Everybody knows the health care debate has become more and more contentious, and dominated by a Republican parliamentary effort to delay the debate. But an under-appreciated aspect of this whole controversy -- exceedingly rare, if not unprecedented -- is the fact that it's even affected defense spending, with Senate Republicans having worked to hold that up, too!They're all such great Americans, aren't they?
Late on Thursday night, the Senate voted 63-33 to break a Republican filibuster of the defense appropriations bill. Only three Republicans voted against this delay of military spending: Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX), Olympia Snowe (ME) and Susan Collins (ME). The filibuster was part of a Republican effort to further delay the health care bill.
So think for a second about what happened here. The Senate GOP sought to hold up military spending -- and not because of an argument with the defense appropriations bill itself or something in it that might have been offensive to them, but in an attempt to block a domestic political debate. It was an especially interesting position for a party that repeatedly accused then-Senator Barack Obama, during the 2008 campaign, of trying to "defund the troops" when he voted against a military funding bill because it didn't include a timeline to withdraw from Iraq.
December 22, 2009
Those Patriotic Senate Republicans
From Talkingpointsmemo:
On the one hand, Senatorial Republicans have a point, after concessions to recalcitrant Democrats and an independent, there is what, almost two thousand pages that the Democrats want to vote on in two days. Republican Senators can rightly say they can not do an adequate job of representing their constituents in the time available (frankly I wonder that the Democrats are not saying this). On the other hand, Congressional Republicans have lost pretty much all credibility on health care/insurance reform (and many other legislative issues), with their sheer obstructionism.
ReplyDeletePretty clearly this bill will pass the Senate. I don't know the rules on bills that come out of a reconciliation/conference committee. If those reconciled versions of the House and Senate) bills can sail through with simple majorities, then we might yet see a public option. It will be interesting to see if the Democrats let Olympia Snowe into the room when they work to reconcile the bills.
If they still need sixty votes for passage of the reconciled bills (to end debate or agree to reset the vote counter or something) then we will be treated to the Democratic leadership pleading with House Democrats to accept the Senate version of the bill, since Senators never have to bend.
The republicans, with their actions are on their way to becoming our countries most dangerous domestic terrorists.
ReplyDeleteSo, you liberals are now for funding Defense and the troops? Sweet. And, effin' politically expedient.
ReplyDeleteAnd, Ed.. obstructionism? How about lack of ANY input and/or a HUGE difference in ideology? How about Reid's Managers Amendment being disclosed at 7am last Saturday for the 1st time?
Who/what gives the government the right/pwer to say I MUST purchase health insurance or face fines, penalties or jail? Who/what gives the government the right/power to say I MUST provide health insurance for my employees of face fines, penalties or, possibly, jail?
Hmmm?