this is obscene – Medicare Bill discussion thread #2

[pruner]

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. They will do all they can to

get this chagned, there is so much riding on this... it is not even funny.

DeLay is probably watching his future as House Leader MELT

[baby_bear]

2. Just what exactly is obscene, pruner?

The fact that so many of us are up in the middle of the night (2:20 am my time) watching this?

I can buy that....


s_m

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. Kudos to you and me, and the rest of the crew

we love our country and understand what is at stake.

[baby_bear]

5. I'll drink to that...

And keep on doing so if I don't find out what is happening behind the scenes while the "vote" continues. I have images in my head of DeLay threatening torture with leftover pesticides that he keeps in his Senate office...just having his ugly mug right in one's face would be horrible enough...

And do we know who the Dems are that sold out? Are any of them likely to change to sanity?

Such a helpless feeling on this end. Glad to know there are some other DUers out there on the watch also!

s_m

[pruner]

14. I was trying to indicate the presence of content unsuitable for children

[Myra]

4. Are there are any history buffs who can put this in context?

How unusual is something like this?
A 3am 2 hour 15 minute vote in congress?

And...
What is happening to that sheep? Good lord.

[agingdem]

8. Please tell me...

does anyone know if Dick Gephart is there?

[JackSwift]

10. Yes. 216 + 218 +1 = 435 total members of the House

Everybody is present.

[Myra]

15. Did Gephardt speak?

I didn't see him if he did.

[theoceansnerves]

12. yes

yes i believe gephardt is there. dennis kucinich is definitely there, he was on the floor speaking.. ohh.. MANY hours ago.

[nadinbrzezinski]

33. God they got it, because they did violate rules of order

THEM POSSES

[nadinbrzezinski]

29. C-SPAN just did

'94 over a crime bill

This is a record...

DeLay lost but cannot let go... the implications of this ARE HUGE!

[Sean Reynolds]

6. During this time the Dems should go after those '12'....

Try and get them to flip over.

[bain_sidhe]

7. Well, if they wait long enough

Maybe Gephardt will have time to come from Iowa and vote Nay ;)

Me, I've got to go to bed. I'm on eastern time, and I can't see to type with my eyes closed.

[JackSwift]

9. I count 435 votes in the House

so Gephardt is there.

[whirlygigspin]

13. call your congressmen's office

They freak out when you call this early.

[nadinbrzezinski]

24. Nobody to take the call yet

This is the longest the house has held a vote since '94, WOW

[bain_sidhe]

16. The "not voting" Dem

could be there or not... no telling why he/she's "not voting." I'm assuming it's somebody who's not there. Could be wrong though, it's happened before. :)

[baby_bear]

19. I only count 434

216 to 218; where is that elusive number 435?

s_m

[baby_bear]

11. Goodnight, bain_sidhe

We'll keep up the watch....yawn....

s_m

:boring:

[whirlygigspin]

17. hey why not

cmon seniors, get on those phones!

or they'll take away your pension.

[bain_sidhe]

18. Have fun, then

I'll leave the tv on... maybe the gavel will wake me up. (It's right in the next room).

[nofurylike]

20. thank you for a new thread

can someone explain to me what is happening with the vote?

i am confused!

can a speaker just hold up a vote till his side wins?
is that what is happening?

[girl gone mad]

22. Hastert hasn't dropped the gavel yet.

The R's are holding out for those two votes.. probably making all konds of promises to Nays on both sides, trying to get them to switch.

[nofurylike]

26. thank you again, girl gone mad!

and all.

[drfemoe]

21. Some people are calling the Congress clerk

...if you wanna start placing some phone calls, the House main number is [phone]. So long as a chamber of Congress is in business, they should still be open.

...ask for information regarding Roll Call Vote 669 on H.R. 1 (that's the one going on right now). If you still have trouble, ask to speak to the Clerk of the House's Office.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I just called -- the guy said there were six minutes remaining on this vote and then they were going to move on to the "spam act".... 04:58 AM

...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
...I just called the Clerk's office. The woman there just told me that the vote is ongoing and they don't know when it is going to end. She also couldn't tell who the nonvoting Member is. ...05:04 AM

[Myra]

23. I assume it's too late to influence the vote

And we'd just be calling for info (?)

