Sen. Ben Nelson (Neb.), the final Democratic holdout on health care, announced to his colleagues Saturday morning that he would support the Senate reform bill, clearing the way for final passage by Christmas of President Obama's top domestic policy priority.
Asked if he had secured the 60 votes needed to overcome a Republican filibuster, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.) told reporters, "It seems that way."
The Senate is expected to work its way through a series of procedural motions over the next few days, with a vote on the legislation scheduled the evening of Dec. 24th. A conference with the House to produce a final bill would likely extend into January, Senate aides said. They are still calculating Ben's boodle for his vote. Ben is (I think) 71 years old. Apparently he's not going to stand for re-election.
#1
If I was one of the 57-58 Senators who wasn't bribed for my vote I think I would reconsider and threaten to vote against the bill unless I got MY share of the boodle too. And once they all get properly bribed Landrieu and Nelson can reconsider and demand more. Rinse and repeat.
#2
the House likely won't go along with the Senate version which means back-door deals in conference. We'll see some real sausage-making with this POS. Interesting how the price for these whores keeps going up
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/19/2009 14:24 Comments ||
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#3
If you live in Virginia, please call Senator Webb's office (202-224-4024) and politely ask that he not vote to end debate on Harry Reid's "manager's amendment." Webb is not completely on board with health care yet, at least not publicly, and he has been voting with the GOP on amendments.
Posted by: Mike ||
12/19/2009 14:26 Comments ||
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#4
I take it that he doesn't have an election coming up next year. Will people remember?
#5
I heard he reserves the right to change his mind. I expect the price to go up and, like Glenmore, I expect the other 57 senators to suddenly get sticky fingers "cold feet" between now and Christmas.
Posted by: Frozen Al ||
12/19/2009 15:11 Comments ||
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#6
And in other news the Titanic continues to head towards an iceberg while the deck chairs are arranged and re-arranged! Iceberg? That can't be the earth in warming up at an alarming rate (Sarc).
#7
Whatever the four unprincipled sellouts got for the 60 vote debate stop (Landreau, Nelson, Lincoln, Lieberman) will be modified in the reconciled verson for the 51 vote passage anyway.
That gives the fake moderates a chance to vote a pius No with no penalty. Unfortunately, this time the Progressive dems will cost every tax payer and employer money and freedoms with an unread foot thick mandate pile. It will also cost the yea voting Congressional fools their jobs in 10 months.
#8
While we will never know for certain, it would appear "30 pieces of silver" still has the power to change the will of man and in this case, betray the unborn/nearly born and send them to their death. Nelson may be the worst of the lot. He knew better and did nothing.
#9
So Nelson is going to accept the federal funding of abortion, and the coercion at the point of a gun of those of use who refuse to let our money be used for somethign that is unarguable evil: the deliberate targeting and destruction of innocent defenseless human lives for profit and political power of the abortion industry and mere convenience for the so-called "mother".
The US is doomed. Mark this day - its when it all began to unravel in violence. There will be a thousand Eric Rudolphs created as this is signed into law; the bombing of the abortion industry will begin soon. The punishment of conscientious objectors who refuse to remit money to the government for this abomination will begin soon by the IRS.
Judas, go hang yourself. You and Casey.
Me? I'm probably going to jail for refusal to pay taxes for this.
Civil war, here we come.
#10
sending this text via email to every D member of the senate:
The disgraceful manner in which landmark legislation on healthcare has been forced through Congress has made a travesty of any claim of genuine democratic debate. The American People overwhelmingly oppose what you are doing and are, as am I, immensely angered by what appears ready to pass, with catastrophic tax and benefit impacts on me and my family.
As a voter and taxpayer, I want you to know that I strongly oppose government-run health care. A government-run health care system will measurably harm the interests of my family and me. The legislation will:
Decrease the quality of my health care. Under government-run health care, I'll see my doctor for less time, receive less preventative medicine and spend more time waiting for important medical procedures.
