Reconciliation vote starts
Let you know when it finishes….
Update. Luke Russert said a Republican called Bart Stupak a “baby killer” a few minutes ago on the floor.
Update. 216
Strong. TooManyJens says in the comments:
Heard on Twitter that the “baby killer” person was Rep. George Radanovich (AHOLE-CA19).
March 21, 2010 11:21 pm
Posted in: Politics
152 Comments
152 Responses
Bootlegger - March 21, 2010 | 11:25 pm · Link
How many nays say yea? O/U is 2.
Sly - March 21, 2010 | 11:26 pm · Link
It was said while Stupak was speaking. Saw it live on CSPAN. The Democratic side was ready to go into full riot mode, with Steny standing at the podium telling them to calm down.
Xecklothxayyquou Gilchrist - March 21, 2010 | 11:27 pm · Link
And here Bart thought the Redoublechins would like him – really like him! – if he just pooed all over the bill for half a year.
tripletee - March 21, 2010 | 11:27 pm · Link
So now the question is, should I stop off for a quick taxpayer-funded abortion before or after I drop Granny off at the ovens? Decisions, decisions….
FairEconomist - March 21, 2010 | 11:28 pm · Link
What kind of dimbulb Democrat would vote to uphold the pork deals and speed up the middle class taxes? Do they have any idea how bad this will be for them in future campaigns? Whatever you think of the Senate bill, this bill should be an easy pass.
dmsilev - March 21, 2010 | 11:29 pm · Link
Now we get to wait and see what sort of hash the Senate will make of things.
Joy.
-dms
Anonsters - March 21, 2010 | 11:29 pm · Link
At least he’s not a honky baby-killin’ cracker.
Bootlegger - March 21, 2010 | 11:30 pm · Link
@Sly:
Is that what the ruckus was about? I keep hoping someone throws down tonight.
fraught - March 21, 2010 | 11:30 pm · Link
This is how Russert gets airtime, with gossip and overheard shit. Did he sign off with “Go Bills.”
TooManyJens - March 21, 2010 | 11:30 pm · Link
Heard on Twitter that the “baby killer” person was Rep. George Radanovich (AHOLE-CA19).
mai naem - March 21, 2010 | 11:30 pm · Link
WTF? They get paid $160K and it takes them f#$ing 15 minutes to votes?
DougJ - March 21, 2010 | 11:31 pm · Link
@fraught:
No, it happened.
I don’t like him but he’s been fine tonight. Professional, fast on his feet.
I don’t think he should have the job, don’t get me wrong.
Woodrow "asim" Jarvis Hill - March 21, 2010 | 11:31 pm · Link
@Sly:
And I can’t blame ‘em. I hope we find out this idiot, and call ‘em out for censure. This crap needs to STOP.
More good news, we just hit the number for Reconciliation.
freelancer (itouch) - March 21, 2010 | 11:32 pm · Link
217.
The tears, they taste sweet.
Violet - March 21, 2010 | 11:32 pm · Link
@tripletee:
Well, you could do both after you go for your gay commie marriage. But don’t forget, you can’t do anything unless Obama lets you. That’s how it works now.
Tonal Crow - March 21, 2010 | 11:32 pm · Link
And it…passes!
rob! - March 21, 2010 | 11:33 pm · Link
I have this image in my head.
SGEW - March 21, 2010 | 11:33 pm · Link
Done and done. Well, well, well.
Who knows? Maybe I’ll actually be able to get insurance before I contract any major health issues. I’ve been gambling for years.
Woo to the motherfucking hoo, y’all. Good night, and good work.
williamc - March 21, 2010 | 11:33 pm · Link
Maybe when they find him, he can be first in line for the brand new death panels that the House just passed…
/snark
r€nato - March 21, 2010 | 11:33 pm · Link
So, will the teabaggers start strapping on suicide vests tomorrow?
Sentient Puddle - March 21, 2010 | 11:34 pm · Link
Cheers!