[drfemoe]

28. that's the way I understand it

yes .. but if the clerk starts getting calls, will they gavel? I don't know??

[joanski01]

25. What's Delay doing?

Holding the House hostage until the vote goes his way? What a POS!!!

[Myra]

27. CSPAN lady just answered my question

Apparently longest house vote ever.
In 1999 there was a 73 minute vote.
This is 3 hours and counting.

[greyl]

30. Wow, it'd be great if

it goes down in history as setting a new record and the Dems win after all the repub whining.

[drfemoe]

31. what the H*LL?

220 - 215 OMG

--no this is worth staying up all f*cking nite

[nofurylike]

32. this IS obscene!

am i hearing right?
changes to ay?

OBSCENE!!

[Myra]

34. Sunnavua bitch

220 yea...

[nofurylike]

35. this is a huge horrifying moment

parliamentary inquiries!

coup!

[Myra]

38. Yup, another year another coup

They wouldn't end the vote until they
had the count they wanted.

So...now are we starting all over again?

[theoceansnerves]

36. steny honer

steny honer up talking shit!
yelling back and forth
parliamentary inquiries
motion to reconsider
now a vote on the motion to table the motion to reconsider

[Myra]

37. OMFG

eom

[greyl]

39. Frank calls for confirmation: another 15 min vote

edit: and I can hardly read the stinkin numbers watching online!
arggh

[Myra]

41. So that means they just torture the Dems again.

until they again get the vote they want
no matter how long it takes?
Why do they keep refering to a 15 minute
vote if it can last 3 hours?

[drfemoe]

42. so far

straight party lines .. we lose again

.. the beat goes on

[Myra]

44. What happened to the Pugs who crossed over?

eom

[theoceansnerves]

40. this is a travesty

i think anyone still awake and watching has just witnessed an utter disservice to democracy (and that's putting it lightly.)

the motion to reconsider will be tabled and this piece of shit legislation will be sent on to the senate. utterly unbelievable.

[onecitizen]

48. What the hell happened?

How many flipped and do we know who they are? We're doomed. They are just so much more ruthless than we are.

For THIS, I stayed up all night! I thought we'd be corkin' the Champaign right about now. Oh well, we lost another one. I'm gettin' kind of used to it.

Nitey-nite all.

[girl gone mad]

43. What exactly are they voting on now?

"Table the motion to reconsider"

What a disgusting display this ended up being.

[theoceansnerves]

45. kill a revote

a motion to reconsider is a revote of a vote that has just taken place.
the winning side of a vote will usually request a motion to reconsider, then immediately request a motion to table the motion to reconsider. tabling the motion kills it, therefore there will not be a recount.

[Myra]

49. But the 3 hour 15 minute vote was against the rules

of parlementary procedure, right?
So it was yet another "illegal" act
like the early Texas redistricting?

[nofurylike]

60. you're right, "another"

a huge another, too.

may it bite them.

peace

[nofurylike]

51. yes, a truly disgusting display.

it was such a moment back those hours ago.
a great feeling we deserve to get used to, yes?

thank you for that.

peace, all!

[economic justice]

46. If they get a second vote

That's when the money comes out in a BIG way. That's when relatively honest men and women become crooks. That's when corporate America shows why they are destroying America. Let's hope, if there is a second vote, that JUSTICE and DEMOCRACY wins out and the politics of big money is defeated. This is scandalous.

[bluestateguy]

47. Can we keep the polls open indefinently on election day next year?

until we get the outcome we want?

Maybe if the election day outcome does not go our way, we can keep the polls open for the next 4 years while we round up everybody whp has not yet voted. Then when the vote goes our way, we'll close the polls and declare the election over.

[drfemoe]

50. historians?

has there ever been a president to sign as many hand-crafted pieces of legislation as has the occupation leader?

This is NOT going to help the gop ... just more fuel on the fire.

[economic justice]

52. Spam Ban

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=575&u=/nm/20031121/wr_nm/tech_spam_congress_dc_12&printer=1

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ibegurpard]

54. Ah yes.

Inconvenience vs. life or death for some seniors. Great priorities.

[economic justice]

56. Which did they vote on first?

Daypart. compartmentalize. Senate sessions are not exclusive.

