Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

The party of Reagan has become the party of Putin.

The current Supreme Court is a rogue court. Very dangerous.

Second rate reporter says what?

Never give a known liar the benefit of the doubt.

It’s the corruption, stupid.

Can we lighten up on the doomsday scenarios?

We know you aren’t a Democrat but since you seem confused let me help you.

Let’s bury these fuckers at the polls 2 years from now.

If a good thing happens for a bad reason, it’s still a good thing.

The lights are all blinking red.

Democrats are back in array!

SCOTUS: It’s not “bribery” unless it comes from the Bribery region of France. Otherwise, it’s merely “sparkling malfeasance”.

A snarling mass of vitriolic jackals

DeSantis transforming Florida into 1930s Germany with gators and theme parks.

In after Baud. Damn.

Republican also-rans: four mules fighting over a turnip.

It may be funny to you motherfucker, but it’s not funny to me.

Shut up, hissy kitty!

“That’s what the insurrection act is for!”

I wonder if trump will be tried as an adult.

A norm that restrains only one side really isn’t a norm – it’s a trap.

They were going to turn on one another at some point. It was inevitable.

Live so that if you miss a day of work people aren’t hoping you’re dead.

Their freedom requires your slavery.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Another HCR Open Thread

Reader Interactions

87Comments

  2. 2.

    mr. whipple

    Mr. Whipple is holding a press conference in 15 minutes to announce my approval of HCR.

    Call CNN.

  7. 7.

    The Dangerman

    Speaking of longish, are we still debating the size of the package?

    Oh, and way to represent, Gonzaga.

  9. 9.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @maye: Stupe’s vote is much less clearer than we thought an hour ago, and various House rules require them to give time for the R’s to demagogue, whine and fulminate.

  13. 13.

    Moses2317

    I know some thing this is overkill, but we cannot take this victory for granted and need to keep calling. Just like you don’t stop reaching out to voters on election day until the polls actually close, we should not stop calling until the vote is final.

    Below are their D.C., district, and fax #s. I have left off some district numbers that we know the mailboxes are full on.

    If you cannot get through on the phone, use this free internet fax service – http://faxzero.com/

    Paul Kanjorski – Pennsylvania (Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, Mount Pocono) – 202-225-6511

    District # – 570-496-1011 – they were answering this morning

    Fax # – 202-225-0764

    John Tanner – Tennessee (Union City, Jackson, Millington) – 202-225-4714

    District # – (731) 885-7070

    Fax # – (202) 225-1765

    Earl Pomeroy – North Dakota (Bismarck, Fargo) – (202) 225-2611

    Fax # – (202) 226-0893

    Kathy Dahlkemper – Pennsylvania (Erie) – (202) 225-5406

    Fax # – (202) 225-3103

    Lincoln Davis – Tennessee (Columbia, Jamestown, Rockwood) – 202.225.6831

    District #s – 931.879.2361

    Fax # – 202.226.5172

    Mike Michaud – Maine (Bangor, Lewiston, Presque Isle, Waterville) – 202-225-6306

    District # – 207-942-6935 – 207-782-3704 – 207-764-1036 – 207-873-5713

    Fax # – 202-225-2943

    Steve Driehaus – Ohio (Cincinnati) – (202) 225-2216

    District # – (513) 684-2723

    Fax # – (202) 225-3012

    Stephen Lynch – Massachusetts (Brockton, Boston) – 202-225-8273

    District # – 617-428-2000 – 508-586-5555

    Fax # – 202-225-3984

    Rick Boucher – Virginia (Abingdon, Pulaski, Big Stone Gap) – 202-225-3861

    District # – 276-628-1145 – 540-980-4310 – 276-523-5450

    Fax # – 202-225-0442

    Loretta Sanchez – California (Garden Grove) – (202) 225-2965

    District # – (714) 621-0102

    Fax # – (202) 225-5859

    Dan Lipinski – Illinois (LaGrange, Oak Lawn, Chicago’s southwest side) – (202) 225 – 5701

    District #s – (312) 886 – 0481 – (708) 352 – 0524 – (708) 424 – 0853

    Fax # – (202) 225 – 1012

    Joe Donnelly – Indiana (South Bend, LaPorte, Michigan City, Kokomo) – (202) 225-3915

    District #s – 574.288.2780 – 574-753-2671 – 219.326.6808 ext. 2414 – 219.873.1408 ext. 354