Marginalize the health care of seniors. Under government-run health care, the Greatest Generation will be treated the worst in the health system.
Limit my access to health care. Under government-run health care, lines will be longer, waiting will increase and doctor-time will decrease. Additionally, mandated insurance will provide coverage I don't want and deprive me of coverage I need.
Increase cost. Under government-run health care, costs will balloon beyond recognition. When the government picks up the tab for health care, neither doctors nor patients have any incentive to reduce cost or limit use. As a result, the United States will be forced to either increase taxes on middle-class Americans or increase debt to creditor nations.
Please know as you prepare to vote on government-run health care that I will be paying close attention. It will likely determine how I vote in November, and my determination to financially oppose aggressively those who act to impose this mistake on my country.
#11
states can opt out of allowing plans to cover abortion in the new insurance exchanges the bill would set up
Yeah, but taxpayers throughout the country will still be paying for abortions in the states that do not opt out. This is immoral. Nelson is just as big a whore as the rest of them. If he had any integrity he would have just said "NO. NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES."
And Lieberman. I never want to hear anybody ever again try to tell me that Lieberman is maverick or independent or reasonable or moderate or responsible or any thing like that. He's not. He's just as big a whore as the rest of them.
I am extremely fearful for the future of this country. We're taxing the producers for people who will never be responsible for themselves. And when otherwise good people learn that they don't have to be responsible there will be no incentive and then the whole economy stops.
Where does it stop? When we're all reduced to the lowest common denominator? Or will OldSpook's fears come true?
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
12/19/2009 18:31 Comments ||
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#12
How can it not come true? Look at what's going to happen with this bill? Huge tax increase, IRS throwing people in jail, waiting lines for care, etc...It's going to be a full out disaster. And imagine that with the hyperinflation that will hit any day. Democrats will be surrounded with Obama in the White House with 100,000s of citizens with pitchforks and torches.
#13
"Democrats will be surrounded with Obama in the White House with 100,000s of citizens with pitchforks and torches."
Can't happen too soon for me.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
12/19/2009 19:33 Comments ||
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#14
Any chance any future president and congress would ever repeal this monstrosity? Like they should have repealed Social Security, MediCare and affirmative action? It's gonna take some radical changes in our society before people wake up enough for that to happen. Unfortunately, those changes are most likely only brought about by years of hardship and suffering.
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
12/19/2009 20:45 Comments ||
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#15
Mark this day - its when it all began to unravel in violence.
I'd say it really began 80-ish years ago. This is the culmination, not the beginning.
#1
Frankly, I do not believe one word Zero says, or any words any Democrat says; look at the body language. The Zero is stiff with shifty eyes clunched fist and speaks with a slow cautious tone that makes his neck look strained. The guy is lying.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says his American counterpart Barack Obama should give his Nobel Peace Prize back as he is sending more soldiers to war-weary Afghanistan.
"He [Obama] got the Nobel Peace Prize almost the same day as he sent 30,000 soldiers to kill innocent people in Afghanistan," he said during a speech at a climate change conference in Denmark.
"Obama should give back the prize," Chavez added on Thursday.
The Venezuelan president also suggested that Bolivian President Evo Morales would have been a better choice for the award.
Obama collected the prize earlier this month following his decision to send 30,000 additional US forces to the war-torn country after eight years of conflict. According to an opinion poll after the event, up to 60 percent of the respondents said that it was wrong for Obama to collect the prize.
Meanwhile, Chavez accused the Netherlands and the US of plotting to attack Venezuela as Washington sent military equipment to three Dutch islands off Venezuela's Caribbean coast, Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire.
"They are three islands in Venezuela's territorial waters, but they are still under an imperial regime: the Netherlands," the president noted. "Europe should know that the North American empire is filling these islands with weapons, assassins, American intelligence units, and spy planes and war ships."
I believe Aruba actually declared independence some time ago. A country can do that when it's a successful banking haven.
Chavez is trying to be friends by telling us the Good News first.
