“There Are No Rules Here … We Make Them Up As We Go Along”:
http://bit.ly/9z3jLu

It would appear that Democrats have ditched ‘Deem & Pass’.Of course this sadly most likely means they have the votes. Democratic will have three independent votes - a vote on the rule, a vote on the fix package, followed by a vote on the Senate bill. If Democrats had ever attempted such a cowardly act like “Deem & Pass” they would have been lead out of DC on a rail even before the midterm 2010 elections.

Top Democrats confirmed Saturday that the House would hold separate votes on the Senate healthcare bill and the reconciliation bill, making fixes to it.

Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), one of the chief deputy whips, Rep. Melvin Watt (D-N.C.), and Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), all of whom said that Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) won’t use the tactic of deem and pass for healthcare reform.

The move effectively kills the “deem and pass” strategy Democrats had been eyeing to make changes to the Senate bill through a rule on the bill, which at the same time would have deemed the original Senate healthcare bill to have passed the House.

The House appears set now to move toward an up-or-down vote on the Senate healthcare bill, as well as a separate, up-or-down vote on the series of changes to that bill. There will still be a vote on the rule, as there always is for a piece of legislation, though it will not package the two bills together.

Make no mistake about it, 50% of American voters are less likely to vote for Congress member who supports Obamacare.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey taken Wednesday night finds that 34% are more likely to vote for their Congress member’s reelection if he or she supports the president’s health care plan. Eight percent (8%) say the health care vote will have no impact on how they vote this November, and another seven percent (7%) are not sure.

DeParle uses scare tactics that some assume are meant as threats:

“No ifs, ands or buts about it — if we do nothing to reform our broken health care system, costs will continue to skyrocket and break the budgets of American families, small businesses and the Federal Government,” read the March 12th email from DeParle…

DeParle’s solicitation requests federal employees act on behalf of the President’s agenda by making this directive: “You can help raise awareness by sharing this email with your friends, family and online networks,” read the March 11th email from DeParle.

The Chicago Way in action. I don’t know how they think these emails might be effective. Personally, I can detect and delete spam emails at Mach 5, Ms. DeParle would be lucky if I ever read the entire first sentence.

I bet for some of these federal workers November 2012 cannot come soon enough.

Via: Memeorandum
Via: CBS News

Paul Ryan: Double counting and spending in HCR bill will lead to massive debts and deficits

Posted by therightscoop in Politics on Mar 19th, 2010 | View Comments

The American people are being duped by the Democrats and the MSM. I mean, why wouldn’t the MSM cover this? I’m sure Paul Ryan would be glad to sit down with them and show them where these numbers come from. He even said most of this in the big meeting that Obama had with Republicans and Democrats a couple of weeks ago. But they don’t care because they want this bill! They are complicit in this government takeover!

“15,000 IRS agents”
http://bit.ly/c01Y6N

With the House vote expected tomorrow (Sunday), Rasmussen Reports will release our latest tracking of support for the health care legislation tomorrow morning rather than waiting until Monday. Thirty-four percent (34%) now say health care reform is the goal the President is most likely to achieve. Voters still say deficit reduction is the most important and the least likely to be achieved.

… having done so, it may then hive the resulting bill into two parts, treating one part as an enrolled bill ready for presidential signature and the other part as a House bill ready for senatorial consideration. That seems inconsistent with the principle that the president may sign only bills in the exact form that they have passed both houses. A combination of two bills is not in “the same form” as either bill separately.

Most of the time a self-executing rule is used to incorporate amendments into a pending bill without actual votes on the amendments, where the bill is then subject to a final vote by the House and Senate. That usage may be a dodge around House rules, but it does not violate the Constitution. I am not aware of any instance where a self-executing rule has been used to send one bill to the president for signature and another to the Senate for consideration by means of a single vote.

Self-executing rules have also been used to increase the debt ceiling by virtue of adopting a budget resolution. That procedure is questionable, but because budget resolutions are not laws, this usage does not have the feature of using one vote to send a bill to the president and at the same time to send a different bill to the Senate.

