Category: Health Care

Late Zombie Health Care Updates: Executive Orders, Whip Counts, Slurs, Epithets and More Wholesome Fun! UPDATE: Stupak SELLS OUT! Yoest Declares ‘PRO-LIFE EMERGENCY’!

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Please visit our LIVE CHAT!

UPDATE 6:30 p.m. ET: Just posted this at the American Spectator blog:

You’ve probably never heard of Dan Benishek, but he’s a Republican running against Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI), who struck a deal with Nancy Pelosi that is believed to be the decisive vote to pass ObamaCare.
More than 1,700 people have already joined Benishek’s Facebook page.
Liberty First PAC has added Stupak to its target list, and Stupak is probably going to be on a lot of other lists pretty soon.

Of course, we don’t know yet whether the bill will pass, but Pelosi just got 224 votes on a procedural motion, with 28 Democrats voting no. At this point, it looks like she’s got votes to spare. Anybody who ever voted for a “moderate” Democrat is getting a long-overdue lesson today.

UPDATE 7:24 p.m. ET: Another GOP challenger for Stupak is homeschooling Republican mom Linda Goldthorpe.

UPDATE 4:13 p.m.: Stupak press conference underway, Charmaine Yoest of Americans United For Life just sent this e-mail:

Dear Friend of Life,
I am writing to you from inside the US Capitol building. And I wanted to give you an update and also tell you about a special last-minute need for action.
Tension is high here in the buildup to tonight’s vote. As I write I can hear protestors outside. You may have heard the news reports that some pro-life Members of Congress are being offered a “deal” from the White House on health care reform legislation. That is true. In exchange for a “yes” vote on this bill, President Obama promises to issue an executive order that he claims will address our concerns about taxpayer funding for abortion.
Let me be clear, this will not prevent taxpayer-funded abortion.
Here is a statement I made to members of the press.
Here is detailed legal analysis from Senior AUL Action attorney Bill Saunders from today’s Washington Examiner.
Friends, please do NOT believe news reports that this fight is over. It isn’t over until the last vote is counted!
If you live in their districts, please call these eight Members of Congress immediately to encourage them to stand strong for Life. Let them know that the only acceptable way to stop taxpayer-funded abortion is a NO vote. Implore them not to take any “deal” on an executive order.
Please also take a moment to forward this email to anyone you know who lives in these districts.
Rep. Marion Berry(D, AR) – (202) 225-4076
Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper (D, PA) – (202) 225-5406
Rep. Paul Kanjorski (D, PA) – (202) 225-6511
Rep. Mike Michaud (D, ME) – (202) 225-6306
Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D, ND) – (202) 225-2611
Rep. Bobby Rush (D, IL) – (202) 225-4372
Rep. Vic Snyder (D, AR) – (202) 225-2506
Rep. Bart Stupak (D, MI) – (202) 225-4735
Rep. Harry Teague (D, NM) – (202) 225-2365

UPDATE 4:53 p.m. ET: Fellow bloggers, Bob Belvedere has your Google-bomb of the day: Bart Stupak Is a Cheap Crack Whore.

EXPECT FURTHER UPDATES . . .

UPDATE 4 p.m. ET: Ready for the Stupak press conference? Allahpundit’s following the whip count now.

UPDATE 3:40 p.m. ET: My DC source just called to say that “pro-life” Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Hell) has scheduled a 4 p.m. press conference. Politico now reports that the disgusting swine’s finally got a deal to vote “yes.”

UPDATE 3:11 p.m. ET: The vote on the “motion to proceed” passed with flying colors. It looks like Pelosi’s got votes to spare. Stupak’s vote is probably worthless at this point. Ace is blogging. And over at Hot Air, Ed’s continuing Stupak Watch 2010. “Pro-life Democrat”! What a colossal joke . . .

UPDATE 2:44 p.m. ET: “Pro-life Democrat” Bart Stupak (D-Hell) is still a firm, courageous “maybe,” as Philip Klein of the American Spectator reports:

Right now, it’s looking more and more like Democrats have the votes. And while Rep. Bart Stupak is still saying publicly he’s a no — for now — he is still working on a deal in which President Obama would issue an executive order on abortion, and several news outlets have been saying that he’s onboard.

Kathryn Jean Lopez has text of the proposed executive order. And yeah, we can trust Obama. Just like we trust “pro-life Democrats.”

UPDATE 1:37 p.m. ET: In the live chat room, we get this:

“Stupak to CNN producer Lesa Jansen: “I’m still a no…There is no deal yet. Its a work in progress.”

We await further developments as Stupak continues to peddle his worthless ass like the cheap crack whore he is . . .

UPDATE 1:20 p.m. ET: Reuters reports that “pro-life Democrat” Bart Stupak (D-Hell) just got his 30 pieces of silver:

U.S. Democratic Representative Bart Stupak, who opposes abortion, will vote for healthcare legislation later on Sunday, in a move that could help pave the way for passage of the bill, MSNBC reported.

What a miserable swine . . .