    Fax # – (202) 225-6798

    Marion Berry – Arkansas (Jonesboro, Cabot, Mountain Home) – (202) 225-4076

    District # – (870) 972-4600 – (501) 843-3043 – (870) 425-3510

    Fax # – (202) 225-5602

    Jerry Costello – Illinois (Carbondale, Belleville, E. St. Louis, Granite City, Chester) – (202) 225-5661

    District #s – (618) 233-8026 – (618) 529-3791 – (618) 826-3043 – (618) 397-8833 – (618) 451-7065 – (618) 937-6402

    Fax # – (202) 225-0285

    Nick Rahall – West Virginia (Beckley, Bluefield, Huntington, Logan) – (202) 225-3452

    District #s – (304) 252-5000 – (304) 325-6222 – (304) 522-6425 – (304) 752-4934

    Alan Mollohan – West Virginia (Morgantown, Wheeling, Clarksburg, Parkersburg) – (202) 225-4172

    District #s – (304) 623-4422 – (304) 292-3019 – (304) 428-0493 – (304) 232-5390

    Fax #s – (202) 225-7564

  16. 16.

    mcc

    “Vote on commending national guard agri-business efforts”.

    …2 Republicans voting against? No, 3.

    I wonder if there’s a story there

  20. 20.

    Scott de B.

    HCR will be Waterloo, except Obama’s Wellington (with Pelosi as Blücher?)

    Take that, Napoleon Boehnerparte.

  21. 21.

    seyahatname

    @maye: According to roll call (from the last HCR open thread) he’s not yet ‘in the bag.’ There’s been conflicting reporting about Stupak this morning, but it looks like he’s not *yet* a yes vote.

  24. 24.

    Snarky Pickles

    @debit:

    I’m kind of glad Uncle Pat still has his gig. Reminds me of who and what they are. And frankly, if awakening Rachel Maddow to the importance of politics and policy is the only good thing Uncle Pat’s ever done in his life — and I’m pretty sure it is — then he’s a wash.

  26. 26.

    sistermoon

    Tweet from Breitbart:

    ProgLeftie thugs, SEIU goons & assorted Alinsky-trained Socialist H8ers baiting, lying & vying for racist moment to turn tables. Were ready.

    How many Rethug talking points can be squeezed into one tweet?

  27. 27.

    Nellcote

    a scene reported by Luke Russert:

    As the Dems left their causus to go across the street to start the vote, Pelosi, Hoyer, Clyburn & Lewis locked arms at the head of the group and marched thru the TPs protesting on both sides. A moving and symbolic snapshot.

  28. 28.

    Boudica

    Just saw a replay of Marsha Blackburn’s one minute statement. What an idiot. It’s a sad day that the greedy people are piling debt on our children and grandchildren…blah…blah….blech.

  29. 29.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @seyahatname: Maybe not enough reporters showed up for his presser yesterday, and Nancy has to offers some “exclusive interviews” to get a few to sit there while he drones on about his principles and how much he loves “life”, and if nuns want his respect then Sister Saint Hugo the Disemboweled shoudnta made him wear that dunce cap all through fourth grade

  30. 30.

    Aaron

    @C Nelson Reilly:

    I think it is important to keep in mind that this bill may finally rid us of the Rush menace – or at least provide yet another piece of evidence that he is a lying piece of shit. No wonder he fits in with the Reichwing crowd

  36. 36.

    chowkster

    Please, please, please get this done guys! I would like to move to US at some point in future!

  37. 37.

    Mustang Bobby

    And if you’re superstitious and have said the bill is a done deal, go outside, turn around three times and spit. The vote may not come until 9:00 p.m. EDT tonight (right up against The Pacific on HBO), and there’s still the reconciliation and the Senate to deal with. So this isn’t over until President Obama signs it.

    So until then, read a book, watch a movie, give your parakeet a karma transplant. Just don’t say it’s over until it really is.

  39. 39.

    General Egali Tarian Stuck

    @maye:

    if Stupak’s in the bag, why the 9 pm vote?

    Bachmann crazy glued herself to the Capital Dome to protest passing Obamacare. It will take awhile to build a big enough ladder to get the whackadoo down.

  40. 40.

    lamh31

    WTF,

    This is just disrespectful and stupid. Maybe the protestors should storm the halls, would they like that?

    Idiots!


    @Todd_Zwillich

    GOP Reps Chris Lee, Jason Chaffetz, others stand on Speaker’s Lobby balcony with Kill the Bill signs, protesters below cheer

  41. 41.

    AnotherBruce

    @C Nelson Reilly:
    Hopefully he’s leaving all airspace. I would recommend putting Rush in a rocket and shooting him into the face of the sun if I weren’t worried that his bloated gaseous carcass would cause a chain reaction that would destroy the solar system.

  42. 42.

    Mark S.

    Just out of curiosity, why do they have these big votes on weekends? I thought the whole point of the three day work week was so they could get back to sucking corporate dick their constituents on the weekends.

  43. 43.

    maye

    It just took me 10 minutes to explain Rep. Stupak’s opposition to HCR to my 14-year old after he heard me laugh out loud at the Sister St. Hugo comment.

  44. 44.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @lamh31: This fucking childishness is so exasperating. James Madison is gonna get up out of his box and zombie-walk to the Capitol, reach up and punch these guys right in the nuts.

  45. 45.

    Joseph Nobles

    I’ve listened to a lot of C-Span and that’s the first time I heard the acting Speaker say, “Shhhhhhhh!” Made me laugh.

    Oh, and Paul Ryan needs to leave off swinging his elbows out a la a vaudeville performer.

  46. 46.

    lamh31

    From twitter, nicopitney RT @stevebruskCNN: Rep. Pomeroy of North Dakota now a yes vote

  48. 48.

    batgirl

    @lamh31: The Republican strategy to appeal to the far right and religious crazies has paid off. No longer do they just get their vote. They have taken over the party. They have become the elected officials.

    That is why calls about this not being bipartisan are bullshit. The Democratic party now encompasses the old center of the Republicans. There was a reason this bill was so hard to get together in the Democratic party. We truly are a big tent covering all the complete rational political spectrum. What is left over on the right is the GOP and on the left Hamsherites.

  49. 49.

    stevie314159

    Best Internet Explorer error I’ve ever gotten:

    “We were unable to return you to firedoglake.com.

    Internet Explorer has stopped trying to restore this website. It appears that the website continues to have a problem. “

  52. 52.

    freelancer

    Don’t start drinking whenever a GOPer says “Double-count”, Ryan was barking it on FNSunday, and George Will was puking it up on This Week. It’s the new disingenuous fax that has been sent out, I’m sure.

  54. 54.

    AnotherBruce

    @Mark S.:

    In this particular case, it was because of a promise the Dems made to post the finalized bill on the internet for 72 hours before voting on it. That’s why they were anxious for the CBO score, so they could get this thing done this week.

    They want to get this thing done ASAP.

  55. 55.

    Cain

    BTW David Plouffe is the awesome. He figuratively punched Rove in the neck. From TPM:

    David Plouffe and Karl Rove went head to head on ABC’s ‘This Week’ this morning on the subject of health care reform. A transcript of the heated debate, from Politico’s Mike Allen:

    Plouffe: “The politics of this, by the way: If we pass this, we’re in much better shape, politically, in the Democratic Party than we are today.

    Because we’re going to go out there and not just talk about what WE’RE for, but what the Republicans are voting against: They are siding with the insurance companies over people who are denied coverage for preexisting conditions, siding with the insurance companies over saving seniors money. So this isn’t just about us being a piñata here in the election. Elections are about choice. They are voting against an enormous tax cut for health care for 40 million middle-class families and 4 million small businesses — that’s what they’re voting against. …

    We are going to be much better positioned politically — now, that’s secondary to what’s right for the country — if we pass this. By the way, we had 15 million new voters vote in the 2008 election. OK, these are people are cynical that their vote really matters. If we don’t pass health care, I think that sends a very depressing message. But it’s going to be a very powerful message to them that their vote matters and they ought to stay involved in politics.”

    Rove: “This thing is paid for with Bernie-Madoff-style accounting. … It’s a gigantic disaster.”

    Plouffe: “Karl and the Republicans would be familiar with that.”
    Rove: “You will bankrupt the country if this bill passes. … For God’s sake, will you stop throwing around epitaphs [sic] and deal with the facts for once, David? … We will fight the election on this,. and the Democrats will have significant losses in the House and Senate as a result of this bill.”

    Plouffe: “If Karl and a lot of Republicans want to call the election already, they ought to break out that ‘Mission Accomplished’ banner.”

    Rove: “That’s cheesy, David. … You should not denigrate the mission of the USS Abraham Lincoln.”

    ZING!

    edited for readability

  56. 56.

    Joseph Nobles

    Paul Ryan: Easiest trick in the book is to manipulate a bill to get a final CBO score.

    Wow, that punchline just writes itself.