And uh, I don’t know about anyone else, but for a very very brief moment, I actually felt like I was in solidarity with Stupak, as he was arguing against the motion to recommit brought up by Joe Pitts (who, as you might recall, was the cosponsor to the Stupak amendment).
Pretty sure that won’t last the night though. I hope it doesn’t.
mai naem - March 21, 2010 | 11:34 pm · Link
Just tuned into Faux. Heads exploding everywhere.
themann1086 - March 21, 2010 | 11:35 pm · Link
Anyone want to brave the FDL comment sections? Open Left is in celebration mode, and the anti-bill folks are nowhere in sight.
Camchuck - March 21, 2010 | 11:35 pm · Link
Does this mean we can say ‘social=ism’ around here now?
jeffreyw - March 21, 2010 | 11:35 pm · Link
It’s kitteh time!
Bootlegger - March 21, 2010 | 11:35 pm · Link
220, picked up 2.
AkaDad - March 21, 2010 | 11:36 pm · Link
Nancy Pelosi: Great Speaker of the House or greatest Speaker of the House?
asiangrrlMN - March 21, 2010 | 11:36 pm · Link
So. Now it’s up to the Senate. Sigh.
fourmorewars - March 21, 2010 | 11:36 pm · Link
Your poll may be a little screwed up. I just voted (didn’t call (thought about it but a) wasn’t on board with you for awhile and b) never heard that my rep, Laura Richardson, was any worry) )...anyway, it told me I’d already voted, so I don’t know if I was recorded or not, but I most certainly hadn’t voted.
That aside, think I’ll troll the odd rightwing blog, just to tell them a simple truth: that it’s almost perfect mathematical symmetry, when you set their hissy fit over phantom constitutional outrage against their stupefying nonchalance wrt certain fairly recent events that we shouldn’t have to spell out.
It’s almost a beautiful thing, this perfect balance of -1 over their own sins matched against their +11 over something like today.
Midnight Marauder - March 21, 2010 | 11:36 pm · Link
All right, Harry Reid. Ball is in your court now (again). Just get this thing over the finish line and we might just keep those crazy teabaggers off your back come November.
Calvin Jones and the 13th Apostle - March 21, 2010 | 11:36 pm · Link
Man, BJ is awfully slow tonight. My guess is that traffic is off the charts.
The Grand Panjandrum - March 21, 2010 | 11:36 pm · Link
Every Republican has voted AGAINST stripping out the sweetheart deals from the bill. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH dumb fucks!
Loneoak - March 21, 2010 | 11:37 pm · Link
Hit that gavel Nancy! NANCY SMASH
Genine - March 21, 2010 | 11:37 pm · Link
It passed! Yes
Tonal Crow - March 21, 2010 | 11:37 pm · Link
@mai naem: Aw, poor babies’ lies didn’t work this time.
Omnes Omnibus - March 21, 2010 | 11:38 pm · Link
Well done everyone.
Mike Kay - March 21, 2010 | 11:38 pm · Link
Stoopid Stupak.
This is what you get playing footsie with the wingers.
You would have thought from watching Blanche Lincoln and Loserman and Nelson, that you don’t get brownie points playing nice with the other side, all it does is lose your base.
Tonal Crow - March 21, 2010 | 11:38 pm · Link
@jeffreyw: Mrow!
asiangrrlMN - March 21, 2010 | 11:39 pm · Link
@AkaDad: Fucking awesome Speaker of the House in my books.
@jeffreyw: That’s definitely an Awwwwwww! pic if I ever saw one!
anonymous - March 21, 2010 | 11:40 pm · Link
Delicious wingnut tears, I can taste them.
robertdsc - March 21, 2010 | 11:40 pm · Link
I’m glad. Fuck the GOP.
Violet - March 21, 2010 | 11:40 pm · Link
What a great night! Thanks to everyone here who helped make it happen!
El Cid - March 21, 2010 | 11:40 pm · Link
White House website says Obama to speak live ‘around 11:40 pm’.
Felonius Wench - March 21, 2010 | 11:41 pm · Link
3 for 3, and I’m a happy, happy girl…and + 4.
