No-mentum: Arcuri flips from yes to no on ObamaCare
posted at 1:01 pm on March 18, 2010 by Ed Morrissey
So much for momentum from the CBO report this morning. New York Democrat Michael Arcuri announced earlier today to his colleagues that he would not vote for the House reconciliation package on ObamaCare, essentially negating the flip from Dennis Kucinich yesterday:
Rep. Michael Arcuri (D-NY), a sophomore Dem who had a tougher-than-expected re-election bid in ’08, has told the Dem caucus he will vote against the bill. …
Arcuri’s vote will not hurt the bill’s chances in committee, where Dems hold a 9-4 advantage over GOPers. The panel’s other 8 Dems all voted for the first version of health care, and only Rep. Dennis Cardoza (D-CA) voted in favor of the Stupak amendment.
But Arcuri’s decision could make Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s goal of winning the 216 votes necessary for passage all the more difficult. Sources say Dems remain short of the votes necessary for passage, but that they have not reached their goal yet.
Arcuri becomes the first Democrat on the Rules committee to push back against the Slaughter strategy. That puts the split at 8-5. If Cardoza flips on the committee vote, it then becomes a 7-6 vote — and things may get a little dicey for Nancy Pelosi and Louise Slaughter.
More importantly, Arcuri’s flip shows that process does matter, or at least that some Democrats think it does. If the Slaughter strategy goes forward, there may be more Democrats who will blanch at voting to support it.
Blowback
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They’re doing what?
angryed on March 18, 2010 at 1:50 PM
That was Ernest Borgnine in The Poseidon Adventure.
Emperor Norton on March 18, 2010 at 1:50 PM
Paul Ryan on Rush
He says the Dems were trying to increase the cost of the bill in order to get the Libs to vote for it.
Did I hear that correctly?
ConservativeTony on March 18, 2010 at 1:51 PM
People forgot what Socialism truly is.
They filled in the blanks when Barry didn’t tell them who he was.
For the Leftists, they correctly filled in Progressive-Socialist.
For the rest of that voted for him, they didn’t think past “Hopenchange”
Chip on March 18, 2010 at 1:51 PM
Since the Democrats know that voting for the Slaughter rule is tantamount to voting for the Senate healthcare bill, shouldn’t all those who oppose the Senate bill vote against the Slaughter rule as well?
If some Democrats believe that a vote for ObamaCare would cost them their seats, couldn’t they vote AGAINST the Slaughter rule and then tell their constituents that they helped STOP ObamaCare, if that helps their re-election chances?
Steve Z on March 18, 2010 at 1:53 PM
“They don’t have the votes.” Paul Ryan.
If there’s any politician I trust, it’s him.
ConservativeTony on March 18, 2010 at 1:54 PM
Call your Congressional Representatives!
Call them now, and use their local numbers. Tell everyone you know to call them now! This is a fight for the soul and future of the United States of America; for the country we all love, and have inherited and preserved out of the blood and treasure of our forefathers.
Will the American citizens stand and fight as our great Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Guardsmen, and United States Marines, past and present, always stand and fight for our sacred liberty? This is a seminole moment in American history. We will live as one nation under God, or under government? Now is the time of decision! You must act now! Now is the time to let your voices be heard as never before. Where is the march on Washington? Where is the American spirit that never quits? Where is the American spirit that says “no” and “never again” to our enemies, and backs it up at all costs? Our soldiers are willing to die for this country’s preservation. Shall we not stand up on their behalf while they face bullets and bombs so we do not have to?
If you called already, call them again! If you have e-mailed them, do it again. If you have told your relatives, friends, neighbors, and co-workers, tell them to call and email, and fax them again! Stop what you’re doing and do it now! Our great republic is at stake!
Think of your children; and do it for them. Look into their faces; and then pick-up the phone and get on your computer, and let them know, we are still Americans, and we will not accept tyranny from anyone – foreign or domestic. We will never surrender to state control of our lives. Tell them that when you call and email them. Tell them we are not socialists, and we will not live under it now or ever. Tell them like Churchill “We will fight them in the air; on the land; and on the seas. We will never surrender.” Tell them like John Paul Jones, “We have not yet begun to fight.” Call them now! E-mail them now! Fax them now! Let them feel the people’s power. Do it now!
Vic Snyder 202-225-2506, 501-324-5941
Marion Berry 202-225-4076, 870-972-4600
Melissa Bean 202-225-3711, 847-517-2927
Joe Donnelly 202-225-3915, 574-288-2780
Brad Ellsworth 202-225-4636, 812-465-6484
Bart Stupak 202-225-4735, 231-348-0657
Bob Etheridge 202-225-4531, 919-829-9122
Charlie Wilson 202-225-5705, 740-376-0868
Ciro Rodriguez 202-225-4511, 210-922-1874
Solomon Ortiz 202-225-7742, 361-883-5868
Mike Ross 202-225-3772, 870-536-3376
Betsy Markey 202-225-4676, 970-221-7110
Allen Boyd 202-225-5235, 850-561-3979
Suzanne Kosmas 202-225-2706, 386-756-9798
John Barrow 202-225-2823, 912-354-7282
John Adler 202-225-4765, 732-608-7235
Michael McMahon 202-225-3371, 718-351-1062
Scott Murphy 202-225-5614, 518-581-8247
Larry Kissell 202-225-3715, 704-786-1612
John Boccieri 202-225-3876, 330-489-4414
John Tanner 202-225-4714, 731-885-7070
Glenn Nye 202-225-4215, 757-326-6201
Brian Baird 202-225-3536, 360-695-6292
SheetAnchor on March 18, 2010 at 1:54 PM
Just saw something interesting on FOX News – Senator Tom Coburn, surrounded by several other Democratic Senators, had a press conference to let House Democrats know that if they switched their votes from “No” to “Yes”, the Senate will be going over any appointments and/or appropriations with a fine-toothed comb.
If they see ANY hanky-panky, they will slap them down. Basically they are telling them that they better not think about selling their votes…
Now a House Democrat is reading the riot act to Nancy Pelosi – time to break out the popcorn!
TeresainFortWorth on March 18, 2010 at 1:54 PM
I’m afraid the only real time limit is January, when the new congress is sworn in.
MarkTheGreat on March 18, 2010 at 1:55 PM
Heh. You know what’s really precious is when our eager beaver law school trolls try to argue that this POS bill is well within the purview of the commerce. I await their citations of the legal precedent granting Congress the right to regulate the absence of commerce.
NoLeftTurn on March 18, 2010 at 1:56 PM
well within the purview of the
commerce.Commerce Clause.NoLeftTurn on March 18, 2010 at 1:56 PM
As a citizen in Markey’s district, I can assure you he can always be relied upon to do the wrong thing.
MassVictim on March 18, 2010 at 1:57 PM
I’m going to re-post this comment to clear up my mistake.
Weight of Glory on March 18, 2010 at 1:58 PM
Code Red’s latest:
90 second explanation
Pretty good.
notropis on March 18, 2010 at 1:58 PM
I don’t remember the case name. There was a case of a farmer who grew corn to feed to his own cattle. The SC ruled that if he hadn’t grown the corn, he would have bought the corn from someone else. The corn he might have bought, might have crossed over a state boundary. So by not engaging in interstate commerce, he was deemed to have engaged in interstate commerce.
MarkTheGreat on March 18, 2010 at 2:00 PM
To those who are melting the phones:
I’m off all day tomorrow so I am willing to make some calls. My rep is a Republican so I am not worried about him. Of the other three, one is a pretty firm yes (Snyder) and I’m not sure he’ll be convinced to switch his vote b/c he’s retiring anyway. I can certainly call Berry and Ross (Ross’s district is pretty conservative on the western side of the state so he may be persuadable), but what about calling people from other states? Are they asking when you call in where you are from in the district or are they willing to listen to people who are not constituents? I just want to be prepared before I pick up the phone.
