Rep. William Lacy Clay, D-Mo., said it looked like a "back door deal."… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <McClatchy DC>
Deem and pass was never anything more than a silly maneuver to appease a few cowardly Blue Dogs. Good riddance!
8 Responses to “No Deem and Pass on HCR”
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While I’m smacking people the Repubs and Blue Dogs are at the top of the list.
Good choices, Lisa! 😉
even tho this process has shown how broken the american GOVERNMENT (not political system our entire govt) is – we all know there will be no change. i have gone on record saying the constitution really needs a rewrite (like the electoral college, getting rid of the 2nd amendment and TERM LIMITS for congress and the supreme court) – the powers that be on both sides gain so much financially and power-wise from the current structure (you gotta be in it to win it) there is no incentive to ever change or even update
DC, I agree on all but the term limits. Solon tried about 4,000 years ago. The pols sold out for promises of employment after they had reached their limits. Instead we need 100% public election financing.
I can’t recall a time when legislative procedure was headline news, but then again, I have only been politically aware for really the past decade… it bothers me that the right is focusing on this then on substance…
It is just another distraction from the real issues. I am glad to see the Democrats gaining momentum in these final hours!
Of course it is, Kevin. On substance the GOP has no issues. Therefore they can only attack process and lie about substance.
It happened! The House passed the bill.
We can now get over the crippling feeling of futility over all things government.
Amen, Ivan!