Happy to be on the journey with all of you. This place feels like home today.
Sirkowski - March 21, 2010 | 11:41 pm · Link
Conservatives and Evangelical Christians are now required to report to their local United Nations service centers to receive their micro-chip implant and code bar tattoos.
ALL HAIL BAAL!
Svensker - March 21, 2010 | 11:43 pm · Link
Yay!
General Egali Tarian Stuck - March 21, 2010 | 11:43 pm · Link
It’s over. in the House. now on to the senate and the winger watb’s over there.
All the wanking and concern and knashing of teeth the past year here at BJ over this issue is as they say, flames of the past. Now on to the next one.
Violet - March 21, 2010 | 11:43 pm · Link
@jeffreyw:
Aww…adorable!
Shalimar - March 21, 2010 | 11:44 pm · Link
If this were the Clinton years, then the story would break within a few days that Radanovich does in fact kill babies in his spare time.
Annie - March 21, 2010 | 11:44 pm · Link
@jeffreyw:
Just. Awesome.
tripletee - March 21, 2010 | 11:44 pm · Link
@Violet:
I shall redouble my labors for the Glory of the State! Just please keep Emmanuel out of my shower.
So when do the bread and toilet paper lines start? Or will we be offing enough elderly people tomorrow to avoid that for the time being?
Max - March 21, 2010 | 11:45 pm · Link
For those interested, Sully has started his series of love letters to Obama and It.Is.Glorious.
Great reax.
Corner Stone - March 21, 2010 | 11:45 pm · Link
@Loneoak:
I may gay commie marry you for this one.
Sorry, you don’t have a choice. It’s in the HCR bill. It’s codified.
slag - March 21, 2010 | 11:45 pm · Link
President in East Room shortly. Nancy tongue kiss to ensue.
Comrade Luke - March 21, 2010 | 11:45 pm · Link
Breakdown of HCR votes by district.
(h/t The Stranger)
Pasquinade - March 21, 2010 | 11:45 pm · Link
Limbaugh packing up his illegal Viagra for the move to Costa Rica?
Josh - March 21, 2010 | 11:45 pm · Link
The UNITED STATE from Zamayatin’s WE lives!
ALL HAIL THE UNITED STATE!
The Grand Panjandrum - March 21, 2010 | 11:46 pm · Link
Dear Leader is about to speak. Is he going to finally declare the truth and admit we are all socialists.
Corner Stone - March 21, 2010 | 11:46 pm · Link
This fucking drag on BJ now is really killing my god damn snark.
kid bitzer - March 21, 2010 | 11:46 pm · Link
hey dougj,
could you do a little legislative info on what the “reconciliation” vote means, and how it differs from the earlier vote?
also—this is fucking awesome. it’s almost like having a functional democratic party, for the first time in my adult life.
dr. bloor - March 21, 2010 | 11:46 pm · Link
OK, that’s that.
Now let’s get to work on some regulatory reform, jobs bills, and fresh pics of Tunch and Lily.
Yutsano - March 21, 2010 | 11:46 pm · Link
@asiangrrlMN: The kitteh has teh awesome powers. Or Jeff needs to disclose his massive training techniques.
I’m off in 14 minutes and I want out of here so bad.
Andre - March 21, 2010 | 11:46 pm · Link
The GOP: Fighting for the freedom to die of poverty.
AkaDad - March 21, 2010 | 11:47 pm · Link
@Loneoak:
That gavel, I’d hit it.
Polish the Guillotines - March 21, 2010 | 11:47 pm · Link
@r€nato:
As long as they keep it to themselves, I don’t see a problem with that.
Shinobi - March 21, 2010 | 11:47 pm · Link
Watching Obama’s speech while running TOGC. Good night.
jeffreyw - March 21, 2010 | 11:47 pm · Link
asiangrrlMN:
Hungry?
Some Guy - March 21, 2010 | 11:47 pm · Link
Egad. Checked Fox. Sorry I did.
