Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Peak wingnut was a lie.

Republicans seem to think life begins at the candlelight dinner the night before.

It’s time for the GOP to dust off that post-2012 autopsy, completely ignore it, and light the party on fire again.

Motto for the House: Flip 5 and lose none.

An almost top 10,000 blog!

The willow is too close to the house.

Wow, you are pre-disappointed. How surprising.

Authoritarian republicans are opposed to freedom for the rest of us.

rich, arrogant assholes who equate luck with genius

If senate republicans had any shame, they’d die of it.

“woke” is the new caravan.

When someone says they “love freedom”, rest assured they don’t mean yours.

Fuck these fucking interesting times.

Tick tock motherfuckers!

A last alliance of elves and men. also pet photos.

Thanks to your bullshit, we are now under siege.

The GOP is a fucking disgrace.

Some judge needs to shut this circus down soon.

The next time the wall street journal editorial board speaks the truth will be the first.

We are builders in a constant struggle with destroyers. let’s win this.

Too often we confuse noise with substance. too often we confuse setbacks with defeat.

I was promised a recession.

The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand.

Despite his magical powers, I don’t think Trump is thinking this through, to be honest.

You are here: Home / Politics / Reconciliation vote starts

Reader Interactions

152Comments

  2. 2.

    Sly

    Update. Luke Russert said a Republican called Bart Stupak a “baby killer” a few minutes ago on the floor.

    It was said while Stupak was speaking. Saw it live on CSPAN. The Democratic side was ready to go into full riot mode, with Steny standing at the podium telling them to calm down.

  3. 3.

    Xecklothxayyquou Gilchrist

    And here Bart thought the Redoublechins would like him – really like him! – if he just pooed all over the bill for half a year.

  4. 4.

    tripletee

    So now the question is, should I stop off for a quick taxpayer-funded abortion before or after I drop Granny off at the ovens? Decisions, decisions….

  5. 5.

    FairEconomist

    What kind of dimbulb Democrat would vote to uphold the pork deals and speed up the middle class taxes? Do they have any idea how bad this will be for them in future campaigns? Whatever you think of the Senate bill, this bill should be an easy pass.

  8. 8.

    Bootlegger

    @Sly:

    Saw it live on CSPAN.

    Is that what the ruckus was about? I keep hoping someone throws down tonight.

  9. 9.

    fraught

    This is how Russert gets airtime, with gossip and overheard shit. Did he sign off with “Go Bills.”

  12. 12.

    DougJ

    @fraught:

    No, it happened.

    I don’t like him but he’s been fine tonight. Professional, fast on his feet.

    I don’t think he should have the job, don’t get me wrong.

  13. 13.

    Woodrow "asim" Jarvis Hill

    @Sly:

    Democratic side was ready to go into full riot mode

    And I can’t blame ’em. I hope we find out this idiot, and call ’em out for censure. This crap needs to STOP.

    More good news, we just hit the number for Reconciliation.

  15. 15.

    Violet

    @tripletee:
    Well, you could do both after you go for your gay commie marriage. But don’t forget, you can’t do anything unless Obama lets you. That’s how it works now.

  18. 18.

    SGEW

    Done and done. Well, well, well.

    Who knows? Maybe I’ll actually be able to get insurance before I contract any major health issues. I’ve been gambling for years.

    Woo to the motherfucking hoo, y’all. Good night, and good work.

  19. 19.

    williamc

    Maybe when they find him, he can be first in line for the brand new death panels that the House just passed…

    /snark

  21. 21.

    Sentient Puddle

    Cheers!

    And uh, I don’t know about anyone else, but for a very very brief moment, I actually felt like I was in solidarity with Stupak, as he was arguing against the motion to recommit brought up by Joe Pitts (who, as you might recall, was the cosponsor to the Stupak amendment).

    Pretty sure that won’t last the night though. I hope it doesn’t.

  29. 29.

    fourmorewars

    Your poll may be a little screwed up. I just voted (didn’t call (thought about it but a) wasn’t on board with you for awhile and b) never heard that my rep, Laura Richardson, was any worry) )…anyway, it told me I’d already voted, so I don’t know if I was recorded or not, but I most certainly hadn’t voted.

    That aside, think I’ll troll the odd rightwing blog, just to tell them a simple truth: that it’s almost perfect mathematical symmetry, when you set their hissy fit over phantom constitutional outrage against their stupefying nonchalance wrt certain fairly recent events that we shouldn’t have to spell out.

