CQ: Looks like GOP really did win the disputed House vote
posted at 12:33 pm on August 4, 2007 by Allahpundit
Influence Peddler has it. Instant replay appears to show that Mario Diaz-Balart did get off his three-pointer before the buzzer sounded. A bipartisan committee has been appointed to investigate.
Wouldn’t you know it, the Times can’t quite figure out who’s to blame.
Here’s GOP whip Roy Blunt milkin’ it yesterday morning, 12 or so hours before the next collective tantrum occurred.
Blowback
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Has this ever happened in Congress before, or have the Dems hit a new low?
unamused on August 4, 2007 at 12:35 PM
Just another day at the office for our distinguished elected officials.
derek on August 4, 2007 at 12:36 PM
A new low. They’re centimeters from below the gutter!
Good Lt on August 4, 2007 at 12:39 PM
Thank god the dems have brought back civility to the house and senate, most ethical congress ever.
/sarcasm off
Wyrd on August 4, 2007 at 12:42 PM
I can’t really understand why the Dems would pull something like this intentionally over a vote so minor. I mean, where is the political upside in voting to allow illegal aliens to sponge money intended for farmers (and realistically, how many illegals own farms such that they might be eligible in the first place).
It looks to me like both sides were acting like idiots out of habit, and the Dems just got unlucky.
The triviality of the issue is also highlighted by the fact that the Dems are apparently going to at least give the impression of trying to rectify their screw-up. If the vote had any actual significance, they’d be telling Boehner, et al “tough tuna”…
LagunaDave on August 4, 2007 at 12:51 PM
Unbelievably amazing! The Democrats are getting even bolder in their lying, cheating and stealing. Hopefully this time they crossed a line that will actually spark outrage from we the people. Time to shut down the switchboard at Congress again, and then throw the bums out.
Ordinary1 on August 4, 2007 at 12:53 PM
How about 3%?
Pablo on August 4, 2007 at 12:53 PM
It is great the nasty Republicans are no longer in charge. Now the Democrats can have their way no matter how the house votes. Like, why bother?
Wade on August 4, 2007 at 12:56 PM
Did not know we had vote police to decide the importance of a vote. Can you enlighten us all as to who we must bow to their opinion of importance?
Wade on August 4, 2007 at 1:01 PM
Can legal action of some kind be taken against the democrats for this despicable behavior?
sinsing on August 4, 2007 at 1:09 PM
The “I’m sorry” from the democrats is like a tennis players saying “I’m sorry” when his ball hit the net and dribbles over for a point. He says it, but he really doesn’t mean it!
SouthernGent on August 4, 2007 at 1:14 PM
I agree the issue was not worth violating the house rules to such an extent. Allowing vote changing after the vote was gaveled closed might be justified by war and peace but this issue was about benefits for illegal aliens. Or was it? It looked to me like it was a power and control issue. The Dems want the power on every vote. The Rs must be crushed at every step. Integrity Nancy style.
TunaTalon on August 4, 2007 at 1:17 PM
Illegal immigration is the issue conservatives (as opposed to Democrats and RINOs) can most likely win on in 2008 and needs to be kept a hot topic.
Buzzy on August 4, 2007 at 1:23 PM
The Democrats are willing to destroy the very foundation of our Democracy to give money to illegal aliens.
Where is the outrage?
TheBigOldDog on August 4, 2007 at 1:23 PM
The Dems have falsely cried, “They stole the vote” for several election cycles now. Now that they’ve cheapened the charge, they’re going ahead and committing the crime themselves.
Anyone who charges them with stealing this, or any future vote–general election, Senate, House, whatever–will be dismissed as not being able to handle it when the tables are turned.
It’s a dark moment for our republic.
windbag on August 4, 2007 at 1:24 PM
That’s like asking why anyone would ever pilfer a wallet when they could steal a car.
If this had been a monumental vote, they knew they would have gotten caught. Besides, this may seem like a small deal in the grand scheme of things, but it’s not.
You have to understand how close votes work in Congress: a “brokering” process goes on where people trade influence to get the win. That’s why a tie is almost unheard of. If you can’t win by one vote, you may as well lose by twenty. So you broker for enough votes to win; if you see that you won’t win, you just say “screw it,” go ahead and let the rest of your Congressmen pander to their individual constituancies.
More to the point: Blocking immigration reform hurts Democrats in the polls, but it hurts Republicans MORE. And that’s all that matters to them at this point in time. And a mess that can’t be completely explained feeds into the paranoia a lot of people are already feeling over the immigration issue.
In other words, a dirty tie is a more useful for the Democrats than a clean win in this case. The NYT headline says it all: “Partisan Anger Stalls Congress in Final Push.” That is exactly the propaganda line the Democrats were shooting for.
logis on August 4, 2007 at 1:30 PM
Hey LagunaDave,
taking benefits away from SENIOR CITIZENS to give to ILLEGAL ALIENS isn’t a “minor” issue….is it?
DfDeportation on August 4, 2007 at 1:37 PM
This was not an insignificant vote. The Democrats were sneaking in the legalization of welfare for illegal aliens and the Republicans were trying to block it.
So now the Ag bill moves on with the welfare for illegals still intact.