Politico: “House Democrats have picked up critical health reform ‘yes’ votes from a group of anti-abortion lawmakers, including Michigan Rep. Bart Stupak, according to senior Democratic aides. Democrats believe a breakthrough with Stupak’s group – based on the promise of an executive order to be issued by President Barack Obama reinforcing a ban on federal funding for abortion – will help give them the 216-vote majority needed to pass reform on Sunday.”

UPDATE 1:28 p.m. ET: We will put an asterisk next to this report. If there’s anything more unreliable than a “pro-life Democrat,” it’s “senior Democratic aides” and MSNBC. Speaking of slurs and epithets . . .

UPDATE 11:45 a.m. ET: “Pro-life Democrats”:

Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) said Sunday morning that he is close to striking a deal with the Obama administration on abortion provisions.
“We are close to getting something done,” Stupak said in an interview with MSNBC.

Is there anyone — anyone — who still doesn’t understand the utter uselessness of voting for “pro-life Democrats”? Do I have to draw you a picture? If you want to kill babies, vote Democrat. If you think it’s probably a bad idea to kill babies, vote Republican. 

Some of you will ask, “What if I want to elect a two-faced lying fool who can’t even spell the word ‘principle’? Wouldn’t that be a good reason to vote for a pro-life Democrat?”

No. That would be a good reason to vote for John McCain.

UPDATE 11 a.m. ET: Can the president “fix” the bill through executive order? Charmaine Yoest of Americans United for Life is profoundly skeptical:

The proposal to address the problem of abortion funding in the health care bill through use of an Executive Order is a tacit acknowledgement that the bill as it stands is pro-abortion legislation. Both the President and the Speaker have repeatedly denied this stark fact.
The American people overwhelmingly do not want to see their tax dollars go toward abortion and that is why Speaker Pelosi cannot mobilize a majority coalition for passage. Her multiple attempts to construct esoteric parliamentary maneuvers to circumvent the clear will of the people is unconscionable. This Executive Order proposal is wrong in principle because it would be designed to retroactively address an issue after Congress, as the direct representatives of the people, failed to do so. . . .
Executive Orders can be undone or modified as quickly as they are created. This is a blatant attempt to subvert democracy and should be quickly quashed . . .

PREVIOUSLY: Ed Morrissey at Hot Air has the beginnings of a whip count, but frankly I’ve lost track. I just heard Martha MacCallum on Fox News call the legislative process “fascinating.” The process is actually tiresome and annoying.

I’ll update with more, in a few minutes. I’m extremely tired. We’ll have a live chat at noon.

Tonight: Thelma And Louise Do DC?

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by Smitty

Sheer Politics thinks that

We’ll know in a few hours if Congress has the courage to step back and build a better bridge to the future or drive us off the edge like Thelma and Louise, which will result in their going down as well, come November and in 2012.

This is an excellent summary post for anyone who hasn’t been stuck in a Kafka-esque political machine since the Brown election in January.
The post starts off with a picture of BHO and Nancy Pelosi.
Now, when you’re going to do referential humor in a blog post, and you should, as it keeps the stress level down, be ye not a tease. Do lay down the clip:
Exit question: which is Nancy, and which the nancy?

Kill The Bill Protest: That Was Like 3 Days Of CPAC In 3 Hours

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by Smitty

Ace has the voting schedule for tomorrow, as relayed by CBS.
Summary: the excrement is scheduled to arrive in the vicinity of the air circulator at 1815. If it goes off as scheduled, we move on to the the next stage of tactical resistance. Too many people have paid too great a price for too long a time for us to meet them in the afterlife and say, ‘Well, we just got bored, see . . .’
Via email, Americans for Prosperity pegs the attendance today at 30k+. I think that’s relatively more accurate than one blog which was trying to push a six figure estimate. Here was my quick pan of the crowd, ~1230:
Continue reading Kill The Bill Protest: That Was Like 3 Days Of CPAC In 3 Hours →

OMG! Executive Order for ObamaCare Payoffs? Can This Possibly Be True?

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Michelle Malkin:

Both Left and Right are hearing rumors that the Dems are drafting an executive order to quell pro-life Democrat opposition to the government health care takeover plan.

I thought of doing this as an update to the Code Red rally post, but . . . this is just so bizarre, I’m having trouble believing it. Will try to verify and update later.

Meanwhile, Byron York reports that the Rules Committee descended into chaos today. Are we surprised? Hell, I’ve been up since 5 a.m. just trying to keep up with this story, and I’m on the verge of descending into chaos myself . . .

UPDATE 2:22 p.m.: Bill Owens is a “yes,” which means, as Ed Morrissey says, “Doug Hoffman has a new commercial.” Ed also blogs the Rules Committee chaos, and provides this video of Paul Ryan talking about the “Slaughter Solution”:

The American Spectator‘s health-care ace Philip Klein confirms that both Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer have suggested that President Obama would sign an executive order in exchange for the Stupak bloc’s votes. Never mind whether it’s constitutional, this is just so freaking insane I’m having trouble processing it.

Guess it’s time to brew that third pot of coffee . . .

More at Memeorandum.