Democrats will be sorry for doing this. Student loan reform is a government take over of student loans. Success is failure. Secret deals, arrogance, all this was part of an attempt to fool people, blah blah blah. Holy shit. Its not over yet, he needs to take a pause before it is signed. You can see them struggling to come up with lies to fill air time. OMG.
Jesus they are pathetic. Fox needs a giant elephant for its logo.
And having said all that, I love it. Give me a giant schadenfreude spoon.
BTW, the roundtable, also known as the dipshit table, is literally talking themselves into believing that maybe this won’t pass the senate and maybe Obama will be afraid of his success.
Man that tastes good.
fourmorewars - March 21, 2010 | 11:47 pm · Link
theman1086
“Anyone want to brave the FDL comment sections? Open Left is in celebration mode, and the anti-bill folks are nowhere in sight.”
There sure are some spiteful assholery around here. If Ms. Hamsher is somehow irrecoverable (which I dunno), forget about her and how about you try to get working to reconcile with the average blog reader who is quite probably still on your side of the fucking fence?
I was, belatedly, a convert to the strategy, but that doesn’t mean I like a whole lot of people around here at the moment. For one thing, maybe some folks could recall what was coming out of some folks’ mouths not all that many years ago.
I’m one who’s willing to call that ‘water under the bridge.’ And in the case in question I’d venture to say there was a tad bit more water involved.
Corner Stone - March 21, 2010 | 11:48 pm · Link
@Calvin Jones and the 13th Apostle:
Nothing wrong with that.
chuck - March 21, 2010 | 11:48 pm · Link
Is this really done?
Can this be screwed up in the senate? If it is at all possible…. I still tend to think something might happen to kill it in the Senate.
Am I being paranoid?
Violet - March 21, 2010 | 11:49 pm · Link
Our President is awesome! /Obot
Love for Biden too. Can’t wait to see him do his thing in the Senate.
demo woman - March 21, 2010 | 11:49 pm · Link
Holy f-ck..now we have gringley announcing the retirement of nathan deal who retired and then came back to vote against health care. I’m so glad to be a citizen of GA. FYI. Nathan Deal is under ethics investigation and running for governor of ga.
slag - March 21, 2010 | 11:50 pm · Link
MSNBC playing Obama speech; CSpan is not.
asiangrrlMN - March 21, 2010 | 11:50 pm · Link
@Yutsano: Hi, honey! A big, juicy kiss to you on this frabulous day!
I’m listening to our Dark-Skinned All-Powerful Islofascist Overlord right now. Sweeeeeeeeet.
Three-nineteen - March 21, 2010 | 11:50 pm · Link
Have they released the names of the senators who have committed to reconciliation? Because I’m going to start calling tomorrow.
Yutsano - March 21, 2010 | 11:50 pm · Link
@jeffreyw: Oh I forgot to mention last night. I went out cooking for friends and ended up making the butter chicken R-Jud suggested (worthwhile make I must say, although we added in some peppers just for color and flavor) and I logged on to BJ to snag the recipe. While here I showed my friend your Flickr feed. He really liked the hawk pictures and a few of the food pics as well. Oh and TattooSydney’s Portuguese chicken recipe got declared next for the making. They both had a laugh riot reading it as well.
GeeYourHairSmellsTerrific - March 21, 2010 | 11:51 pm · Link
Wingnut tears
So tasty
Like a fetus
mai naem - March 21, 2010 | 11:52 pm · Link
@chuck: Being that the senate is the home of Lieberprick, Ben Nelson, Blanche Lincoln and Mary”Dimbulb”Landrieu, you are not paranoid.
Mark S. - March 21, 2010 | 11:52 pm · Link
If it was Radanovich, this is kinda interesting:
Is there anybody who doesn’t kill babies in their spare time?
gbear - March 21, 2010 | 11:52 pm · Link
Not only is this an incredibly historic piece of legistlation, but it passed with only one party supporting it. Think of that. Not one fucking vote from the opposition party. This is just an amazing feat. Is it unprecedented?
