Uncategorized

And…..They’re Back

By Kate Pickert | @katepickert | December 16, 2009 | +

When Republican Sen. Tom Coburn forced the the reading of a 767-page single-payer amendment from Bernie Sanders – a task estimated to take 8-12 hours – it looked like most of us could pack it in for the day. But after nearly three hours of reading, Sanders found a way to stop the madness. He withdrew his amendment and is now giving a speech on the Senate floor defending the concept of single payer. “It is wrong to bring the United States government to a halt,” said Sanders. “But I’m absolutely convinced that that legislation or legislation like it will eventually become the law of the land…That day will come.” It’s possible this is true. Anything’s possible. But not today.

Sanders is one of the liberal senators Majority Leader Harry Reid must lobby in order to round up the 60 votes he needs to pass a Senate health care bill without a public option. Sanders tells Politico, “I’m not on board yet.”

Related Topics: bernie sanders, single payer, tom coburn, Uncategorized

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  • spob

    The GOP should introduce a motion condemning Schumer for calling a flight attendant a “b!tch”.
    .
    What a guy . . . .

  • deconstructiva

    Kate, since you’re there (and still awake?), do YOU see an ultimate standoff between centrists (Nelson, et al) against PO (and nearly everything else, but I digress) and those demanding it or else such as Sanders and Burris? Short version: no one gives in and compromise is literally impossible? Thus, either break bill in pieces and do recon or joint comm. bypass – or table this and go back to House / do recon like Dean suggests? Thoughts? What are you seeing, Kate? thanks

  • stuartzechman

    Thanks for your reporting on this, Kate Pickert.

  • formerlyrainbow68

    sigh…

  • stuartzechman

    Kate Pickert:
    .
    If a liberal Democratic Senator like Russ Feingold were to introduce an amendment to strip out the individual mandate provisions from the legislation, do you think that it would pass the Senate with Republican and Democrat votes?
    .
    Wouldn’t Barack Obama’s White House be in support of such an amendment, given that he ran a presidential primary campaign against Hillary Clinton’s individual mandate-laden health care proposal?
    .
    How likely is it that an individual mandate-killing amendment would be a bipartisan triumph?
    .
    If you think that it would be likely to fail, I’d love to hear exactly why you believe that’s the most probable scenario, Kate Pickert.
    .
    Thanks so much for considering these questions.

  • spob

    Amazing, a political blog that doesn’t deal with the politics of a US Senator calling a flight attendant a
    “b!tch”.
    .
    Wow.

  • sevenoaks07

    Is it reasonable for a Senator to read 767 pages of an amendment in such a short space of time? What gives? 767 pages????

    spob, I see you are worked up about Sen Schumer. Call his office. If you are bothered by foul language have a word with Rahm.

  • spob

    sevenoaks, I’m just commenting on the lack of posts by the Swamp guys. Seems that, given the attention to the gaffes of governors, this one would make it in.

  • spob

    Drudge is reporting that Pelosi has acknowledged that there will not be a health care deal this year.

  • nflfoghorn

    Sludge can report that the sky is blue and I wouldn’t believe a word of it.

  • pintortwo

    I read your link, I’m unimpressed. A repub aide claims that Schumer called a woman a bitch, under-his-breath. I have no illusions that Schumer is a great guy- don’t care. If he broke the law, I’d care. Am I to gather that you feel this is on par with a governor that disappears for a few days- wife and staff have no idea- and it turns out that he’s been in another country visiting his mistress on his constituents’ dime? Why else would you criticize the Swampers for what they choose to cover? Conspiracy, gasp…
    .
    .
    On topic, go Sanders. Agree or not, at least he’s sticking to his guns and not settling for a weak bill. Take notice Dems, if you want to stay in power.

  • deconstructiva

    …this is because that topic’s irrelevant, a pure non sequitur. This site never deals with trivial crap and prattle.

  • spob

    pint, then why is his staffer saying that he made an inappropriate comment . . . .
    .
    but hey, if you wanna stick to lawbreaking, fine, why is Charlie Rangel still in office?

  • spob

    So US Senators should call flight attendants nasty misogynist names, ok gotcha.

  • Art Pepper

    OT but some interesting graphs about the deficit:

    http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=3036

    (via Washington Monthly)

    “[T]ax cuts and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan accounted for over $500 billion of the deficit in 2009 and $7.1 trillion in 2009 through 2019 [...] These impacts easily dwarf the stimulus and financial rescues.

    I gather the GOP position is that tax cuts a priori cannot cause deficits, and wars are off-budget.

  • http://www.simonvinkenoog.nl/beeld/Yogi%20-%20Annelies%20Rigter.jpg yogi

    Yes, yet another reason we need to ban this freedom of speech thing. Its utter Bull Sh!t if you ask me. BULLLLLLLL SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH IT.

  • pintortwo

    Spob, I was cut-off today while driving and called the person an A-H. I didn’t expect anyone to hear it, I wouldn’t have said it if certain people were with me in the car. My comment was inappropriate, but I don’t expect it to be brought up in a staff meeting. IOW, ehh…
    .
    If you want to set-up an internet campaign to make people aware of Schumer’s name-calling, go right ahead. Maybe he’d lose some votes in the next election. But if you think its fodder for political blogs, you’re going to be disappointed- my opinion.
    .
    (Speaking of futility) I’ll see your Rangel and raise you a McCain…

  • http://www.simonvinkenoog.nl/beeld/Yogi%20-%20Annelies%20Rigter.jpg yogi

    Yeah spob! Set up a petition to ban all words spoken, written, signed, thought or other and I’ll sign it. Here’s my name right here.

    love,
    Mike Hunt

  • apr2563

    Give up the misdirection spob.

  • freeinpa

    Unless you make the tax rate zero, tax cuts do not cause deficits, spending does.

  • Art Pepper

    Exhibit A.

  • Art Pepper

    Dagnabbit, why does the “Reply to this comment” button fail about 50% of the time?

  • artraveler

    Why is Bernie Sanders the only true “Democrat” in this discussion? If the Independent designation is what we need to get a meaningful heathcare bill, then replace the whole bunch of them over the next 3 elections.

    Senator Lincoln, you may want to read up on current technologiers on rice farming as it looks like you may have some time on your hands since you now have 8 Republican challengers and your true “liberal” support is falling like a rock.

  • bobell

    Or spob could ask Dick Cheney for advice on the topic. Why isn’t spob obsessed about the time Cheney told Senator Leahy to go [fill in the blank -- hint, it wasn't "screw"] himself? Isn’t that almost as bad as calling some woman a she dog?

  • bobell

    Hey, freep — What causes surpluses?

  • freeinpa

    bobell

    Revenues in excess of SPENDING

  • freeinpa

    Bernie is the only admitted Socialist . Independent is his voter registration party. Bernie realized way back when that registering as a Socialist would not have gotten him elected.

  • bobell

    And where do those revenues come from?

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