Indeed, in United States v. Ballin, decided the same year as Field*, the Court ruled, “The Constitution empowers each House to determine its own rules of proceedings. It may not by its rules ignore constitutional restraints . . . .” *Marshall Field v. Clark

One thing is sure: To proceed in this way creates an unnecessary risk that the legislation will be invalidated for violation of Article I, Section 7. Will wavering House members want to use this procedure when there is a nontrivial probability that the courts will render their political sacrifice wasted effort? To hazard that risk, the House leadership must have a powerful motive to avoid a straightforward vote.

(The House can’t approve the Senate bill in the same legislation by which it approves changes to the Senate bill.)

The Health Vote and the Constitution—II
http://bit.ly/9HFso7


Mr. McConnell, a former federal judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, is a law professor at Stanford University and director of the Stanford Constitutional Law Center.

We are also expecting to receive a letter shortly that Cuccinelli is sending to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) warning her that using the so-called “deem and pass” procedure to pass the Senate health reform bill in the House would open the measure to additional constitutional challenges from the states.

The above link has the text of the letter Cuccinelli sent to Nancy Pelosi.

Idaho isn’t taking this lying down, either.

AP: Idaho took the lead in a growing, nationwide fight against health care overhaul Wednesday when its governor became the first to sign a measure requiring the state attorney general to sue the federal government if residents are forced to buy health insurance.

Similar legislation is pending in 37 other states.

Constitutional law experts say the movement is mostly symbolic because federal laws supersede those of the states.

We’ll just have to see about that now, won’t we?

(Via Weasel Zippers)

http://twitter.com/KenCuccinelli

But not to be undone, the House Democrats have announced that the new investment tax would be increased to 3.7 percent. This effectively means a capital gains tax hike, coming on top of the 0.9 percent tax, which comes on top of existing payroll taxes.

This follows the historical pattern of payroll taxes, which have increased 20 times since first introduced in 1935, going from a combined total of 2 percent (including employer/employee contributions) to 15.3 percent today. Now that this new tax is in place, we can only assume that if Obamacare is enacted, this pattern would continue.

And one other thing that’s worth noting. During the campaign, Obama touted the idea of imposing a payroll tax on higher income earners as a means of helping to make Social Security solvent. Instead, he’s now tapping into that revenue stream to create a new entitlement.

Latest Dem Bill Raises Medicare Tax for Fourth Time –
Before Even Being Enacted
http://bit.ly/cbxeSS

These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives everything its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as freedom should not be highly rated. Britain, with an army to enforce her tyranny, has declared that she has a right (not only to tax) but “to bind us in all cases whatsoever,” and if being bound in that manner, is not slavery, then is there not such a thing as slavery upon earth. Even the expression is impious; for so unlimited a power can belong only to God.

“General Washington was faced with overwhelming military odds and the certain destruction of the American colonies’ quest for independence. Twelve thousand British troops were slowed only by weather in their unopposed advance across New Jersey. Facing separate army groups under the seasoned commands of British Generals Howe, and Cornwallis, Washington knew his options were limited. A keen student of history and a former officer of the Virginia Regiment in the British Army, George Washington was well aware this enemy had not lost a war in centuries.”

“His remaining 2,400 men on the western bank of the Delaware River huddled nine miles north of the Hessian encampment at Trenton had few choices. They were surrounded by unfriendly locals who believed the revolution all but lost, and tradesmen unwilling to extend credit. They were cold and hungry and for many their enlistments were up in less than one week. In the face of certain and permanent defeat, Washington chose Christmas Day, 1776, to sling his stone at the goliath’s forehead.”

I have chosen this precise moment in our nation’s history because the events and actions of patriots in the past can still inspire the American spirit. George Washington and his 2,400 men on that cold December day decided that liberty, freedom, and self governance were worth fighting for. With scarce provisions, little food, and inadequate winter clothes, they attacked and defeated a better trained Hessian force against all the odds. We are all blessed that such men lived.