In response, State Department spokesman Ian Kelly denied that US military personnel in the Caribbean are planning to attack Venezuela. "These allegations are crazy baseless. These are routine exercises. We seek cooperation with the region," Kelly said.
"We'd be quite pleased to include Venezuela, and not even as targets," he added. "Such experiences are so useful for military planning for all involved."
Chavez, however, described the cooperation as part of a broader plan for weakening leftist governments throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, including Ecuador, Nicaragua, Bolivia and Cuba.
There is that.
"It's a threat to all the people of Latin America and the Caribbean," he said.
Only the radical leftist caudillo types, actually. We've nothing against the people.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/19/2009 00:00 ||
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#1
Ok, Oogo, give back free speech in that mosquito infested oil patch country of yours, quit claiming your opposition is composed exclusively of CIA and Mossad agents, stop sucking up to Iran, stop threatening your neighbors with your rabble of an army, and stop conflating terrorist beasts with "innocent people," and we MIGHT talk about Obama.
This sinister clown and his gimcrack regime are exhibit A in the case for alternate energy. Without oil, Chavez wouldn't even rise to the level of laughingstock.
#4
the North American empire is filling these islands with weapons, assassins, American intelligence units, and spy planes and war ships.
Cool! When I finally get down to Aruba for some scuba diving, I can indulge some James Bond-type fantasies! I just hope they don't mess with the coral. That would, like, suck.
partof a broader plan for weakening leftist governments throughout Latin America and the Caribbean
Ooogo, time to get better blow than you are getting from Evo. The cut rate crap he's been supplying has obviously affected your mind if you forgot Barry's efforts on behalf of your mutual friend, Zelaya.
#6
As someone from the "Imperial regime" that Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire are still "under", Hugo, if you take the immigrants from these islands off our hands as well, you are fully welcome to them. That should cut our crimerate by at least a third.
Should do wonders for the rate of wellfare-fraud as well.
#7
How disappointing. For the Big O, I mean. All that sucking up to dictators and socialists, all those lefty boiler-plate Blame America speeches, only to be sneered at by a Hero of the People like Hugo. Same as it ever was, Barry.
#8
You can cheese up to all of the stupid people on the earth all you want, but they still will not respect you. For they know you are weak Mr President, weak in knowledge and weak in soul.
They see through you like plexiglass.
Better to kick their asses so they learn respect instead of bowing to their tyranny
[Al Arabiya Latest] World leaders worked through the early hours to try and beat a Friday deadline for a deal on cutting emissions and helping poor countries cope with the costly impact of global warming.
Hopes for the last day of U.N. climate talks were raised by a U.S. pledge to a climate finance fund, but leaders still warned of failure amid debate on sharing the burden of carbon-emissions cuts.
After days of stalemate, the United States revived the 193-nation talks on Thursday by backing a $100 billion climate fund to help poor nations adapt their economies and tackle threats such as failing crops and dwindling water supplies.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/19/2009 00:00 ||
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#1
Good. Hopefully by the next time one of these stupid conferences rolls around, the sham of anthropogenic global warming will be completely discredited.
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia ||
12/19/2009 0:34 Comments ||
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#2
How many times does it happen that when you have Al Gore making a speech or there is a climate conference you get a blizzard in DC and NY? Gore effect?
I told a guy in NY yesterday to not worry about the snow and temps since as soon as Copenhagen is over, temps in the 50's will return to normal. Looks like I am right!
Posted by: Jack is Back! ||
12/19/2009 7:37 Comments ||
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#3
#1 Good. Hopefully by the next time one of these stupid conferences rolls around, the sham of anthropogenic global warming will be completely discredited. Posted by Rambler in Virginia
No worries Nash. Some new and exciting crisis, possibly even more dire, will have been developed by global politicians by then.
