Republicans protest as Democrats try to pass Obamacare without actually voting on it – a clear sign the votes aren’t there for an up or down vote. Dems defend the rule saying it’s been used many times by Republican majorities. New Jersey tea partiers get the green light to continue effort to recall Sen. Bob Menendez and the Lockerbie bomber (who was supposed to be dead four months ago) may live another five years.
Archives for March 16, 2010
Final March to Obamacare Begins
A final vote (if there is a vote) may not happen for days or even weeks, but Democrats are about to set the stage for an extremely controversial showdown. The Budget Committee has approved reconciliation language for the package to fix the flawed Senate bill. What happened in that hearing and what does it tell us about the next stages in this debate? We ask Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, a member of the Budget Committee. He discusses what would happen on abortion, the public option and whether avoiding a direct vote would protect and members of Congress from the potential wrath of voters.
The Deteriorating Alliance
Clifford May of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies discusses the strained relations between Israel and the Obama administration. Are new settlements the heart of the issue or just a symptom of a bigger problem? What is the truth on the new settlements? What might be a bigger issue? How does the Iranian nuclear threat factor into all of this? And is there any reason to think peace progress is possible?
American People Can Kill the Bill
As Democrats struggle to pass health care legislation and consider extraordinary measures to push the bill over the finish line, Republicans can do very little to impact the outcome. But the American people can. So says South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson. He says public opposition stopped passage of the bill for months and massive public opposition is the key to killing the bill once and for all.
‘Deem and Pass’ for Obamacare?
House Democrats are still struggling to cobble together the 216 votes needed to pass the Senate health bill. So Speaker Nancy Pelosi is considering a tactic that would approve the plan without ever voting on it. It’s called ‘deem and pass’. How can Congress pass a bill without a debate or a vote? Has this ever been done before? On a bill of this significance? How will something like this get worked out in the House Rules Committee? We ask California Rep. David Dreier, ranking Republican and former chairman of the House Rules Committee.