Today an oppressive wind is blowing from the East and Americans are standing at a crossroads and must again decide if liberty, freedom, and self governance are worth fighting for. Our economy is a mess. Our politicians are corrupt. And many feel that we have lost our way. Has the great experiment failed us or have we failed it. I can’t help but return to the words of Thomas Paine; “These are the times that try men’s souls.” Do you have the courage and perseverance to see this through? Are you willing to stand up for the Republic and the Constitution? Or do you shrink from the service of your country?

These are questions you must ask yourself, because America is indeed in crisis again.

Liberty forever, freedom for all!

As if they haven’t wrought enough damage, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) — whose agenda appears to be bankrupting the U.S. — is organizing a rally in favor of illegal immigration. Gee, I’m sure all of their dues-paying members are ecstatic. Check this pitch out:

Today we are at a pivotal moment in the history of this nation. We are faced with a choice. We can do nothing, and watch as new American families are torn apart by the broken immigration system; watch as profiteers continue to take advantage of people desperate for work [Ed: Got Communism?]; and watch as all American families struggle to find good jobs and make ends meet. Or we can stand up, and stand together for our families and our communities. Join thousands from across the country at the March for America in Washington on March 21st. Itis [sic] up to us to make sure that campaign trail promises are turned into real policies that help lift all American families in 2010. [Ed: So dumbing down citizenship will help our economy? That's kinda like socialized medicine reducing costs and increasing quality.]

Every day that Washington fails to address our broken immigration system and broken economy, Americans become more angry and frustrated with their leaders. Every day that we put off reforming the immigration system more families are torn apart, workers endure more abuse, our national deficit grows as billions in tax revenue are lost, and the rule of law is undermined…

This is the right moment for Congress to show it can pass bipartisan legislation by fixing the broken immigration system and fixing the economy… Comprehensive immigration reform [Ed: i.e., amnesty] is such a solution. It will strengthen our families, improve conditions and wages for all workers, make America safer, ensure all workers and all employers are paying their fair share of taxes, and add well over a trillion dollars to our economy. [Ed: Can't breathe. Laughing too hard. Hode on. Cheezus.]

Our values as a nation demand economic fairness for everyone and citizenship rights and obligations for all who work hard to sustain our country. Our broken immigration system dishonors our notions of inclusiveness, justice and equality. Our broken economy is the product a [sic] fundamental unfairness…

Barack Obama: could the President face impeachment, if the Supreme Court strikes the ‘Slaughter Solution’?

What is Joe Public supposed to make of that unambiguously malign intent? Its secondary purpose is to remove accountability from members of Congress – this from the administration of a president who was swept to power promising an end to Washington deal-making and a new era of transparency in government. Has anyone before, in the entire history of the United States, ever attempted to deny citizens knowledge of how their Congressman voted on a highly contentious topic?

It is, of course, profoundly self-defeating. When the sweating, cornered rats from Capitol Hill face the public in November, they may be able to bluster that they did not actually vote for the Senate Bill in the House. “Maybe not, pal,” will be the obvious answer, “but you sure as hell supported the subversion of the American Constitution and, in my bag, that is far worse.”

The term “Slaughter” may come to have a deeply ironic resonance for Democrats, come November. In the meantime, “deem and pass”, the most outrageously anti-democratic scam ever seen in American political life, is almost certainly open to challenge in the Supreme Court, beyond the bear-traps that Republicans will set for the legislation in the Senate.

The presiding spirit behind the squalid manoeuvres of Pelosi and Reid is Barack Obama. He is the President and commander-in-chief. The buck stops, etc. So, in the event that the President signed this healthcare legislation, consciously evading Clause 1, section 7 of the Founding Fathers’ protective document for American freedom, and it were then struck down by the Supreme Court, a question arises: could Obama then face impeachment? Think about it. An Exocet is always a tiny speck on the far horizon at first, but it is amazing how quickly it arrives at its target.

Barack Obama: could the President face impeachment–’Slaughter Solution’? http://bit.ly/d0CW71