#5
The rest of us are praying that these idiots will accomplish nada because we know it will be on the backs of people who can't afford it--namely us. Jobs are in the dumper. Employment numbers are out of sight. Our debt to others is astronomical. We are spending far more than we are taking in. Our future is mortgaged to other countries. Our industries have been sent off-shore or outsourced to China and India. There's no money in the till for the airy fairy B.S. notions and socialistic pipe dreams of these liberal tax and spenders. We don't have a tax base for all this. And yet these politicians keep trying to increase the tax burden on individual Americans. The American people are bleeding and there is real pain out in flyover land. Get real and do something for the American people. Get off our backs. Just don't do anything. Forget about transforming this country into some kind of socialistic nightmare. It is not wanted.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
12/19/2009 10:28 Comments ||
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#7
So it appears that with COP15 the industrialized nations have allowed humanity to kick the can down the road yet again regarding C02 emissions. Quite telling, really, as the alarmist leadership of these countries are no different from the alarmist individuals they represent.
Even though world leaders claim we're fast approaching the tipping point that will throw us into calamity, they do little or nothing drastic or concrete to attempt to remedy the issue. What, flaccid commitments of a 17% decrease? I thought the carbon load needed to be slashed drastically and immediately! Obama's 17% number is lip service and nothing more. Where are the Western nations who are leading by example, cutting CO2 by 50%, or 80%? Nowhere to be found. Why?
Likewise, the typical individual carbon alarmists I know appear to be totally unwilling to eschew modern living to put their asses where their mouths are. Screeching at me in email about how we're doomed, but doing so within the comfort of the vacation home at the ski resort.
If there is supposedly consensus that we're on a road to ruin, you'd expect there to be a more convincing effort being undertaken by world leadership and the individual dupes that follow them. But there is no convincing effort on anybody's part, is there? It's a sham.
[Iran Press TV Latest] A representative from Sudan for a major bloc of developing nations (G77) has called a draft climate deal in Copenhagen the "worst in history".
Lumumba Stanislas Dia-ping of Sudan, chairing the Group of 77 and the bloc of 130 poor nations, accused the United States and host Denmark of trampling on the rights of poor countries.
"Today's events really represent the worst developments in climate change negotiations in history," Dia-ping told reporters.
But it remained to be seen if he would have all the developing nations on board, as leaders of key nations including China, India, Brazil and South Africa had negotiated personally with US President Barack Obama.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/19/2009 00:00 ||
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#1
China, India, Brazil and South Africa had negotiated personally with US President Barack Obama.
Obama prolly sold them a worthless agreement in exchange for for more worthless US Treasury bonds.
#5
The developed world seems to have woken up to the fact the developing world doesn't give a damm about the climate and are only interested in the money.
[Iran Press TV Latest] After a desperate push for a deal on combating global warming, an agreement has been reportedly reached at the UN climate change summit in Copenhagen.
On Friday, a senior US official said that a "meaningful" accord was reached after President Barack Obama held talks with the leaders of China, India and South Africa.
More than four hours after the scheduled close of the summit and an exhaustive round of diplomacy between world leaders, Obama said an agreement had been reached but acknowledged it was limited and would not be legally binding.
A binding deal will be "very hard" and would take time, Obama told reporters, adding that progress made in the Copenhagen climate summit was "not enough."
The US official also said that no country is entirely satisfied with each element of the deal and that it is not sufficient to combat the threat of climate change.
Meanwhile climate campaigners have marched through Copenhagen to show their anger with the outcome of what they refer to as the Corruption-hagen meeting.
The demonstrators also complained about repressive tactics used by the Danish authorities against them.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/19/2009 00:00 ||
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How 'bout a non-binding agreement on ObamaCare too. It would be "unprecedented"!
Meanwhile, we're about to break the record for snow in December in the D.C. area, where nearly a foot has fallen overnight and the heavy stuff is expected today! Barbara and Rambler may be snowed in.
Posted by: Bobby ||
12/19/2009 6:58 Comments ||
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#3
Obama's day of hectic diplomacy produced a document promising $30 billion in emergency climate aid to poor nations in the next three years and a goal of eventually channeling $100 billion a year by 2020 to developing countries.
