White House: Simple up or down vote on health care

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

White House: Simple up or down vote on health care
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Associated Press
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON — The White House called for a "simple up-or-down" vote on health care legislation Sunday as Speaker Nancy Pelosi appealed to House Democrats to get behind President Barack Obama's chief domestic priority even it if threatens their political careers.

In voicing support for a simple majority vote, White House health care reform director Nancy-Ann DeParle signaled Obama's intention to push the Democratic-crafted bill under Senate rules that would overcome Republican stalling tactics.
Republicans unanimously oppose the Democratic proposals. Without Republican support, Obama's only chance of emerging with a policy and political victory is to bypass the bipartisanship he promoted during his televised seven-hour health care summit Thursday with congressional leaders from both parties.

"We're not talking about changing any rules here," DeParle said. "All the president's talking about is: Do we need to address this problem and does it make sense to have a simple, up-or-down vote on whether or not we want to fix these problems?"
DeParle was optimistic that the president would have the votes to pass the massive bill. But none of the legislation's advocates who spoke on Sunday indicated that those votes were in hand.

"I think we will get to that point where we will have the votes," predicted Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey, a member of the Senate Democratic leadership. "I believe that we will pass health care reform this spring."

In a sober call to arms, Pelosi said lawmakers sometimes must enact policies that, even if unpopular at the moment, will help the public. "We're not here just to self-perpetuate our service in Congress," she said. "We're here to do the job for the American people."



Read more: http://www.northjersey.com/news/022810_White_House_Simple_up_or_down_vote_on_health_care_.html

[gristy]

1. I'm gonna hurl!

Really, I am.

[kestrel91316]

6. Yeah! Obama is such a failure and the Dems all suck.

[gristy]

7. I'm referring to the "simple up or down vote" meme

which the R's used ad nauseam for 8 years.

[DallasNE]

14. There Is A Difference

There was a tradition for the filibuster of justices on the extreme and the Democrats had history on their side. Never before has the filibuster been used to thwart every vote that comes before the Senate. The tradition this time is for the up or down vote and not the other way around.

[Alcibiades]

15. That's why it's beautiful

You should not have the right to filibuster if you have repeatedly gone on the record supporting, on principle, the idea that things ought to be decided on an up or down majority vote.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/Hissyspit/7543

[TomCADem]

17. The Democrats Did Not Use The Filibuster Nearly As Much As The Republicans

Indeed, the use of the filibuster did not sky rocket until 2006 when Democrats gained a majority.

<>

[razorman]

18. I've noticed that a lot of these "principles" change, depending on who is in the majority

at a given time. This applies to both parties. This "up or down vote" meme is one. Support of the filibuster is another. It pisses me off when a politician supports or opposes an issue out of supposed conviction, then completely changes his or her position when their party gains or loses the majority.

[ckelly181]

2. This spring?

Every season it's just put off to the next season. Why not next week?

Just get it flippin' done and over with so we can deal with whatever fresh level of hell we have to to keep - or get - insurance.

Outlaw health insurance!!! :^P

[SlingBlade]

3. Nothing Simple about It ! Don't let us down Dems ...

The Democratic Party Suicide Prevention Thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7814462

[lonestarnot]

20. Snort!

[SlingBlade]

21. That's Texan for Shill, Right ?

[lonestarnot]

22. Know nutt'n bout tejas.

[AlinPA]

4. Here we go again, "this spring", to be followed by "this summer"....

[high density]

5. Spring?

It was late Summer, then it was Thanksgiving, then it was Christmas. Here it is March and we have nothing but a bunch of corrosive GOP slime over everything.

[timeforpeace]

8. Spring goes until June 19, right?

[scottsoperson]

9. The Real World

http://www.examiner.com/x-13891-St-Louis-Liberal-Christianity-Examiner~y2010m2d28-The-Real-World

[scottsoperson]

10. polls

polls show most americans trust dems more than repubs to reform health care.

[Kingofalldems]

11. Freepers should be for this since they screamed--

'up or down vote' constantly while Bush was in office.

[scottsoperson]

12. repubs used to be big proponents

of the nuclear option.

[scottsoperson]

13. how many freepers own

planes, i wonder?

[tanyev]

19. It became a new word in their lexicon: Upperdown! Brawk! Upperdown!

[TomCADem]

16. Democracy! Who woulda thunk it?