I’m proud to have been a very small part of this group at BJ who supported this thing and got it done. Thank you to my congresswoman Betty McCollum and all the Dems who made this happen. Thank you Nancy and Obama. Wow.
Thank you for this forum, Mr Cole and Co. A donation to help cover the cost of all us bandwith suckers will be forthcoming.
(now hit ‘submit’ and hope for the best)
Chuck Butcher - March 21, 2010 | 11:52 pm · Link
Pass, defeat, pass gets this thing to the Senate – and that vote is nothing like the end of it.
This Bill cannot be defended, it has to be sold. That is the political reality, it is much easier to tear things down than defend them and defense is a much weaker stance than offense – politically. The offensive stance is to campaign on the darn thing – on the good aspects. That isn’t going to be easy to do but it will succeed more surely than trying to say, “Oh no it doesn’t …”
SGEW - March 21, 2010 | 11:53 pm · Link
@General Egali Tarian Stuck:
Oooo. Let’s argue over detainee policy; that’s always fun.
No? Afghanistan, maybe? Financial regulation? Cap and trade? What will provoke the next round of the never-ending progressive-on-progressive battle between purity vs. pragmatism?
Lookin’ forward to it.
SIA - March 21, 2010 | 11:53 pm · Link
Site is sooooo slow, gonna give it up. Congratulations BJ’ers!
Dannie22 - March 21, 2010 | 11:53 pm · Link
That’s my President
!
Charles - March 21, 2010 | 11:53 pm · Link
@Chuck68 asks:
Paranoia keeps you alive. Paranoia is good.
TenguPhule - March 21, 2010 | 11:54 pm · Link
Fixed.
Anonsters - March 21, 2010 | 11:54 pm · Link
@SGEW:
Yes, please.
Nao.
(Seriously, it’s past time. (Sorry, it’s just my core issue.))
Sly - March 21, 2010 | 11:54 pm · Link
@themann1086:
Tone is dejected. Rather boring.
FreeRepublic is in full WOLVERINES mode, tho. Highly entertaining.
PB - March 21, 2010 | 11:54 pm · Link
Is it wrong that I really want Pelosi to come on TV with that big gavel, stare into the cameras, and say, “Respect… the cock.”
And then just walk out.
Mwangangi - March 21, 2010 | 11:54 pm · Link
I’d like to thank you. All of the Balloon Juice community. From John on down through the front pagers and all of the prolific commenters like RedKitten, Stuck, Asian-grrl (and her clan), and other people that I’m too addled to state right now. I wouldn’t be anywhere else celebrating this series of moments.
Mwangangi +8 (why yes… I am taking shots)
Some Guy - March 21, 2010 | 11:55 pm · Link
@GeeYourHairSmellsTerrific: Not really haiku, but evocative.
jeffreyw - March 21, 2010 | 11:55 pm · Link
@Yutsano:
Just a few? I’m crushed:(
slag - March 21, 2010 | 11:55 pm · Link
@SGEW:
And search and seizure.
Martian Buddy - March 21, 2010 | 11:55 pm · Link
@The Grand Panjandrum:
The best part of those votes will be the ridiculous “Obama used his Jedi mind powers!” excuses they’ll offer when their opponents point this out on the campaign trail.
Bootlegger - March 21, 2010 | 11:55 pm · Link
Now Obama’s rubbing it in.
Faux News is spinning like a fairly unbalanced Mother Brain.
TenguPhule - March 21, 2010 | 11:55 pm · Link
Better a slow BJ then none at all.
Zifnab - March 21, 2010 | 11:55 pm · Link
Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! Go Team! Yes We Can! I gotcher Hopey Changey right here! Maziltof! Other happy eueulations! :-p
They passed the damn bill and I couldn’t be happier. Everything else be damned, this is the best health care legislation to come out of Congress in 60 freak’n years.
