Research Briefing

Pelosi’s Plan To Bend The Rules “Reeks Of Desperation”

HOUSE DEMS WILL BEND THE RULES TO PASS GOVERNMENT-RUN HEALTH CARE …

Undecided Rep. Jason Altmire (D-PA): “I Have A Big Issue With The Way They're Doing The Process. I Think It's Wrong And My Constituents Don't Like It.” (Jordan Fabian, “Key Dem: Using 'Deem And Pass' Health Plan Is 'Wrong,'” The Hill, 3/16/10)

MSNBC’s Contessa Brewer: “They’re Trying To Ensure Success, But Using These Procedures Reeks Of Desperation.” (MSNBC, 3/16/10)

• Brewer: “[M]y Big Question Here, How Do Lawmakers In Good Conscious Pass A Bill Without Actually Voting For It Even Though It Applies To The Letter Of The Law, Is It Really In The Spirit Of The Law?” (MSNBC, 3/16/10)

McClatchy’s David Lightman: “[U]sing Such A Dicey Procedure To Enact President Barack Obama’s Biggest Domestic Initiative — The Most Far-Reaching Social Policy Change In Decades — Could Inflame A Public That’s Already Annoyed At The Legislation’s Tortured Path And Disgusted With Congress.” (David Lightman, “House Plan To Pass Health Care Raises Constitutional Questions,” McCatchy Newspapers, 3/15/10)

The Washington Post’s Lori Montgomery & Paul Kane: “[P]elosi (D-Calif.) Would Rely On A Procedural Sleight Of Hand ...” (Lori Montgomery & Paul Kane, “House May Try To Pass Senate Health-Care Bill Without Voting On It,” The Washington Post, 3/16/10)

The Huffington Post’s Ryan Grim: “It’s A Technical Distinction And Democrats Hope That It’s Deep Enough In The Weeds That Average Voters Will Focus Instead On The Substance Of The Legislation Instead Of The Confusing Process.” (Ryan Grim, “Pelosi: ‘Get The Bill. Go For It,’” The Huffington Post, 3/15/10)

Politico’s Patrick O’Connor: “Bending The House Rules … The So-Called Solution, Named For House Rules Committee Chairwoman Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.), Would ‘Deem’ The Senate Bill Passed If House Democrats Approve A Package Of Fixes.” (Patrick O’Connor, “Homestretch Scramble For Votes,” Politico, 3/15/10)

U.S. News & World Report’s Robert Schlesinger: “Democrats Are Reportedly Pondering A Parliamentary Trick In The House By Which They Would Pass The Senate Version Of The Healthcare Bill Without Actually Voting On It.” (Robert Schlesinger, “On Healthcare, Do Swing Democrats Think Voters Are That Dumb?” U.S. News & World Report’s “Thomas Jefferson Street Blog,” 3/15/10)

ALL IN AN ATTEMPT TO FOOL VOTERS BY “SUSPENDING REALITY,”

WHEN IT FACT THIS IS A VOTE FOR THE SENATE DEMS’ GOVERNMENT-RUN HEALTH CARE BILL

MSNBC’s “First Read” Blog: “But If Process Is The Problem, Then Why Does House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Prefer Using ‘Deem And Pass’ Or The So-Called ‘Slaughter Rule’ To Pass The Senate Bill? Do House Democrats Really Believe They Can Somehow ‘Hide’ Their Vote For The Senate Bill?” (Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro & Ali Weinberg, “First Thoughts: Arm-Twisting Everyone,” MSNBC’s “First Read” Blog, 3/16/10)

NBC’s Kelly O’Donnell: “Democrats Are Considering This Sort Of Assumption, This Sort Of Suspending Reality And It Could Give Their Members An Advantage Politically.” (MSNBC’s “The Daily Rundown,” 3/16/10)

• “This Is About A Big Political Assumption And Democrats Are Really Considering This To Protect Their Members Against Attacks In The Fall.” (MSNBC’s “The Daily Rundown,” 3/16/10)

The Atlantic’s Marc Ambinder: “In Fact, They ARE Taking An Up Or Down Vote On The Senate Health Care Bill. They’re Just Doing It AT THE SAME TIME As They’re Passing The Reconciliation Language ...” (Marc Ambinder, “There Will Be An Up Or Down Vote On Health Care,” The Atlantic, 3/16/10)

• Ambinder: “That Is: House Democrats Still Have To Vote For The So-Called ‘Cornhusker Kickback,’ And The ‘Gator Aid’ Provisions ...” (Marc Ambinder, “There Will Be An Up Or Down Vote On Health Care,” The Atlantic, 3/16/10)

McClatchy’s David Lightman: Slaughter Rule “A Path More Palatable To House Democrats Who Fear That Voting For The Senate Bill Could Backfire Against Them In Elections This Fall.” (David Lightman, “House Plan To Pass Health Care Raises Constitutional Questions,” McCatchy Newspapers, 3/15/10)

The Washington Post Editorial Board: “That May Help Some House Members Dodge A Politically Difficult Decision, But It Strikes Us As A Dodgy Way To Reform The Health-Care System.” (Editorial, “Health-Reform Vote Deserves A Reasonable Process,” The Washington Post, 3/16/10)

• WaPo: “Democrats Who Vote For The Package Will Be Tagged With Supporting The Senate Bill In Any Event. Why Not Be Straightforward About It?” (Editorial, “Health-Reform Vote Deserves A Reasonable Process,” The Washington Post, 3/16/10)

NBC’s Savannah Guthrie: “The Bottom Line Is, It’s A Tactic That Supposedly Would Give Political Cover To Some House Democrats Because They Wouldn’t Directly Have To Vote For The Senate Bill That They Don’t Like.” (MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” 3/16/10)

• Guthrie: “Now, Whether Or Not They Can Go Back To Their Districts And The Folks That Elect Them Will Be Somehow Fooled By This Or Think That They Didn’t Do Something That Had The Effect Of Passing The Senate Bill, I Don’t Know.” (MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” 3/16/10)

U.S. News & World Report’s Robert Schlesinger: “Call It ‘Healthcare Wars: The Phantom Passage.’” (Robert Schlesinger, “On Healthcare, Do Swing Democrats Think Voters Are That Dumb?” U.S. News & World Report’s “Thomas Jefferson Street Blog,” 3/15/10)

• Schlesinger: “Do House Members Really Think That Their Constituents Will See The Distinction? Do They Think That Voters Would Punish Separate Votes For The Health Bill And For Reconciliation But Would Be OK If Those Two Votes Were Merged Into One Magical Vote?” (Robert Schlesinger, “On Healthcare, Do Swing Democrats Think Voters Are That Dumb?” U.S. News & World Report’s “Thomas Jefferson Street Blog,” 3/15/10)

• Schlesinger: “Such Legislative Convolutions Remind Me Of Former Rep. Marjorie Margolies, A One-Term Democrat From Pennsylvania Who Cast The Deciding Vote In Favor Of The Clinton Budget Package Back In 1993.” (Robert Schlesinger, “On Healthcare, Do Swing Democrats Think Voters Are That Dumb?” U.S. News & World Report’s “Thomas Jefferson Street Blog,” 3/15/10)