GOP Rolls Out Last-Ditch Efforts to Stop Health Care Bil

[pampango]

Source: CBS News

Republicans on Tuesday rolled out all of the obstructionist tactics they promised as the Senate kicked off its final health care showdown, beginning 20 hours of debate on the reconciliation bill meant to amend the comprehensive legislation signed into law on Tuesday. GOP tactics to stall the measure included introducing headline-grabbing amendments to the bill (like a proposal to prohibit Viagra coverage for sex offenders), and blocking Senate business on issues unrelated to health care.

Even as the GOP pulls out all the stops, Democratic leadership says they hope to finish debate on the reconciliation "fix it" bill as early as Thursday night, the Washington Post reports. Under the rules of reconciliation, which allows a bill to be passed with just 51 votes, the Senate debates for 20 hours. At the end of the debate, the Senate goes into "vote-a-rama," a rapid-fire voting session on all of the amendments up for discussion. After already slogging through more than seven hours of debate on Tuesday, "vote-a-rama" could begin as early as tonight.

A number of pro-reform groups, including Health Care for American Now, Families USA and the labor federation AFL-CIO, are urging Democrats to vote against all amendments -- even proposals they would normally support -- so that the reconciliation bill can pass swiftly. If any amendments are passed, the reconciliation bill will be sent back to the House for yet another vote.

Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20001059-503544.html

[HopeHoops]

1. Gee - "Vote NO!" - now WHERE have I HEARD that before?

I'm sure the GOP assholes will be all over FOX Noise complaining about the Democrats voting "NO!" on everything.

Still, it sounds like a plan. The GOP has used reconciliation a lot more than the Democrats, so why not adopt their "NO!" policy as well? Shove it up their bazookas.

[AlbertCat]

2. Will someone PLEASE point out how much MONEY they are wasting, as well as time.

Every Dem should point out that opposition is good, but at this point it's just a waste of tax payer money while they grandstand.


Also... could the GOP look and act any more like a cult, like a religion? Futile gestures and just plain ol' petulance is solemnly hailed as fighting... with martyrdom instead of just failure as the result.

[bc3000]

3. So Republicans are fighting for the Cornhusker kickback?

[shotten99]

4. Ironic, but yes they are.

[bamacrat]

5. The only thing they can stop is the fixes.

They will bitch about the dems saying no. It's like rain on your wedding day, or a free ride when you've already paid.

[stubtoe]

6. Gee, how mature.

:eyes: