Q: Why on earth did everybody involved in HCR spend so much time working out compromises last week if it was just going to come down to ping pong no matter what?
The most ballzalicious thing they could do right now would be to whip the votes on the "conference" bill worked out last week. Since law requires ten days for absentee ballots to roll in, if Pelosi can keep the House in line, Reid has until the 25th or so to muster the Senate votes. That's the deadline by which he'd have to file the motion to proceed and accommodate senate rules.
But enough about Congress Matters and how much it rocks. There's another front page piece right now in which we learn the following:
"I know some of my Democratic colleagues had been thinking about ways to, in effect, get around the results by working in various parliamentary ways, looking at the rules, trying to get a health care bill passed that would have been the same bill that would have passed if [MA AG] Martha Coakley [D] had won, and I think that's a mistake," Frank said. "I will not support an effort to push through a House-Senate compromise bill despite an election. I'm disappointed in how it came out, but I think electoral results have to be respected."
"In many ways the campaign in Massachusetts became a referendum not only on health care reform but also on the openness and integrity of our government process," Mr. Webb said. "It is vital that we restore the respect of the American people in our system of government and in our leaders. To that end, I believe it would only be fair and prudent that we suspend further votes on health care legislation until Senator-elect Brown is seated."
With all due respect, Senators, poppycock and piffle! By this logic, as Jake points out, Kirk basically should no longer vote on anything. This is, of course, patently absurd. One is either the sitting Senator or one is not; there is no "kinda in office." Life in Massachusetts, the Senate or anywhere else DOES NOT stop over pending election certifications. It's kind of silly when you think about it: on the one hand, Massachusetts is the center of the universe (Brown), while at the same time, Massachusetts is irrelevant (Kirk).
And we won't let it. Here's the framing:
Legislation and the work of Congress cannot be upheld because of one state's special election. There is no principle in wasting the time of taxpayers, the President and Congressional Committee Chairmen and discarding all their work towards improving the HCR bill before them. The compromises obtained are important and necessary and We, the People, deserve the best bill possible.
It is ridiculous, not to mention insulting, to be told that one election can derail such important work. What if a Senator were to spontaneously retire tomorrow? Where does one draw the line?
In short, stop making excuses and do the right thing, for crying out loud.
See you in the primaries!
xoxox
Would any of us keep our jobs with that kind of productivity? This is nothing short of buffoonery that paints them as incompetent and as their boss, I find it insulting to contemplate. How dare they waste all of the last two weeks hammering out compromises just to throw them out the window.
So let's give 'em what for and demand they pass the bill with the negotiated compromises.
The list includes all the usual suspects: any Congresscritter with whom you actually are stuck/blessed, Senate and House leadership, the relevant committee chairs and the White House.
Toll-free numbers for House and Senate:
1-866-338-1015
1-866-220-0044
1-866-311-3405
And if we want them to take the right correct lesson from MA, we might as well take this opportunity to remind them of that.