    It’s almost a beautiful thing, this perfect balance of -1 over their own sins matched against their +11 over something like today.

  30. 30.

    Midnight Marauder

    All right, Harry Reid. Ball is in your court now (again). Just get this thing over the finish line and we might just keep those crazy teabaggers off your back come November.

  37. 37.

    Mike Kay

    Stoopid Stupak.

    This is what you get playing footsie with the wingers.

    You would have thought from watching Blanche Lincoln and Loserman and Nelson, that you don’t get brownie points playing nice with the other side, all it does is lose your base.

  44. 44.

    Felonius Wench

    3 for 3, and I’m a happy, happy girl…and + 4.

    Happy to be on the journey with all of you. This place feels like home today.

  45. 45.

    Sirkowski

    Conservatives and Evangelical Christians are now required to report to their local United Nations service centers to receive their micro-chip implant and code bar tattoos.

    ALL HAIL BAAL!

  47. 47.

    General Egali Tarian Stuck

    It’s over. in the House. now on to the senate and the winger watb’s over there.

    All the wanking and concern and knashing of teeth the past year here at BJ over this issue is as they say, flames of the past. Now on to the next one.

  49. 49.

    Shalimar

    If this were the Clinton years, then the story would break within a few days that Radanovich does in fact kill babies in his spare time.

  51. 51.

    tripletee

    @Violet:

    But don’t forget, you can’t do anything unless Obama lets you. That’s how it works now.

    I shall redouble my labors for the Glory of the State! Just please keep Emmanuel out of my shower.

    So when do the bread and toilet paper lines start? Or will we be offing enough elderly people tomorrow to avoid that for the time being?

  52. 52.

    Max

    For those interested, Sully has started his series of love letters to Obama and It.Is.Glorious.

    Great reax.

  53. 53.

    Corner Stone

    @Loneoak:

    NANCY SMASH

    I may gay commie marry you for this one.

    Sorry, you don’t have a choice. It’s in the HCR bill. It’s codified.

  60. 60.

    kid bitzer

    hey dougj,

    could you do a little legislative info on what the “reconciliation” vote means, and how it differs from the earlier vote?

    also–this is fucking awesome. it’s almost like having a functional democratic party, for the first time in my adult life.

  61. 61.

    dr. bloor

    OK, that’s that.

    Now let’s get to work on some regulatory reform, jobs bills, and fresh pics of Tunch and Lily.

  62. 62.

    Yutsano

    @asiangrrlMN: The kitteh has teh awesome powers. Or Jeff needs to disclose his massive training techniques.

    I’m off in 14 minutes and I want out of here so bad.

  68. 68.

    Some Guy

    Egad. Checked Fox. Sorry I did.

    Democrats will be sorry for doing this. Student loan reform is a government take over of student loans. Success is failure. Secret deals, arrogance, all this was part of an attempt to fool people, blah blah blah. Holy shit. Its not over yet, he needs to take a pause before it is signed. You can see them struggling to come up with lies to fill air time. OMG.

    Jesus they are pathetic. Fox needs a giant elephant for its logo.

    And having said all that, I love it. Give me a giant schadenfreude spoon.

    BTW, the roundtable, also known as the dipshit table, is literally talking themselves into believing that maybe this won’t pass the senate and maybe Obama will be afraid of his success.

    Man that tastes good.

  69. 69.

    fourmorewars

    theman1086

    “Anyone want to brave the FDL comment sections? Open Left is in celebration mode, and the anti-bill folks are nowhere in sight.”

    There sure are some spiteful assholery around here. If Ms. Hamsher is somehow irrecoverable (which I dunno), forget about her and how about you try to get working to reconcile with the average blog reader who is quite probably still on your side of the fucking fence?

    I was, belatedly, a convert to the strategy, but that doesn’t mean I like a whole lot of people around here at the moment. For one thing, maybe some folks could recall what was coming out of some folks’ mouths not all that many years ago.

    I’m one who’s willing to call that ‘water under the bridge.’ And in the case in question I’d venture to say there was a tad bit more water involved.

  71. 71.

    chuck

    Is this really done?

    Can this be screwed up in the senate? If it is at all possible…. I still tend to think something might happen to kill it in the Senate.

    Am I being paranoid?

  72. 72.

    Violet

    Our President is awesome! /Obot

    Love for Biden too. Can’t wait to see him do his thing in the Senate.