[greyl]

53. Is it possible it was amended

but that we couldn't hear that part?

edit: I'm holding out hope, but it would have to pretty seriously amended I guess.

fuck

[Myra]

55. So basically did a bunch of people get bribed or blackmailed

into changing their vote?
WTF?

How are they coerced into changing their vote?

[Malva Zebrina]

58. probably threatened with loss of life

knowing the BFEE :mad:

[Myra]

57. Is there any hope for its failure when it goes to Senate?

...

[drfemoe]

59. I can think of two

dems who probably won't be there to vote :( ..

oem
gn

[Myra]

63. Who are the two Dems?

Seems like they should drop whatever they're
doing and get their asses in there to vote.

Well, g'night.
Can't fight the darkness any more right now...
It will be good to be unconscious.

[theoceansnerves]

61. yes

yes there is possibility of it being either voted down, or the possibility of a filibuster.

and yes, there was plenty of blackmail and bribery going on during that 3 hour "15 minute" vote.

[nofurylike]

64. yes, so do make those calls

it's to the senate today.

they'll need some energy for yet another filibuster!

peace, all!

[Malva Zebrina]

62. If the moderates Snow,Collins

R Maine stick to their guns--and if Chafee R Rhode Island votes with them. It will pass in some form, imo. Snow and Collins are not that courageous or willing enough to make Georgee mad--it will be made to appear they are fighting for seniors, by making some small change to the bill It is really sad.

Bush has attacked women, and now we have him attacking seniors. How many deaths will he have on his scorecard of terrorism? Does he take it out every night to gaze upon the numbers dead being racked up and increased, and chuckle over his enormous power--then use it for a bookmark in his bible? Nothing to do now but wait and see, but I do not feel optimistic.

[ibegurpard]

65. Well, Breaux and Baucus helped formulate the damn thing

So there's at least two I think we can count on crossing the aisle to support it.

[Myra]

66. Breaux , well yeah he's right up there with Zell Miller

Pug infiltrators, pure and simple.

So medicare's gone.
They're successfully dismantling the few
social programs we have.
Social security is a joke 'cause of the deficit.

I think it's a wrap.

It's been an interesting 200+ years
'Merka. But nothing lasts forever.
Now this country is just a cancer upon
the planet.

Nighty night.

[whirlygigspin]

67. final numbers

http://clerk.house.gov/cgi-bin/vote.exe?year=2003&rollnumber=669

FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 669
(Republicans in roman; Democrats in italic; Independents underlined)

H R 1 YEA-AND-NAY 22-NOV-2003 5:53 AM
QUESTION: On Agreeing to the Conference Report
BILL TITLE: Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act


YEAS NAYS PRES NV
REPUBLICAN 204 25
DEMOCRATIC 16 189
INDEPENDENT 1
TOTALS 220 215

--- YEAS 220 ---
Aderholt Gilchrest Ose
Alexander Gillmor Otter
Bachus Gingrey Oxley
Baker Goode Pearce
Ballenger Goodlatte Peterson (MN)
Bartlett (MD) Goss Peterson (PA)
Barton (TX) Granger Petri
Bass Graves Pickering
Beauprez Green (WI) Pitts
Bereuter Greenwood Platts
Biggert Hall Pombo
Bilirakis Harris Pomeroy
Bishop (UT) Hart Porter
Blackburn Hastert Portman
Blunt Hastings (WA) Pryce (OH)
Boehlert Hayes Putnam
Boehner Hayworth Quinn
Bonilla Hefley Radanovich
Bonner Hensarling Ramstad
Bono Herger Regula
Boozman Hobson Rehberg
Boucher Hoekstra Renzi
Boyd Houghton Reynolds
Bradley (NH) Hulshof Rogers (AL)
Brady (TX) Hunter Rogers (KY)
Brown (SC) Hyde Rogers (MI)
Brown-Waite, Ginny Isakson Rohrabacher
Burgess Issa Ros-Lehtinen
Burns Istook Royce
Burr Janklow Ryan (WI)
Buyer Jenkins Saxton
Calvert John Schrock
Camp Johnson (CT) Scott (GA)
Cannon Johnson (IL) Sensenbrenner
Cantor Johnson, Sam Sessions
Capito Keller Shaw
Carson (OK) Kelly Shays
Carter Kennedy (MN) Sherwood
Castle King (IA) Shimkus
Chocola King (NY) Shuster
Coble Kingston Simmons
Cole Kirk Simpson
Collins Kline Smith (NJ)
Cox Knollenberg Smith (TX)
Cramer Kolbe Souder
Crane LaHood Stearns
Crenshaw Latham Stenholm
Cubin LaTourette Sullivan
Cunningham Leach Sweeney
Davis (TN) Lewis (CA) Tauzin
Davis, Jo Ann Lewis (KY) Taylor (NC)
Davis, Tom Linder Terry
Deal (GA) LoBiondo Thomas
DeLay Lucas (OK) Thornberry
Diaz-Balart, L. Manzullo Tiahrt
Diaz-Balart, M. Marshall Tiberi
Dooley (CA) Matheson Turner (OH)
Doolittle McCotter Upton
Dreier McCrery Vitter
Duncan McHugh Walden (OR)
Dunn McInnis Walsh
Ehlers McKeon Weldon (FL)
English Mica Weldon (PA)
Everett Miller (MI) Weller
Ferguson Miller, Gary Whitfield
Fletcher Murphy Wicker
Foley Myrick Wilson (NM)
Forbes Nethercutt Wilson (SC)
Fossella Neugebauer Wolf
Franks (AZ) Ney Wu
Frelinghuysen Northup Young (AK)
Gallegly Nunes Young (FL)
Gerlach Nussle
Gibbons Osborne

--- NAYS 215 ---
Abercrombie Grijalva Neal (MA)
Ackerman Gutierrez Norwood
Akin Gutknecht Oberstar
Allen Harman Obey
Andrews Hastings (FL) Olver
Baca Hill Ortiz
Baird Hinchey Owens
Baldwin Hinojosa Pallone
Ballance Hoeffel Pascrell
Barrett (SC) Holden Pastor
Becerra Holt Paul
Bell Honda Payne
Berkley Hooley (OR) Pelosi
Berman Hostettler Pence
Berry Hoyer Price (NC)
Bishop (GA) Inslee Rahall
Bishop (NY) Israel Rangel
Blumenauer Jackson (IL) Reyes
Boswell Jackson-Lee (TX) Rodriguez
Brady (PA) Jefferson Ross
Brown (OH) Johnson, E. B. Rothman
Brown, Corrine Jones (NC) Roybal-Allard
Burton (IN) Jones (OH) Ruppersberger
Capps Kanjorski Rush
Capuano Kaptur Ryan (OH)
Cardin Kennedy (RI) Ryun (KS)
Cardoza Kildee Sabo
Carson (IN) Kilpatrick Sanchez, Linda T.
Case Kind Sanchez, Loretta
Chabot Kleczka Sanders
Clay Kucinich Sandlin
Clyburn Lampson Schakowsky
Conyers Langevin Schiff
Cooper Lantos Scott (VA)
Costello Larsen (WA) Serrano
Crowley Larson (CT) Shadegg
Culberson Lee Sherman
Cummings Levin Skelton
Davis (AL) Lewis (GA) Slaughter
Davis (CA) Lipinski Smith (MI)
Davis (FL) Lofgren Smith (WA)
Davis (IL) Lowey Snyder
DeFazio Lucas (KY) Solis
DeGette Lynch Spratt
Delahunt Majette Stark
DeLauro Maloney Strickland
DeMint Markey Stupak
Deutsch Matsui Tancredo
Dicks McCarthy (MO) Tanner
Dingell McCarthy (NY) Tauscher
Doggett McCollum Taylor (MS)
Doyle McDermott Thompson (CA)
Edwards McGovern Thompson (MS)
Emanuel McIntyre Tierney
Emerson McNulty Toomey
Engel Meehan Towns
Eshoo Meek (FL) Turner (TX)
Etheridge Meeks (NY) Udall (CO)
Evans Menendez Udall (NM)
Farr Michaud Van Hollen
Fattah Millender-McDonald Velazquez
Feeney Miller (FL) Visclosky
Filner Miller (NC) Wamp
Flake Miller, George Waters
Ford Mollohan Watson
Frank (MA) Moore Watt
Frost Moran (KS) Waxman
Garrett (NJ) Moran (VA) Weiner
Gephardt Murtha Wexler
Gonzalez Musgrave Woolsey
Gordon Nadler Wynn
Green (TX) Napolitano