"Even Left wing Liberal Democrats were surprised to learn they could have held out for more money..."

Truly liberal democrats have nowhere else to go (as I'm continually reminded), so their only leverage is to withhold their vote. Conservative dems could also threaten to switch parties, threatening the Democratic majority.

$145M, that's nothing. The war in Iraq costs more. -Danni, Corky and Sarvis

I wonder how much it cost to buy all those Democratic votes and Obama's opposition against drug imports?

The fact of the matter is that the admin and the Dem Senate knew from the gitgo that there were never going to be 60 votes for the Bill with a ooooooo scary! public option in it.

And for anyone who thinks they know how to get the 4-5 Sens who are not going to ever vote for a Bill that has that option, please let us all know the secret, or stfu about killing it.

What's laughable is the, "What? There's gambling going on in the back room!!", faux-outrage about how legislation has ALWAYS been made.

live post 3

great question

corkbreath...........how will the house and senate versions come together???? on abortion language and option stuff?

Dear Musty Librarian Crotch-Breath,

They'll find a way. There is about 20 billion dollars more in the House Bill than the Senate, which can be spread around to get the needed votes.

The chair of the Progressive Caucus in the House has already signaled defeat.

Hopefully they'll be able extract some concessions from the Senate, considering it would be tough for certain Senators to give up the goodies they got for their states in the Bill if they vote against the reconciled Bill.

Im sure assholes like Dodd et al hope Pelosi lets them get a bunch more when it comes back to the Senate.

How in the hell do you think things like Medicare were passed in the past??? This is simply politics as usual in America. With the huge amounts of money thrown around by lobbyists it is amazing that anything is getting done at all. You don't like politics the way it is then you should support real campaign finance reform which would eliminate lobbyists money from politics. If you are prone to believe the utter bull shit that campaign contributions by corporations amounts to a legitimate claim of freedom of speech then you basicly approve of business as usual and should stop whining (when your side loses).

Mr. Graham and Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., requested that South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster review special funding arrangements negotiated with Democratic Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson, according to a release from Mr. McMaster's office. Both senators believe the funding appears to give Nebraska a PERMANENT EXEMPTION FROM PAYING MEDICAID EXPENSES THAT OTHER STATES MUST PAY. The attorney general will determine the legality of the move.

This is starting to STINK...

AMENDMENT ON SEnATE floor to cut out ALL the deals we are talking about yesterdey

DEMS VOTED NO..........
republicans voted YES....

nuff said

TAX

dont forget that a part of the long term care provision

MEDICARE ADVISORY BOARD..and we KNOW that that is the secret name for....not DEATH Panel but RATIONING care..

has language in it that makes it IRREVERSIBLE for future senates to change

SO DANNI...that blows the shit out of your statement about when your side loses as a republican senate couldnt change it.,..
and THIS too is being constitutionally challenged...

With the huge amounts of money thrown around by lobbyists it is amazing that anything is getting done at all. You don't like politics the way it is then you should support real campaign finance reform which would eliminate lobbyists money

#8 | Posted by danni at 2009-12-23 12:28 PM

On his first full day in office, Obama issued an executive order on ethics that places restrictions on lobbyists...

I guess the Democrats in the Senate are just not following Obama's ethics example set on his First Day in Office...

It appears there area few 0's missing in that dollar amount.

and HERE is link that provision
so dems not only want to screw us but make sure that they can screw us even from thier "NEW JOBS" they are about to embark upon

SORRY BOYS

WRONG LINK

here is the right one..I hope

has language in it that makes it IRREVERSIBLE for future senates to change

#11 | Posted by afkabl2 at 2009-12-23 12:40 PM

I'm with you Bro, I can not believe this would not be immediately seen by EVERYONE on both sides of the aisle as blatantly Unconstitutional...

I wonder has the Senate passed legislation before that is "Irrevocable", this is mind boggling...

tax

as far out wacky left as many lib posters here are I just cant believe that they are in favor of anything like this going through KNOWING full well that republicans will have majority again and could do the exact same thing...

And then he pointed out that the Reid bill declares on page 1020 that the Independent Medicare Advisory Board cannot be repealed by future Congresses:

HOLY CRAP...

Senate Votes Sold for $145,000,000

This sickens me. Hope and Change, baby.

tax

as far out wacky left as many lib posters here are I just cant believe that they are in favor of anything like this going through KNOWING full well that republicans will have majority again and could do the exact same thing...

