Monthly Archives: March 2010

March 21, 2010 — John Hinderaker

Americans Holding Firm Against Government Health Takeover

As today’s House vote approaches, Scott Rasmussen released his final pre-vote health care poll. It shows opposition to the Democrats’ government takeover bill as strong as ever, with only 41% of likely voters supporting the legislation, while 54% oppose it. So the Democrats’ final push, with all of President Obama’s personal efforts, has completely failed to convince Americans that the Democrats’ approach to health care reform is the right one. »
March 21, 2010 — John Hinderaker

The R-Card

Democrats played the R-card yesterday, as Reps. Jim Clyburn, John Lewis and Andre Carson claimed that anti-government medicine protesters shouted the “N-word” at them as they left the Cannon House Office Building. The Associated Press bought it hook, line and sinker, headlining “Raucous, ugly buildup to House health care vote”: House Democrats heard it all Saturday–words of inspiration from President Barack Obama and raucous chants of protests from demonstrators. And »
March 21, 2010 — John Hinderaker

Today’s Schedule

Here is a “rough estimate” of the schedule for today’s votes in the House of Representatives, from CBS: 2 p.m.: The House will debate for one hour the rules of debate for the reconciliation bill and the Senate bill. 3 p.m.: The House will vote to end debate and vote on the rules of the debate. 3:15 p.m.: The House will debate the reconciliation package for two hours. 5:15 p.m.: »
March 20, 2010 — John Hinderaker

Kill the Bill Rally In Progress

Thousands of Americans are rallying at the Capitol to urge Congress to defeat the Democrats’ health care takeover bill. You can follow events on Twitter at #killthebill. This photo was taken at noon from the Speaker’s Lobby and posted via Twitter. Click to enlarge: PAUL adds: Signs on display include “Give me liberty, not death panels” and a picture of Speaker Pelosi with the caption “Will batshit crazy be deemed »
March 20, 2010 — Paul Mirengoff

Some patriot

Jennifer Daskal is a Department of Justice lawyer, having been brought on-board by Eric Holder as part of DOJ’s Detainee Policy Task Force. Before coming to DOJ, Daskal was with Human Rights Watch, where she was an outspoken critic of the CIA and the interrogation techniques authorized by the Bush administration. (She was not, however, one of the seven DOJ lawyers whose identity Holder initially would not reveal; Daskal’s role »
March 20, 2010 — Paul Mirengoff

Is she there yet?

I don’t know whether Nancy Pelosi has her 216 votes yet, but there’s reason to think she didn’t as of around noon today. That’s when Reps. Driehaus (D., Ohio) and Dahlkemper (D., Penn.), both of the Stupak coalition, met with the Speaker in her office. Apparently, she still needed to win a few more votes from members of that coalition. Another member of the Stupak group, Dan Lipinski (D-Ill), told »
March 20, 2010 — Paul Mirengoff

Dems to pass on “deem and pass”

The word is that the House will abandon the “deem and pass” strategy and have a straight-up vote on the Senate version of Obamacare. In addition, but separately, the House will vote on amendments to the Senate version that could be adopted through “reconciliation” in the Senate. I think this means one of two things: (1) Pelosi has the votes to pass the Senate version or (2) she has concluded »
March 20, 2010 — John Hinderaker

Tune In For the Latest from DC

I’ll be on the radio as usual from 11 to 1 (Central time) today. At around 11:30 Central, we will interview Politico’s James Hohmann, who has been covering the Democrats’ effort to get 216 House votes for their government takeover of health care. James was stationed outside Nancy Pelosi’s office last night and is covering the House effort again this morning. You can listen here on the web. UPDATE: The »
March 20, 2010 — Scott Johnson

A message from Neda’s fiancé

Barack Obama has recorded his second annual Nowruz message for Iran. The man is a nattering nabob of Nowruzianism. In his message Obama acknowledges Iran’s right to peaceful use of nuclear energy. He purports to be mystified by the beliefs of “Iran’s leaders.” He must not be paying close attention. You will be pleased to note that the United States remains interested in “comprehensive diplomatic contact and dialogue.” Without reviewing »
March 20, 2010 — Scott Johnson

Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most

There are a few torch songs that lament the coming of Spring. This time of year, if you’re tuned to one of the right stations, you may well find yourself listening to Ella Fitzgerald’s unforgettable rendition of “Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most.” The song is a buried treasure on Ella’s 1961 quartet-backed jazz set “Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie!” (I love the Amazon review that rates it »
March 19, 2010 — Paul Mirengoff

Boring from within

The Obama administration has tapped Nawar Shora, legal director of the Arab-American Anti-Defamation Committee (ADC), to serve as a senior adviser for the TSA’s office of civil rights and civil liberties. The ADC is, among other things, virulently anti-Israel. During the 2006 war in Lebanon, it filed a lawsuit claiming that the U.S. government failed to fulfill its obligation to protect US citizens “under attack” in Lebanon. The lawsuit sought »
March 19, 2010 — John Hinderaker

Controversial Propositions

Here are some things I believe to be true. At least, I think I do: * The most under-rated man in modern history was U.S. Grant. * It is odd that people keep talking about the Great American Novel, since American novelists are, and always have been, sub-par by international standards. * The greatest athlete of modern times, in any team sport, was Bobby Orr. Sorry, no room for discussion. »
March 19, 2010 — John Hinderaker

Do They Have the Votes?

Eric Cantor says the Democrats are bluffing and are still something like seven votes short. I don’t think anyone knows for sure where the vote count stands, but last we knew the Democrats were continuing their full-court press on wavering members, which presumably means they aren’t sure they are at 216 yet. »
March 19, 2010 — Paul Mirengoff

Deal or no deal?

Rep. Brad Ellsworth (D-Ind.) has announced that he will vote for Obamacare. Ellsworth also voted “yes” the last time around, but as a member of the Stupak coalition. So Pelosi’s success in peeling him away from that coalition is a big deal. But then, perhaps Pelosi has cut some kind of a deal with that coalition. That would be a bigger deal. There’s another way of looking at the Ellsworth »
March 19, 2010 — Paul Mirengoff

Getting from “yes” to maybe not

Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore), who voted for Obamacare last year, says he’s not going to vote for the latest incarnation unless it is changed. He stated: I voted for the original bill for three principal reasons: it had a public option which would get people out from under the thumb of the insurance industry; it had national exchanges which would give people lower rates and better coverage; and, after decades »
March 19, 2010 — John Hinderaker

“Do Not Allow Yourself to Get Into a Discussion of the Details”

That’s the instruction the Democratic Party has given its spokesmen with regard to the health care debate, in particular the CBO’s recent report. It’s easy to see why: the Democrats’ claims about their health care takeover fall apart if you look at it carefully. Yesterday, the Democrats sent the memo that is reproduced below to their “health and communications staff.” It instructs them in the “key points health staff and »
March 19, 2010 — Paul Mirengoff

Getting to “yes”

Rep. John Boccieri (D-Ohio) has announced that he will vote in favor of “deeming and passing” Obamacare. Boccieri voted “no” on Obamacare last year. Politico reports that, even with this pick-up, “all indications are that [Pelosi and company] stil have a few more votes to go.” But Boccieri illustrates why the Dems are likely to pick them up. In making his announcement, Boccieri, a first-termer from a right-of-center district, stated: »