Zifnab +5
ajr22 - March 21, 2010 | 11:55 pm · Link
Obama has earned the right to kick up his feet tonight and have a nice cig. I like the new angle that Obama fought through this and came out ahead. Dude is a fighter and a winner. Great day.
mai naem - March 21, 2010 | 11:57 pm · Link
@Three-nineteen: Reid says he’s got 52 names. I figure it can’t be hard to figure out the seven. Obviously, Nelson/Lincoln/Lieberhole/Landrieu will be in there. That leaves only three to figure out. Bennett?Bill Nelson?Webb?Warner?Burris?
Mnemosyne - March 21, 2010 | 11:57 pm · Link
I don’t have the ingredients, but somebody needs to make John Scalzi’s Schadenfreude Pie.
Anonsters - March 21, 2010 | 11:58 pm · Link
Did anyone watch to see if Faux played the whole of Obama’s speech just now?
Josh Huaco - March 21, 2010 | 11:58 pm · Link
Massive Resistance fails again. Poor babies.
Zuzu's Petals - March 21, 2010 | 11:58 pm · Link
@Sentient Puddle:
Yes, he seemed to strike just the right tone of dignified disgust for the cheap tactics…that they “politicize life, not prioritize life.” Exactly right.
SIA - March 21, 2010 | 11:58 pm · Link
@demo woman: Hey, is that that crazy doctor from Marietta?
and now I really am going to bed.
ChrisB - March 21, 2010 | 11:59 pm · Link
Ha! Geraldo Rivera on Fox praising aspects of the bill and saying we’re all in this together.
Edit: Yes, Fox showed the whole speech. Their commentary by Krauthammer et al was negative and particularly misleading about the student loan add on until Rivera came on.
TooManyJens - March 21, 2010 | 11:59 pm · Link
@mai naem: No way Burris is a “No”. He’s very pro-HCR.
themann1086 - March 21, 2010 | 11:59 pm · Link
@fourmorewars: Fair enough; only asking cause I’ve been following dday’s coverage (which was great!) but the comment sections there were… scary. It really was like reading wingnut blogs. Just wanted to see if they were coming around, too.
mousebumples - March 22, 2010 | 12:00 am · Link
@Some Guy: For anyone who isn’t aware of the song “Schadenfreude” from Avenue Q, I highly recommend it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCQGQ5qBQTA
burnspbesq - March 22, 2010 | 12:00 am · Link
@themann1086:
Been there. About what you expect. I said in a comment on another thread it was like the comments at Inside Carolina the night they lost to Duke by 32 points.
Annie - March 22, 2010 | 12:00 am · Link
@ajr22:
I confess. I just had a cig for him…And, several glasses of wine.
Mike in NC - March 22, 2010 | 12:01 am · Link
Where are the usual BJ trolls? Haven’t seen a sign of them in nearly a week. Even B.O.B seems to have fallen off the face of the earth.
We feel their pain, but fuck them anyway.
tripletee - March 22, 2010 | 12:01 am · Link
@fourmorewars:
You must be new around here. Spiteful assholery is our stock in trade.
And really, so-called progressives who fall into the clammy embrace of Grover Norquist and starts parroting dipshit teabagging talking points deserve whatever spite comes their way. Fuck ‘em. Fuck ‘em with Pelosi’s giant gavel.
JadedOptimist - March 22, 2010 | 12:02 am · Link
Hey, if you haven’t noticed, the tag line on the Balloon Juice header now says “Yes We Did”. Sweet.
Annie - March 22, 2010 | 12:02 am · Link
@ChrisB:
Yeah…just watching this… How long before they fire him once again…
Comrade Kevin - March 22, 2010 | 12:03 am · Link
Like the new tagline, John!
ChrisB - March 22, 2010 | 12:04 am · Link
@JadedOptimist: Yes. Excellent call.
JMY - March 22, 2010 | 12:04 am · Link
@TenguPhule:
I see what you did there…I think, lol.
kth - March 22, 2010 | 12:05 am · Link
@mai naem: Now that you mention it, it probably does suck a little to be Ben Nelson or Mary Landrieu right now: they voted for the bill, and it isn’t going to have their goodies in it (if reconciliation gets to 50, obviously).
mr. whipple - March 22, 2010 | 12:05 am · Link
Me happy.