UPDATE 3:11 p.m. ET: Now hearing that “deem and pass” is dead, and a D.C. source tells me that pro-lifers aren’t buying the exectuive order pitch, rumors of which had been heard earlier this week. However, the fact that leadership is even talking about such a far-fetched maneuver means that Pelosi still doesn’t have enough votes to pass the bill. 

Meanwhile, we have photos of Smitty at the Code Red rally:

Here’s the close-up of Smitty’s signs, and you can click the photo to see full-size:

 Charmaine Yoest of Americans United for Life spoke today at the rally:

“The bottom line is they do not have the votes,” said Yoest, the president of the nation’s oldest pro-life organization. “Never before in the history of this country have taxpayer dollars been seized like this to expand federal funding of abortion,” noted Dr. Yoest. . . .
“This vote will count when the House and Senate go before their constituents, no matter the kind of verbal gymnastics employed by the pro-abortion lobby. A Yes vote for this bill is a vote to fund abortion with tax dollars which more than seven out of ten Americans oppose. In fact, this is the only bi-partisan agreement we’ve seen in the health care debate.”

So, evidently, the whole thing comes down to the abortion issue. Time for lunch. I haven’t even had breakfast yet today . . .

UPDATE: 3:30 p.m. ET: Lunch? We don’t need no stinkin’ lunch! Here’s a report from Steven Ertelt of Life News on the executive-order ploy:

Apparently unable to find enough votes for the pro-abortion Senate health care bill and with talks breaking down on how to allow Rep. Bart Stupak a vote on some sort of motion or bill to stop abortion funding, Democrats appear to be relying on a potential executive order to corral more votes for the bill.
Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told reporters at mid-day today . . . he can’t promise an executive order will be issued but said one is under discussion.
“The intent is obviously to express what we have said all along, that we believe the language that has been included in both bills seeks to accomplish, and that is that there will no use of public funds for abortion,” he said.

Translation: They don’t have the votes, and all this talk you hear from the MSM is just hype intended to create the impression of “inevitability.” They’re bluffing. It might possibly work, but it’s certainly not a done deal yet.

UPDATE 3:38 p.m. ET: From a Capitol Hill source, here’s a link to the Manager’s amendment to the reconciliation bill (PDF), which comes with this note:

It will be a self-executed rule,  even though the Democrats say that the “deem & pass” seems to be off the table and they will have an up/down vote on the Senate Health Care bill.

Congratulations to anyone who understands what that actually means.

CODE RED! D.C. Rally NOON TODAY

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Americans will gather in Washington, D.C., today to speak out in opposition to the $2.5 trillion government takeover of health care.

WHEN: Saturday, March 20, 2010 at 12:00 Noon ET
WHERE: West Lawn of the Capitol

SPEAKERS: Rep. Michelle Bachmann, Rep. Tom Price, Rep. Joe Wilson, actor John Voight, Dr. Milton Wolf, Colin Hanna of Let Freedom Ring, Tim Phillips and Phil Kerpen of Americans for Prosperity, Jim Martin of 60 Plus, Andrew Larger of Institute for Liberty, Kathryn Serkes of the Doctor Patient Medical Association, Mark Skoda of the Memphis Tea Party, Amy Kremer of Tea Party Express, Jennifer Hulsey of American Grassroots Coalition, and Ben Cunningham of the Tennessee Tax Revolt. Continue reading CODE RED! D.C. Rally NOON TODAY →

Still Trying To Help TrogloPundit Get It

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by Smitty

TrogloPundit is confused by all of this Byzantine DC pettifoggery on the healthcare legislation, but we here at ToM are nothing if not helpful.
In this clip, the plan is for the legislation to be wheeled up to the castle-like Senate in a wooden cart. The House Democrats, it seems, refer to the Senate as “Frenchmen”. The rabbit decoration is all part of the gag, so that the Senators will be so busy laughing that they’ll play along with the House, sign whatever is put in front of them, and deliver the Grail needed to save the presidency.
Steny Hoyer does a fine job of explaining the plan.
Also, Harry Reid’s rather phallic headwear tops off the excellent costuming on display:

The FaceBook Page That Rocked The Teleprompter Weighs In

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by Smitty

Stand strong together! The implications of Obamacare will reach into every aspect of our lives, from the value of our paycheck, to the quality of our health care, to the opportunities that will be stripped from Americans as we’re shoved under the enormous burden of more government growth and control. We must stop this now.

Secretly, BHO is thankful that she’s not calling for impeachment. Yet.

Left Field Possibility

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by Smitty

Say this is all a giant mind-frak.
Say that BHO, surveying the wreckage of the steaming pile of manure delivered to his desk, decrees that it is too contentious, too perilous, and that Reid and Pelosi have done what they could, but that the legislation simply wasn’t up to signing standards.
Say he vetos it outright, or they schedule the final throes so as to support a pocket veto.
Given that some are already calling for impeachment, I’d say this is a non-zero possibility. Nevertheless, I’ll be reporting from the protest tomorrow, as wishful thinking won’t fix much.
Just sayin’.