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The Spectacle Blog
Shortly after 7 a.m. this morning, with Vice President Joe Biden presiding, the Senate passed the health care bill by a 60 to 39 margin.
The vote was largely a formality, because Democrats already gained the 60 votes to invoke cloture and only needed a simply majority this morning. While there was some talk of a few Democrats defecting on the final vote when they were no longer needed, ultimately, the caucus stuck together -- as did Republicans. Sen. Jim Bunning was the only absent Senator.
"This is for my friend Ted Kennedy, aye" the 92-year old Sen. Robert Byrd said when he voted, according to Mike Madden.
Sen. Arlen Specter, who became the 60th vote for Democrats when he effectively switched parties earlier this year, tweeted a similar sentiment: "With the passion of Ted Kennedy on our hearts. Aye."
Shortly after voting on the health care bill, the Senate voted by a 60 to 39 margin to raise the federal debt limit by $290 billion to $12.4 trillion. How apropos.
With the health care bill having passed the Senate, it will have to be reconciled with the version that passed the House, and a number of obstacles still remain. Among other differences, the House bill has a public option and stronger abortion language. Given that Speaker Nancy Pelosi only had 3 votes to spare when the House passed the bill the first time around by a 220 to 215 margin, she'll have some work to do. Rep. Bart Stupak and a handful of others who voted for the bill the first time have said they couldn't without his abortion language, while a few more liberal members have lamented the lack of a public option. And whatever is negotiated to win approval in the House cannot upset the delicate balance that enabled Reid to achieve 60 votes in the Senate. At this point, however, the smart money would have to be on Democrats doing whatever they need to do to get this across the finish line.
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More Blog Posts by Philip Klein
http://spectator.org/blog/2009/12/24/senate-passes-health-care-bill
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GregA| 12.24.09 @ 8:15AM
"They do not respect the public nor themselves, who engage for more than they are sure that they ought to attempt, or that they are able to perform."
Edmund Burke
mt| 12.24.09 @ 9:41AM
They will do anything to get it done and we will never have 60 senate votes to repeal it. Btw, is anyone talking to Congressman Chet Edwards
(D-TX) about switching in light of the other switch earlier this week?
Lazy Jack| 12.24.09 @ 10:30AM
The Age of Dependency (To the tune of that great song from the 5th Dimension)
When Rahm is in the Lincoln Bedroom
And Harry Reid aligns with Mars
Then Barak will guide the masses
And Dodd will steal the stars
This is the dawning of the age of dependency,
The age of dependency,
Dependency, dependency.
Taxation and confiscation
Stimulus and hope abounding
No more freedom and dissention
Golden free healthcare delusions
Mystic Nobel ordination
And your income redistribution
Dependency, dependency
When Rahm is in the Lincoln Bedroom,
And Pelosi aligns with Mars,
Then Barak will guide the masses
And Rangel will steal the stars.
This is the dawning of the age of dependency,
The age of dependency,
Dependency, dependency.
Pay more taxes….., pay more taxes now
More taxes….now
Give your savings……give your savings now
Your savings…..now
They deserve it…….they deserve it more
Yes more…..than you
Pay more taxes….., pay more taxes now
More taxes….now
Give your savings……give your savings now
Your savings…..now
They deserve it…….they deserve it more
Yes more…..than you
Pay more taxes….., pay more taxes now
More taxes….now
Give your savings……give your savings now
Your savings…..now
They deserve it…….they deserve it more
Yes more…..than you
Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas,
Lazy Jack
www.thanksforthelaughs.wordpress.com
http://thanksforthelaughs.word.....expansion/
Pingback| 12.24.09 @ 1:03PM
Twitter Trackbacks for The American Spectator : AmSpecBlog : Senate Passes Health Ca links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Oldefarte| 12.24.09 @ 1:52PM
Joining my fellow conservatives with our MIDDLE FINGERS OF OUR EXTENDED HANDS raised high to Teddy and his collegues; the only question now is possibly can lawsuits be brought against the enactment of the WELFARECARE legislation, and that hopefully will result in same being declared UNCONSTITUTIONAL!!!!!!
Pingback| 12.24.09 @ 4:16PM
StealthCereal | “Health insurance bill just passed in the Senate” and related posts links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Pingback| 12.25.09 @ 10:15AM
The American Spectator : AmSpecBlog : Senate Passes Health Care Bill American Me links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
NObama2010| 12.25.09 @ 1:02PM
The Revolution will be televised. This is just the beginning
coach sneaker| 12.28.09 @ 4:10AM
The best we American people can do currently is to try to keep this damn disguised Global Empire from mucking you up.
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