Pelosi scrambles for health care votes

[Terri]

SF Chronicle

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi gladly pocketed one more precious Democratic vote for health care legislation Thursday, swearing in Bay Area Rep. John Garamendi as key Republican gubernatorial victories this week in Virginia and New Jersey rattled moderate Democrats before a showdown vote set for Saturday.

Two California Democrats, moderates Dennis Cardoza and Jim Costa from the San Joaquin Valley, remain uncommitted.

"We are right on the brink," Pelosi said. "We have a historic opportunity for us to again provide quality health care for all Americans. It is something that many of us have worked our whole political lifetimes on."

Read more:

[Terri]

House health care vote set for Saturday

By ERICA WERNER
Associated Press
November 6, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) -- House Democrats are scrambling to secure enough support to pass President Barack Obama's historic health overhaul initiative, working to soothe last-minute concerns from rank-and-file Democrats ahead of a make-or-break vote.

Voting is set for Saturday on the 10-year, $1.2 trillion legislation that embraces Obama's goals of extending health coverage to tens of millions of uninsured Americans and putting tough new restrictions on insurance companies.

Obama was set to make a personal appeal to the Democratic rank and file in a visit Friday to Capitol Hill. That was called off late Thursday after the shootings at Fort Hood, Texas, and rescheduled for Saturday.

[lranders]

What a convenient day - Saturday.

[Thundercat505]

a couple months ago she was so arrogantly proclaiming that they had the votes to pass this monstrosity. now she is scrambling because it didn't pass on the last couple of votes they have held on it???

tough luck you old bat!! the more info that comes out about it the less likely your own dims won't vote for the thing!!! and trying to get a vote done on saturday doesn't help matters either unless most of the crew just doesn't show up for that days work and only your ultra liberal idiots do show up.

that might be part of her plan though!!

[Terri]

It's not going well because Steny Hoyer is now saying that the vote may be delayed until Sunday or even next week.

[onewildman]

I will not be a slave for any government. This amounts to nothing more than slavery. I am not here for the government to control. This is only the first step in their plan. Just as a falling pebble can start a landslid so will our rights come tumbling down. Our natural rights predate all the governments in the world. The Constitution only confirms and protects these rights.

[greg]

The Constitution only confirms and protects these rights.

If we conservative American citizens of all persuasions protect our Constitution. This is the test. First of many more until, as Terri had posted on one thread, that at least one house in Congress is majority Republican (NLT Nov 2010, if that isn't too late). (My corollary is that these Republicans stick together.)

Our conservative colleagues in the Blue Dog districts need to keep the heat on their Blue Dog Democrat rep hirelings without mercy. Because PelosiCareless will be more without mercy.

[qrayjack]

The abortion deal

Abortion opponents won a huge last-minute concession late Friday night after Democratic leaders agreed to grant them a vote on an amendment that would effectively bar insurers that participate in the exchanges from offering coverage for abortions.

Members of the Rules Committee approved a vote on the amendment early Saturday morning after hours of negotiations in Speaker Nancy Pelosi's Capitol office, so the full House will get a chance to vote on it when the broader health care bill comes to the floor.

I don't get this. What's the big deal? They'll simply vote down the amendment. ???

[candles]

Obama is now meeting with the Dems behind closed doors in a rare Saturday meeting to try to get the votes needed to pass this bad bill.

[tired465]

The Health Care Bill passed Saturday night. Welcome to Ration care.