#18 | Posted by afkabl2

I think the Liberal Left knows all to well what their representatives are doing to all of us, but are not willing to speak out against it. They would rather HOLD THE PARTY LINE and sell the Constitution down the river. As for 2010 if it is not a blood bath for all Democratic representatives who played a part in this mess then collectively I guess we all Deserve a Government Devoid of any Pesky restrictions like the Constitution...

faux-outrage about how legislation has ALWAYS been made.

Leave it to apologist corky to trot out the "that's the way it's always been done" excuse. I guess we can ignore the "change" part in "hope and change"? Is that what you are saying, corky?

"And then he pointed out that the Reid bill declares on page 1020 that the Independent Medicare Advisory Board cannot be repealed by future Congresses:"

And that ain't all. How many people do you suppose are aware of THIS little deal?

"Does H.R. 3962 address any real health-care problems in its 1,900-plus pages? No, and it makes some problems worse. Page 1,432 contains two lines that prohibit states from receiving federal health-care assistance funds if they limit attorneys' fees or impose caps on damages.
This affects states that already have substantially reduced health-care costs (and attorneys' fees) by reining in out-of-control and unwarranted lawsuit awards. These two lines in H.R. 3962 guarantee that prohibitively high medical malpractice insurance will continue to drive up health-care costs and drive doctors out of medicine.

Why did the Democrats include these costly two lines? Could it have something to do with the $237 million given to Congress by trial lawyers in 2008 with 80 percent going to Democrats? Trial lawyers are the largest special-interest congressional contributors, even larger than Big Oil -- and, as we see, they got what they paid for.

H.R. 3962 is not about health-care reform. It is about money and increasing the size of government for those who enjoy the benefits of political power."

wow look at how "RIGHT" this thread has become..

wasnt that long ago that it would take a week or longer before we read this many posts like these

I guess obama was right in one way...this is ONE change we can believe in...

and I think all of you are correct so therefore I give you all a good HERE HERE AND haRRUMP!!!!!!!

AND RASMUSSION POLL out today

generic polling of what party with no names given

gop EIGHT points higher than dems which is a net switch of SEVENTEEN POINTs

the tsunami is brewing !!!!!!!!

#24 | Posted by afkabl2 at 2009-12-23 01:23 PM

The Liberal Left knows this is a load of CRAP and that is why you don't see them defending it. Even after Obama set an "example" for Hope Change and Transparency...

On his first full day in office, Obama issued an executive order on ethics that places restrictions on lobbyists...

I guess the Democrats in the Senate are just not following Obama's ethics example set on his First Day in Office...

And one small clarification on #27 Senate Democrats qualify as being thier own lobbyists, they call it multi tasking...

well obama better take care of one thing

the little shit from iran with the bad suit on keeps thumbing his nose at the world and will have a nuke I think sooner than people think...

DEADLINE was out yesterday on the "TALKING".....

signs on wall in tehran

OBAMA OBAMA
are you with us or the oppressor?

and he Does NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Look for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to try to circumvent the traditional conference committee process by which the different versions of health care reform passed by each house will be reconciled. If so, it will be the latest example of violating principles of transparency and accountability in the single-minded pursuit of legislative victory.

TRANSPARENCY BEHIND CLOSED DOORS: Liberals love it because they could give a shit less about Senators Selling their votes so long as they hold the party line...

So far the best defense on this thread by a liberal is Corruption is how it has always been. How Sweet maybe the same asswipes who are going to pass this TERD can use that for a campaign slogan in 2010 good luck with that plan...

Dec. 23 (Bloomberg) -- New York Senator Charles Schumer defended the special Medicaid payments that Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska obtained for his state before agreeing to support health-care legislation, saying all states got something in the measure.

Funny as hell If you are a liberal Democrat living in another state YOU WILL be paying for this handout...

The price of democracy is not cheap.

I guess it takes a capitalist government for a capitalistic society.

I guess it takes a capitalist government for a capitalistic society.

#33 | Posted by mysterytoy

I am still amazed Liberals are not upset about the Nebraska Handout. Everyone living outside the State of Nebraska will be paying for the 60th vote and nobody seems to care. Just imagine the outcry if say Newt Gingrich would have done this for his state, Liberals would be screaming for his resignation...