First Health Care Reform Vote Tonight
Tonight is the first vote for the health care reform bill. This vote is only to put proceed to debate the bill. All Democrats have announced they will vote to bring the bill up for a debate.
Arkansas Sen. Blanche Lincoln just announced her support for bringing the health care reform bill to the floor for debate — so that makes the Dems united … on debating the bill. Not a surprise, but an important step. The official vote later today still, but now everyone’s put their cards on the table.
Before you get too excited, Lincoln has already announced her attention to filibuster a bill containing a public option. I’m announcing my intention to give money to a primary opponent for Blanche Lincoln.
You can follow the Daily Kos liveblog at the link.
The debate is being carried on CSPAN right now. The last I saw, the vote should occur around 8 PM.
Tags: Health Care Reform
once it goes to debate, they only need a simple majority to pass it correct? so they could add the public option back in and make it actual reform and the Repubunists and DINOs would jut have to suck it ya?
Unfortunately not, a. This vote only allows the bill to be debated and amended. I think there are at least two more cloture votes.
Update: it’s over. Cloture defeated 60-40. Even so-called moderate Olympia Snowe voted to kill the bill. Now the bill comes to the floor for amendments.
Now it gets nasty. 🙁
this is when we need to get on carper. you KNOW the wingnuts are gonna be loud.
Riddle me this please.
This morning’s NYT-Online has a photo of Senator Carper and Senator Lincoln riding up and escalator together to go cast their votes. Senator Carper seems very comfortable within the Blue Dog caucus and with his pal Senator Lieberman. Why? Can somebody explain to me how he keeps coming out on the conservative side of issues when he does not represent a conservative state. Sure, there’s the pocket of voters in Western Sussex, but the rest of the state is left-of-center. Or at least centrist. And yet, the longer Senator Carper serves the “righter” he pulls.
Anybody want to enlighten me, other than the standard reply that he’s sold his vote?
Carper is a corporate Dem just like Lincoln. I believe Carper is working on some kind of crap “compromise” triggered state co-ops to get the Senate a&$hole Caucus on board.
its a shame delaware’s political landscape seems so thin. Is there ANYONE who could pose a left wing primary threat to carper? The right wing fringe has total control over the Republican party, but the left wing, as evident in Delaware with Carper has lessening control over the Democratic party. This state is dark blue, and about to get bluer when Biden retires Castle. The Vice president in a progressive administration used to be his sr senator. The fact that Carper isn’t one of the loudest voices FOR heath reform is bad enough, but the fact he hasn’t even said he totally supports it is ridiculous.
Im not suggesting party-purging, just want to make that clear…. i just think Carper should remember what state he represents.
Jason Scott 2012
Then again, I’ve always thought of a vanity run for 2012. I turn 30 that year and I’d be constitutionally able to run. I think it would just be fun to debate Carper and get him caught up in all his verbal diarrhea.
I’d probably vote for you guys. But really, if anyone wants to beat carper they need to start NOW.
Best hope for that seat is to appoint Carper to something, after Beau’s election. Clears a space for someone new, and gives the someone new time to develop a resume.
why reward him with a job? he is not doing a good job representing us. someone should begin campaigning now. They can use carper’s betrayal on healthcare as a jumping off point, and no matter what happens with health care reform, never let people forget carper stood against the public option. I dont think he will come around on this just because there isnt enough time to really make him thin he might lose his job over it. But that isn’t reason not to punish him 2012.
I’m not talking about “rewarding” or “punishing” Tom Carper. I’m not his mother. This isn’t a playground. I’m talking about using people’s talents, and winning elections. I don’t want to lose a D Senate seat because we put up a candidate who doesn’t have a resume, even if the people who know him/her know they’re “just the thing”. And I want Tom Carper continuing to work in public service, because, although I differ with some of his positions, he’s a man of many talents, with whom I often agree, and he’s WILLING to work in government, which not everyone is.
I have a friend with gorgeous left politics, who can’t get along with enough people at his job as a librarian to make it through a week. He’d be a TERRIBLE politician, although I’m sure he flatters himself he’d be awesome. That’s not how you get things done, though. A Congress full of die-hard idealogues of both sides would be a log-jammed nightmare. I believe government has a job to do. I’m not willing to put a spoke in that wheel, just to “punish” someone.
Really? A man of many talents? Name three.
He is affiable. He did a fine job as governor except for overspending. He is disciplined. He trys to represent everyone. He looks for the best ideas.
Carper’s ‘many’ talents consist of his Robo-Candidate proclivities, including his addiction to corporate campaign cash. He used to have the Tabula Rasa thing going for him, but that slate has been filled in.
What other talents does he have? A serious question. Well, he’s a pilot. But so, allegedly, was Dubya. Maybe the airlines have a spot for him.
“He trys to represent everyone.” Uh-huh. Except for those facing bankruptcy due to the usurous credit laws he champions, those in dire need of health care…but, if by ‘everyone’, you mean the corporate community, you are correct. People, not so much.
And when you scratch the surface, he’s not all that affable. The ‘tell’ is the tightening in his temples. Always makes me think, “Oh no, Robo’s gonna blow.”
RD’s “endorsement” puts the final nail in the Carper coffin, so to speak.
maybe punish was a bad word to use, but i still believe that the way to teach our politicians to serve us is to take their jobs if they don’t do what we want. Giving them appointments or never letting anyone really challenge them just breeds this kind of arrogant behavior. Biden proved himself term after term. as did kennedy. They deserved their lifetimes of senate service. This is a serious matter and its bad enough dealing with democrats who come from relatively conservative states. the wrong vote… and by that i mean if their constituents see it as the wrong vote based on the lies they are fed… could cost them their jobs and the democrats their precious super majority… by the way, the super majority .. for all its hype is about as effective as Michael Vick.
BUt back to Carper. Delaware is clearly a state that overwhelmingly supports progressive policies and especially health care reform. He is working against the wishes of his bosses (us) and should either lose his job (to a strong democrat) or change his job performance.
seriously, if david likes him, im writing in Jason
How intollerant!
I’m in it to win it! By “win it”. I mean forcing Carper to pretend to be a democrat for 15 minutes on his way to a landslide primary victory.
Who is wih me?!
Can we hold the first debate at Frightland?
Oh Jason330, don’t tease. If you are seriously thinking about this I’m ready to put my shoulder to the wheel.
Im in
Carper voted for Schumer’s public option plan. He is trying to get a health care bill that doesn’t founder because of the opposition of those to his right.
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/11/where_does_this_leave_us.php
a bill so good and noble it only took a $300 million dollar bribe to get the 60th vote.