  73. 73.

    demo woman

    Holy f-ck..now we have gringley announcing the retirement of nathan deal who retired and then came back to vote against health care. I’m so glad to be a citizen of GA. FYI. Nathan Deal is under ethics investigation and running for governor of ga.

  76. 76.

    Three-nineteen

    Have they released the names of the senators who have committed to reconciliation? Because I’m going to start calling tomorrow.

  77. 77.

    Yutsano

    @jeffreyw: Oh I forgot to mention last night. I went out cooking for friends and ended up making the butter chicken R-Jud suggested (worthwhile make I must say, although we added in some peppers just for color and flavor) and I logged on to BJ to snag the recipe. While here I showed my friend your Flickr feed. He really liked the hawk pictures and a few of the food pics as well. Oh and TattooSydney’s Portuguese chicken recipe got declared next for the making. They both had a laugh riot reading it as well.

  79. 79.

    mai naem

    @chuck: Being that the senate is the home of Lieberprick, Ben Nelson, Blanche Lincoln and Mary”Dimbulb”Landrieu, you are not paranoid.

  80. 80.

    Mark S.

    If it was Radanovich, this is kinda interesting:

    Some proceeds from the Radanovich Winery went to fund abortion clinics in the area, causing controversy due to his Republican ties.

    Is there anybody who doesn’t kill babies in their spare time?

  81. 81.

    gbear

    Not only is this an incredibly historic piece of legistlation, but it passed with only one party supporting it. Think of that. Not one fucking vote from the opposition party. This is just an amazing feat. Is it unprecedented?

    I’m proud to have been a very small part of this group at BJ who supported this thing and got it done. Thank you to my congresswoman Betty McCollum and all the Dems who made this happen. Thank you Nancy and Obama. Wow.

    Thank you for this forum, Mr Cole and Co. A donation to help cover the cost of all us bandwith suckers will be forthcoming.

    (now hit ‘submit’ and hope for the best)

  82. 82.

    Chuck Butcher

    Pass, defeat, pass gets this thing to the Senate – and that vote is nothing like the end of it.

    This Bill cannot be defended, it has to be sold. That is the political reality, it is much easier to tear things down than defend them and defense is a much weaker stance than offense – politically. The offensive stance is to campaign on the darn thing – on the good aspects. That isn’t going to be easy to do but it will succeed more surely than trying to say, “Oh no it doesn’t …”

  83. 83.

    SGEW

    @General Egali Tarian Stuck:

    Now on to the next one.

    Oooo. Let’s argue over detainee policy; that’s always fun.

    No? Afghanistan, maybe? Financial regulation? Cap and trade? What will provoke the next round of the never-ending progressive-on-progressive battle between purity vs. pragmatism?

    Lookin’ forward to it.

  87. 87.

    TenguPhule

    So, will the teabaggers start strapping on suicide vests flinging themselves from the tops of office buildings tomorrow?

    Fixed.

  88. 88.

    Anonsters

    @SGEW:

    Oooo. Let’s argue over detainee policy; that’s always fun.

    Yes, please.

    Nao.

    (Seriously, it’s past time. (Sorry, it’s just my core issue.))

  90. 90.

    PB

    Is it wrong that I really want Pelosi to come on TV with that big gavel, stare into the cameras, and say, “Respect… the cock.”

    And then just walk out.

  91. 91.

    Mwangangi

    I’d like to thank you. All of the Balloon Juice community. From John on down through the front pagers and all of the prolific commenters like RedKitten, Stuck, Asian-grrl (and her clan), and other people that I’m too addled to state right now. I wouldn’t be anywhere else celebrating this series of moments.

    Mwangangi +8 (why yes… I am taking shots)

  95. 95.

    Martian Buddy

    @The Grand Panjandrum:

    Every Republican has voted AGAINST stripping out the sweetheart deals from the bill. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH dumb fucks!

    The best part of those votes will be the ridiculous “Obama used his Jedi mind powers!” excuses they’ll offer when their opponents point this out on the campaign trail.

  96. 96.

    Bootlegger

    Now Obama’s rubbing it in.

    Faux News is spinning like a fairly unbalanced Mother Brain.

  98. 98.

    Zifnab

    Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! Go Team! Yes We Can! I gotcher Hopey Changey right here! Maziltof! Other happy eueulations! :-p

    They passed the damn bill and I couldn’t be happier. Everything else be damned, this is the best health care legislation to come out of Congress in 60 freak’n years.