This is potentially a gigantic stealth win for the reconquista movement.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,292036,00.html
Speakup on August 4, 2007 at 1:39 PM
This Congress is a gift from God for the GOP in ’08. The DailyKos crowd having gained some smattering of respect from the dimo candidates by their attendance at their convention will now come out of the woodwork and show the nation how low politics can go. Congress is just setting the stage.
volsense on August 4, 2007 at 1:53 PM
Hopefully, the Dems stealing this vote will show the world their willingness to do anything to get their way, and their willingness to take benefits away from senior citizens to give to non-citizens. (where is AARP or the State of Florida on this one?!) This rises to a level I find hard to believe. I’m very hopeful for a huge reaction from the country on this. Unfortunately, I’ve been disappointed before. On the bright side, I’ve been encouraged before too. Shutting down the switchboard at Congress over this is a good start. Time for a little bit of well placed outrage!
Ordinary1 on August 4, 2007 at 1:58 PM
Incrementally legislating Shamnesty is minor?
Zach on August 4, 2007 at 2:11 PM
This is about what I expected from those leftist Democrats.
rplat on August 4, 2007 at 2:13 PM
Hell yes but I sure haven’t seen it.
This kind of slide by legislation is exactly how our immigration system has became so screwed up.
If the vote weren’t bungled would we have known at all?
Speakup on August 4, 2007 at 2:14 PM
Is this how democracy self-destructs?
petefrt on August 4, 2007 at 2:37 PM
YouTube has marked both comments on this video as SPAM and is not allowing additional comments. I have a screen cap.
This is not what democracy is about.
desertdweller on August 4, 2007 at 3:18 PM
It is getting past time to clean these bums out of office. Both Dems and Rep. When our “leaders” place the rights of ILLEGAL aliens above those of our Senior Citizens it says alot. When our “leaders” can not agree what is more important our senior citizens or a bunch of illegals. It says alot. When the dems are more concerned about “winning” then about what is in the bill it says alot. Our “leaders” are speaking to us our we listening? Hopefully in 2008 we the people will be saying alot and Congress better listen this time. They have few chances left to hear our voice.
unseen on August 4, 2007 at 4:09 PM
Margin of error from that poll = 1.1%. Getting closer to being irrelevant every day.
DCA on August 4, 2007 at 4:51 PM
So they could actually be at 1.9%, huh?
What a thought.
INC on August 4, 2007 at 5:57 PM
What i see in the big picture ahead is Liberals
aer going to get a lot worse,heck they literaly
think they won the last two Presidential elections.
Their mindset is whatever it takes.
Republicans are still and always will be fair
and honest.
Democrats are going to do whatever,and were-ever it takes.
canopfor on August 4, 2007 at 6:18 PM
that’s my congressman! Woot Woot!
I talked to him last tuesday…
Kaptain Amerika on August 4, 2007 at 6:29 PM
No, sir. Volatile arguments are how a democracy sustains itself.
Complacency is how a democracy self-destructs. America has been on the path of Rome for most of my life. It’s good to see tempers flare up instead of watching people shrug it off. Maybe the real America is re-awakening.
American_Jihadist on August 4, 2007 at 7:24 PM
I’m glad that there are still a few people in Congress that understand right from wrong, and have the courage to stand up and say so.
Way to go, Congressman Blunt.
LegendHasIt on August 4, 2007 at 7:25 PM
This is how the short lived Democracy destructs the long lived Republic.
“Karl Marx told us “Democracy is the road to socialism.”
Speakup on August 4, 2007 at 7:38 PM
I transferred the video over to veoh.com.
Since YouTube closed comments, if you want to put in your two cents, you can do it at:
http://www.veoh.com/videos/v913916keRxC3tn
LegendHasIt on August 4, 2007 at 8:13 PM
soundingboard on August 4, 2007 at 9:28 PM
Vote wasn’t about illegals who own farms. Was about food stamps for illegals.(According to a WaPo or NYT article picked up by a local paper.)
USDA administers that program.
Not defending the dems. Just offering some details.
soundingboard on August 4, 2007 at 9:36 PM
I fully understand this. The rule of law means nothing to liberals – especially if something is not going their way. Prime examples:
Their treatment of the Second Amendment.
Their attempts to usurp the executive war powers.
The passing of the buck with the creation of regulatory agencies with their own powers to create law.
That’s just for starters.
Woody
woodcdi on August 4, 2007 at 10:47 PM
Maybe a new low, but I’ll bet a bag of subsidized peanuts they will continue to dig.
Texas Nick 77 on August 5, 2007 at 5:53 AM
LegendHasIt on August 4, 2007 at 8:13 PM
You’ve got some tech savvy going on there.
captivated_dem on August 5, 2007 at 10:33 AM
When the % reaches ZERO … it would mean they don’t like themselves !!!
aniladesai on August 5, 2007 at 11:10 AM
It is to be expected in a Congress led by Nancy “My Husband Gets FedContract Kickbacks” Pelosi and subcomittee chairmen like Abscam Murtha.
georgej on August 5, 2007 at 2:28 PM
aniladesai : “When the % reaches ZERO….”
We can certainly hope that the Democrats in Congress form a large circle, and then each one will shoot the Democrat on the right in the head.
Do it, Dems. DO IT FOR THE CHEEELDRINE!
georgej on August 5, 2007 at 2:30 PM
:-) Not really. It is pretty easy.
LegendHasIt on August 5, 2007 at 8:12 PM