Yay!
Posted by: ed ||
12/19/2009 7:22 Comments ||
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#4
promising $30 billion in emergency climate aid
Are we borrowing this $30 billion from China to give back to them?
#5
Obama's day of hectic diplomacy produced a document promising $30 billion in emergency climate aid to poor nations in the next three years and a goal of eventually channeling $100 billion a year by 2020 to developing countries
It won't stop climate change, but thugs like Mugabe will feel better when they check their balance in their Swiss account.
I pretty much is, Bobby, and I suspect Rambler is catching hell too.
Just measured the snow on the deck - nearly 8-1/2 inches at 10 am. It would have been more, but it changed to sleet overnight and that slowed down the accumulation. It's snowing again with a vengence, though - we're expecting 2 to 4 more inches before it quits.
Some areas west of us have over a foot already, and are expecting up to 2 feet before it ends. GWMA. :-(
I'm heading out as soon as I clean off the steps, walk, and car - promised a customer I'd try to make it to the Post Office today so maybe he can have his order in time for Christmas. (Yes, I'm an idiot - and a sucker.)
Mods - is there some way for me to post personal pictures? (Remember I'm a computer idiot.) Took some of the deck, including one with a ruler. I wanted proof. ;-p
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
12/19/2009 10:20 Comments ||
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#7
Finally stopped raining for a bit in Georgia. Rainiest fall and winter I can remember.
#8
You guys won't believe this, but I had a plant inside my house THANK ME for providing it CO2. Said that it would not have made it without me.
estimonial
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
12/19/2009 12:54 Comments ||
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#9
Correction to #6:
As I was clearing off my steps, walkway, and car, I kept looking at a more protected area of the deck (I took the first picture on the table at the other end of the deck) and thinking that sure looked like more than 8 inches. So I got out the ruler again: 11-1/2 inches. (And no, it wasn't in a corner where the wind would pile it up higher.
This officially sucks.
I made it to the P.O. and mailed the guy's package; I was the only one there besides the clerk. Monday is bound to be a bitch for them as people who planned to mail today hit the joint.
Then, since I was out anyway, I went on to get gas and do some shopping (thank goodness for Wal-Mart, the one-stop shop). The main roads, and even the secondary roads, got better between 11 am when I left home and 2 pm when I got back, but I saw plenty of car carcasses littered along the side of the road where people (last night, from the snow piled on top of them) drove like idiots and slid into trees and telephone poles. I've got all-wheel drive, but I took it slowly and carefully. A friend who left work last night about 9 pm - who drives home on an interstate-quality road - told me she slid sideways a couple of times even though she was going slowly and had her car in 4-wheel drive, and she saw lots of cars in the ditches - and other cars passing her like she was standing still. (No doubt to meet a ditch at a later time.)
The snow has picked up again. Oh, joy. :-(
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
12/19/2009 14:59 Comments ||
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#10
Oh, and I don't want to hear any snark from AP or OP about the depth of the snow here as opposed to where y'all live.
This is VERY unusual for central Virginia, and even more so for December.
I'm so glad I don't have my T-Bird anymore....
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
12/19/2009 15:01 Comments ||
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#11
Have some extra bullshit filters for the oncoming its a success ad campaign muck if y'all need some.
#12
I have a couple of relatives in the DC area, they just E-Mailed me Pictures of 18 inches of "Global Warming" on their porch and yard, with more "Gore Effect" to come.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
12/19/2009 20:54 Comments ||
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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
Sen. Ben Nelson (Neb.), the final Democratic holdout on health care, announced to his colleagues Saturday morning that he would support the Senate reform bill, clearing the way for final passage by Christmas of President Obama's top domestic policy priority. 
[Al Arabiya Latest] World leaders worked through the early hours to try and beat a Friday deadline for a deal on cutting emissions and helping poor countries cope with the costly impact of global warming.