    Zifnab +5

  99. 99.

    ajr22

    Obama has earned the right to kick up his feet tonight and have a nice cig. I like the new angle that Obama fought through this and came out ahead. Dude is a fighter and a winner. Great day.

  100. 100.

    mai naem

    @Three-nineteen: Reid says he’s got 52 names. I figure it can’t be hard to figure out the seven. Obviously, Nelson/Lincoln/Lieberhole/Landrieu will be in there. That leaves only three to figure out. Bennett?Bill Nelson?Webb?Warner?Burris?

  102. 102.

    Anonsters

    Faux News is spinning like a fairly unbalanced Mother Brain.

    Did anyone watch to see if Faux played the whole of Obama’s speech just now?

  104. 104.

    Zuzu's Petals

    @Sentient Puddle:

    Yes, he seemed to strike just the right tone of dignified disgust for the cheap tactics…that they “politicize life, not prioritize life.” Exactly right.

  106. 106.

    ChrisB

    Ha! Geraldo Rivera on Fox praising aspects of the bill and saying we’re all in this together.

    Edit: Yes, Fox showed the whole speech. Their commentary by Krauthammer et al was negative and particularly misleading about the student loan add on until Rivera came on.

  108. 108.

    themann1086

    @fourmorewars: Fair enough; only asking cause I’ve been following dday’s coverage (which was great!) but the comment sections there were… scary. It really was like reading wingnut blogs. Just wanted to see if they were coming around, too.

  110. 110.

    burnspbesq

    @themann1086:

    Anyone want to brave the FDL comment sections?

    Been there. About what you expect. I said in a comment on another thread it was like the comments at Inside Carolina the night they lost to Duke by 32 points.

  112. 112.

    Mike in NC

    Fuck the GOP.

    Where are the usual BJ trolls? Haven’t seen a sign of them in nearly a week. Even B.O.B seems to have fallen off the face of the earth.

    We feel their pain, but fuck them anyway.

  113. 113.

    tripletee

    @fourmorewars:

    There sure are some spiteful assholery around here.

    You must be new around here. Spiteful assholery is our stock in trade.

    And really, so-called progressives who fall into the clammy embrace of Grover Norquist and starts parroting dipshit teabagging talking points deserve whatever spite comes their way. Fuck ’em. Fuck ’em with Pelosi’s giant gavel.

  114. 114.

    JadedOptimist

    Hey, if you haven’t noticed, the tag line on the Balloon Juice header now says “Yes We Did”. Sweet.

  119. 119.

    kth

    @mai naem: Now that you mention it, it probably does suck a little to be Ben Nelson or Mary Landrieu right now: they voted for the bill, and it isn’t going to have their goodies in it (if reconciliation gets to 50, obviously).

  123. 123.

    fourmorewars

    themann1086

    K. Tried not to be too personal there, that grammatical mixup in my first sentence is from when I changed it from directly at you to a more general criticism.

    In fairness, I actually hadn’t read any comment sections lately at fdl myself, maybe if I had I’d have found it hard to see the progressive forest for however many pumas were hanging around in the trees.

    Stopped visiting fdl quite a while ago, but that’s ’cause their format changed…the posts were so short before the ‘read more’ came, you often didn’t know what the gist was unless you clicked, which felt like you were leaving the ‘public square’ disappointingly soon, at least that’s how I felt. (Also, the excitement of Plamegate was dying down.)

  128. 128.

    themann1086

    Watching the Dem presser is fun. Everyone is all smiles, they’re relaxed and relieved, joking with each other. They got it done, and they’re rightfully proud.

  129. 129.

    Uloborus

    Alright. My understanding is that right now the only thing that can stop the basic bill is Obama refusing to sign (pffft, yeah). It was passed on its own by both houses and the parliamentarian said it had to be already signed for reconciliation to count.

    So the Senate vote is just them living up to their end of the bargain that got it passed, and adding a few delicious bennies. Is that correct? I am NOT an expert on congressional procedure.

  130. 130.

    KDP

    Ahh, man, missed Obama’s statement. Dog wanted a walk, and I must obey the puppeh.

    Well, I’m sure I can toddle over to the White House website tomorrow and watch it.

    Congratulations to everyone who fought for this reform, and put pragmatism over idealism to do so.