Sasha - March 22, 2010 | 12:06 am · Link
@rob!:
Indeed.
SGEW - March 22, 2010 | 12:07 am · Link
Ken Layne at Wonkette wins my evening:
“Nancy Pelosi’s Magic Hammer Gives Obama Full Dictatorship of Earth!”
If only, Ken. If only.
[Also, too, Jim Newell puts things into badly needed perspective: “Today We Are All People Who Missed The Breaking Bad Premiere.”]
fourmorewars - March 22, 2010 | 12:07 am · Link
themann1086
K. Tried not to be too personal there, that grammatical mixup in my first sentence is from when I changed it from directly at you to a more general criticism.
In fairness, I actually hadn’t read any comment sections lately at fdl myself, maybe if I had I’d have found it hard to see the progressive forest for however many pumas were hanging around in the trees.
Stopped visiting fdl quite a while ago, but that’s ‘cause their format changed…the posts were so short before the ‘read more’ came, you often didn’t know what the gist was unless you clicked, which felt like you were leaving the ‘public square’ disappointingly soon, at least that’s how I felt. (Also, the excitement of Plamegate was dying down.)
Annie - March 22, 2010 | 12:09 am · Link
@mr. whipple:
me, too….:)))
DaBomb - March 22, 2010 | 12:10 am · Link
@mr. whipple: My leg is tingly and my insides are warm!
GeeYourHairSmellsTerrific - March 22, 2010 | 12:11 am · Link
@Some Guy:
I know, but I didn’t want to over think it. :)
horatius - March 22, 2010 | 12:12 am · Link
About damn time Mr. President
Now, about that Public Option thingie….........
themann1086 - March 22, 2010 | 12:14 am · Link
Watching the Dem presser is fun. Everyone is all smiles, they’re relaxed and relieved, joking with each other. They got it done, and they’re rightfully proud.
Uloborus - March 22, 2010 | 12:15 am · Link
Alright. My understanding is that right now the only thing that can stop the basic bill is Obama refusing to sign (pffft, yeah). It was passed on its own by both houses and the parliamentarian said it had to be already signed for reconciliation to count.
So the Senate vote is just them living up to their end of the bargain that got it passed, and adding a few delicious bennies. Is that correct? I am NOT an expert on congressional procedure.
KDP - March 22, 2010 | 12:15 am · Link
Ahh, man, missed Obama’s statement. Dog wanted a walk, and I must obey the puppeh.
Well, I’m sure I can toddle over to the White House website tomorrow and watch it.
Congratulations to everyone who fought for this reform, and put pragmatism over idealism to do so.
horatius - March 22, 2010 | 12:15 am · Link
@mai naem:
TPM reports that Landrieu is gushing about reconciliation. She’s even released a love-letter. Does that make it 53 or do we have a brand new asshole here?
TooManyJens - March 22, 2010 | 12:17 am · Link
@Uloborus: That sounds right. Henry Waxman just said that the President would sign the main bill within two days, and the reconciliation bill within a week. I’m a little surprised—I expected him to sign them both at the same sitting—but apparently that’s the plan.
kth - March 22, 2010 | 12:18 am · Link
@horatius: weird, what was the point of the Louisiana Purchase (as the wingnuts call it) then?
DA - March 22, 2010 | 12:20 am · Link
No “good news for conservatives” tag? Have we, at long last, reached a point where it does not always apply?
Sly - March 22, 2010 | 12:21 am · Link
Video of the aforementioned “Baby Killer” shout.
Socrates - March 22, 2010 | 12:25 am · Link
Corner Stone at #70:
Excellent.
Leelee for Obama - March 22, 2010 | 12:27 am · Link
@The Grand Panjandrum: Yes, that is the sweetest part of their dumbitude. I can write the campaign commercials now, can’t you? Let’s say the words together:
Louisiana Purchase
Cornhusker Kickback
Gatorade
Whatever the other one was. I’m tired and I can’t remember.