  59. 59.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Cain:

    Rove: “That’s cheesy, David. … You should not denigrate the mission of the USS Abraham Lincoln.”

    Sigh. I won’t even pretend to hope any of the refs threw a flag.

  60. 60.

    Texas Dem

    HCR will be Waterloo, except Obama’s Wellington (with Pelosi as Blücher?)

    Or maybe it’s Stalingrad, with Boehner playing the role of Field Marshall Frederick Paulus and Nancy as Vasily Chuikov. This has been a huge battle of attrition that will end with one side severely weakened, though not destroyed. You would think the GOPers would remember the first rule of politics: the higher the stakes, the bigger the loss.

  61. 61.

    Cain

    @freelancer:

    @Cain:
    That was the only satisfying part of the interview, the rest was far too deferential to Rove and had me impersonating a whistling tea kettle.

    Yeah, I don’t watch the sunday shows for exactly this reason. But occasionally, highlighting stuff like this makes me happy. Rove shouldn’t get away with his bullshit and having people like David give him some lumps is always good. Why we need to be deferential to Rove makes no sense. The guy is a loser.

    cain

  62. 62.

    Tonal Crow

    @mcc: From the C-SPAN subtitles, it looks like they’re not even debating the rules yet. I guess debate now centers on a motion to proceed to the rules debate. Anybody know for sure?

  63. 63.

    mcc

    @Tonal Crow: Whatever the point is, it’s pretty clear they’re just talking about whatever the hell they want. As usual I guess.

    Man why does every Kennedy have to do their hair the same way.

    Do they have to make a pact at the age of 18?

  64. 64.

    Joseph Nobles

    They are debating a point of order, which as I understand it is that the bill doesn’t comply with a certain rule of the House. Beyond that, I don’t understand the exact details, and people are just grandstanding on both sides right now anyway.

  67. 67.

    Snarky Pickles

    Rove: “That’s cheesy, David. … You should not denigrate the mission of the USS Abraham Lincoln.”

    Shorter: “I know you are, but what am I?”

    Jeebus. That’s the mentality we’re dealing with, isn’t it?

  70. 70.

    mcc

    So wait

    Is this the first “real” vote on the bill?

    I mean it’s not a vote on the bill but it’s the first vote which, if it fails, the bill fails. Right?

  71. 71.

    Joseph Nobles

    OMG, Nunes saying this is Socialism passed with totalitarian tactics? Because the Republicans weren’t included? You VOTED, you ignorant DB!

  75. 75.

    Martian Buddy

    Jeebus. That’s the mentality we’re dealing with, isn’t it?

    Yep. “Back at’cha” and “Fuck you, Charlie, I got mine.”

  79. 79.

    wrb

    @General Egali Tarian Stuck:

    Bachmann crazy glued herself to the Capital Dome to protest passing Obamacare

    Naked.

    Now Palin too! Stuck up right next to her but upside down.

    And Malkin is at the foot of the ladder, stripping

  80. 80.

    mcc

    So this weird Paul Ryan procedural maneuver to block the bill from coming to a vote on the grounds of [something something the states will have to pay for the thing] just went down [i.e. the bill was okayed] 228-195.

    I wonder if this is at all a predictor of how the final votes go?

    Or just Democrats shrugging off Paul Ryan’s weirdness?

  82. 82.

    GeeYourHairSmellsTerrific

    Question Deleted.

    Edit nevermind they just flashed his name it’s Jessie Jackson Jr.

  84. 84.

    Mum

    Did you catch Devin Nunes’ (CA-21) denunciation of the Federal government? He essentially said that he works for an organization that can do nothing right, as it is totally ineffective. Perhaps the people in his district, as well as those who contribute to his campaign (to contribute as best he can to such insufficiency), should be informed.

  85. 85.

    Mum

    @Snarky Pickles:

    Rachel Maddow hardly needed Buchanan to awaken her to “the importance of politics and policy,” and she would probably chuckle over the suggestion. She’s a Rhodes Scholar Doctor of Philosophy who majored in political science.

  86. 86.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Mum: I do believe that Dr Maddow has said that as a mere slip of a girl, watching Pat’s “it was better in the original German” speech in ’92 is what made her realize that there were some dangerous fucking people out there, out here, and she wanted to stand up to them.

  87. 87.

    Chris Johnson

    Naked.
    Now Palin too! Stuck up right next to her but upside down.
    And Malkin is at the foot of the ladder, stripping

    …I’m having DINNER, dude! Dammit.

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