  131. 131.

    horatius

    @mai naem:

    TPM reports that Landrieu is gushing about reconciliation. She’s even released a love-letter. Does that make it 53 or do we have a brand new asshole here?

  132. 132.

    TooManyJens

    @Uloborus: That sounds right. Henry Waxman just said that the President would sign the main bill within two days, and the reconciliation bill within a week. I’m a little surprised — I expected him to sign them both at the same sitting — but apparently that’s the plan.

  134. 134.

    DA

    No “good news for conservatives” tag? Have we, at long last, reached a point where it does not always apply?

  137. 137.

    Leelee for Obama

    @The Grand Panjandrum: Yes, that is the sweetest part of their dumbitude. I can write the campaign commercials now, can’t you? Let’s say the words together:

    Louisiana Purchase

    Cornhusker Kickback

    Gatorade

    Whatever the other one was. I’m tired and I can’t remember.

    Fallows was fabulous in his short take on this bill passing.

  138. 138.

    Yutsano

    @jeffreyw: Well in our defense his wife is pregnant and you don’t keep a pregnant woman waiting for food very long. She was already yelling at us in the basement about when the hell dinner was gonna be done. So we truncated the picture views. He really liked the hawk/jay battles too.

  139. 139.

    robertdsc

    We feel their pain, but fuck them anyway.

    The funniest thing is that during the goings on before Massachusetts, there was a report that said the red states would be benefitting more from the pending legislation than blue states would.

    “No” voting bastards.

  141. 141.

    Peter J

    Republicans decry what they see as the loss of dignity in the House, and then to prove it, one of them shouts ‘Baby Killer’…

  142. 142.

    Mike G

    there was a report that said the red states would be benefitting more from the pending legislation than blue states would.

    The redneck states have been major net beneficiaries of federal spending since FDR started dragging their asses kicking and screaming out of feudalist apartheid. Being whiny-ass welfare babies has never stopped them from bitching about ‘big government’ and ‘soshulism’ before, and won’t now. They are the state equivalent of the dumbshit screaming, “Get the government’s hands off my Medicare”.

  143. 143.

    Joseph Nobles

    Anybody hear what chocolate rations are up to this week?

    Nobody? Oh, well. I wonder what IHOP tastes like in our new socialist paradise?

  144. 144.

    Martian Buddy

    @Mike G: It’s the same on the county level here in PA; there was an editorial (reprinted from a Philly paper, IIRC) which ran through the numbers and showed that six counties (all blue) accounted for 80% of PA’s tax base. The red counties (which, alas, includes mine) take in more than they pay.

    Edit to add: No prizes for guessing which counties bitch the most about their high, high taxes.

  145. 145.

    Mnemosyne

    @TooManyJens:

    Henry Waxman just said that the President would sign the main bill within two days, and the reconciliation bill within a week. I’m a little surprised—I expected him to sign them both at the same sitting—but apparently that’s the plan.

    There is apparently still some procedural question about whether Congress can pass a bill and then immediately pass a second bill that modifies the first one, so they may be planning to play it safe and separate the two signings.

  146. 146.

    mike in dc

    Am I crazy to think the Dems should start using the Teabagger movement to help fire up the base? Along with actually passing some more bills, of course.

    “Show up and vote this November or else these crazy M-Fers will take over the country.”

  147. 147.

    AxelFoley

    @tripletee:

    You must be new around here. Spiteful assholery is our stock in trade. And really, so-called progressives who fall into the clammy embrace of Grover Norquist and starts parroting dipshit teabagging talking points deserve whatever spite comes their way. Fuck ‘em. Fuck ‘em with Pelosi’s giant gavel.

    Well said, my friend.

  149. 149.

    morzer

    Let’s keep a sense of proportion here, people. Yes, Bart Stupak kills babies. What matters is that Michelle Bachmann EATS them.

  150. 150.

    EconWatcher

    In fairness, Radanovich’s wife passed away a month ago from cancer, and he recently announced his retirement from politics. The guy may just be losing it.

  151. 151.

    deminoz

    So being an expat in Oz who made a lot of calls to reps offices…..given that i’m not actually using this health care but will be paying for it can i use my coverage to pay for the phone calls i made to get it passed?
    Bloody oath….i had people all over my client’s offices today reporting back to me in 5 minute intervals as things happened. Until……..i got interrupted in a meeting by a couple of Australians who were on my ‘watch posse’ (as they called themselves) walked into meeting ……”IT PASSED” was all they said and walked out of room. I cried……

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