Fallows was fabulous in his short take on this bill passing.
Yutsano - March 22, 2010 | 12:30 am · Link
@jeffreyw: Well in our defense his wife is pregnant and you don’t keep a pregnant woman waiting for food very long. She was already yelling at us in the basement about when the hell dinner was gonna be done. So we truncated the picture views. He really liked the hawk/jay battles too.
robertdsc - March 22, 2010 | 12:33 am · Link
The funniest thing is that during the goings on before Massachusetts, there was a report that said the red states would be benefitting more from the pending legislation than blue states would.
“No” voting bastards.
cliff - March 22, 2010 | 12:33 am · Link
@KDP:
here it is:
http://www.c-span.org/Watch/Me.....19212.aspx
Peter J - March 22, 2010 | 12:34 am · Link
Republicans decry what they see as the loss of dignity in the House, and then to prove it, one of them shouts ‘Baby Killer’...
Mike G - March 22, 2010 | 12:38 am · Link
The redneck states have been major net beneficiaries of federal spending since FDR started dragging their asses kicking and screaming out of feudalist apartheid. Being whiny-ass welfare babies has never stopped them from bitching about ‘big government’ and ‘soshulism’ before, and won’t now. They are the state equivalent of the dumbshit screaming, “Get the government’s hands off my Medicare”.
Joseph Nobles - March 22, 2010 | 12:42 am · Link
Anybody hear what chocolate rations are up to this week?
Nobody? Oh, well. I wonder what IHOP tastes like in our new socialist paradise?
Martian Buddy - March 22, 2010 | 12:47 am · Link
@Mike G: It’s the same on the county level here in PA; there was an editorial (reprinted from a Philly paper, IIRC) which ran through the numbers and showed that six counties (all blue) accounted for 80% of PA’s tax base. The red counties (which, alas, includes mine) take in more than they pay.
Edit to add: No prizes for guessing which counties bitch the most about their high, high taxes.
Mnemosyne - March 22, 2010 | 1:01 am · Link
@TooManyJens:
There is apparently still some procedural question about whether Congress can pass a bill and then immediately pass a second bill that modifies the first one, so they may be planning to play it safe and separate the two signings.
mike in dc - March 22, 2010 | 2:26 am · Link
Am I crazy to think the Dems should start using the Teabagger movement to help fire up the base? Along with actually passing some more bills, of course.
“Show up and vote this November or else these crazy M-Fers will take over the country.”
AxelFoley - March 22, 2010 | 2:44 am · Link
@tripletee:
Well said, my friend.
sukabi - March 22, 2010 | 3:23 am · Link
@Mark S.: they’re speculating over at TPM that it was Gomert of Texass that was the baby killer yeller.
morzer - March 22, 2010 | 3:41 am · Link
Let’s keep a sense of proportion here, people. Yes, Bart Stupak kills babies. What matters is that Michelle Bachmann EATS them.
Yes, We Did | The World According to MEH - March 22, 2010 | 4:00 am · Link
[...] elected, I wept. When the HCR bill passed the Senate an eon ago, I was ecstatic. Tonight, as Nancy SMASH! (#33, Loneoak) declared the bill had passed, I felt relief. I teared up a bit, but I didn’t [...]
EconWatcher - March 22, 2010 | 7:21 am · Link
In fairness, Radanovich’s wife passed away a month ago from cancer, and he recently announced his retirement from politics. The guy may just be losing it.
deminoz - March 22, 2010 | 8:29 am · Link
So being an expat in Oz who made a lot of calls to reps offices…..given that i’m not actually using this health care but will be paying for it can i use my coverage to pay for the phone calls i made to get it passed?
Bloody oath….i had people all over my client’s offices today reporting back to me in 5 minute intervals as things happened. Until….....i got interrupted in a meeting by a couple of Australians who were on my ‘watch posse’ (as they called themselves) walked into meeting …...”IT PASSED” was all they said and walked out of room. I cried…...