NoLeftTurn on March 18, 2010 at 2:01 PM
Slaughter Solution vote delayed.
andy85719 on March 18, 2010 at 2:02 PM
If they are voted out in November, they can pass the bill in December before the new congress comes in. You think they won’t do it?
Dale on March 18, 2010 at 2:05 PM
The bill itself, as well as the underhanded, sneaky, backroom tricks being considered to pass it are beyond shameful and will do irreparable harm to the credibility of the process. Sweetheart deals for “special” states, bribery, threats, arm twisting and no doubt blackmail by Pelosi to accumulate the votes in order to pass this bill are reprehensible, if not criminal.
No self respecting Representative should have any interest in seeing this atrocious bill passed just to “rescue” the Obama presidency. They are not accountable to him, only to their constituents. With more than half the population AGAINST this bill, it should be a “no brainer”.
Barb Dwyer on March 18, 2010 at 2:07 PM
It’s Wickard v. Filburn. I fail to see how it’s on point here. For one thing, how does my failure to engage in a private contract with a company in my own state affect interstate commerce? I am already barred by law from purchasing insurance across state lines; ergo, I argue this is not an industry that affects interstate commerce, and the Commerce Clause doesn’t apply.
I’m also going to argue that there is a difference between telling a person they can’t withhold goods from the marketplace for their own consumption and telling people they MUST enter into a contract with a private business and buy something they never would have bought in the first place.
NoLeftTurn on March 18, 2010 at 2:09 PM
Heck, The Won has already pre-signed it. He’ll reconcile with himself later.
ConservativeTony on March 18, 2010 at 2:09 PM
OT: How cheesy is that Townhall ad up in the top right? Making the links look like HotAir links.
KSgop on March 18, 2010 at 2:11 PM
if he does, I’m buying this….
Guess He Can’t
rollthedice on March 18, 2010 at 2:15 PM
Linky thing, no workie…
http://www.tshirthell.com/funny-shirts/guess-he-cant-barack-obama/
rollthedice on March 18, 2010 at 2:15 PM
The Senate GOP tries a little “Chicago Way” of its own.
Wethal on March 18, 2010 at 2:15 PM
Ok, this is going to seem really wierd, but I’m gonna point out some silver linings in the Obama presidency. Ok, maybe not silver, how about a little less grey?
When Republicans take over, and they will, here’s what we will likely see:
1. No other presidential contender will get on any state ballot without first proving his birth/citizenship.
2. The “Byrd” rule will be reaffirmed and may even become law. Only mundane funding bills will be alowed to be deemed as passed.
ConservativeTony on March 18, 2010 at 2:18 PM
The Reconciliation “Bill” is up and posted:
Andy McCarthy reports:
onlineanalyst on March 18, 2010 at 2:24 PM
Hope you don’t mind, I’ve copied and pasted your post on some sites and emailed to friends. Thanks for posting this.
Shiny_Tiara on March 18, 2010 at 2:26 PM
Awesome…
OmahaConservative on March 18, 2010 at 2:26 PM
NRO’s David Foster reports:
onlineanalyst on March 18, 2010 at 2:27 PM
Gibbels just said that health scare “will pass the House on Sunday and then shortly pass the Senate and be signed by The Precedent into law”. Does this imbecile not know that the Senate bill – which has to be passed by the House, must be signed by The Precedent BEFORE the Senate can take up any of its un-Constitutional reconciliation of that law?
The coup is in full swing. We are only lucky that this junta has an average IQ of 82. Their stupidity is the only reason this nation still has a chance.
neurosculptor on March 18, 2010 at 1:21 PM
The way I’ve always understood bill passage is, once house and senate have both passed identical bills, the president can sign.
What I think they are trying to do here, is have the senate bill passed in the house, but it will have been changed by the house, somewhere in the multi-thousands of pages. Who really has a final version of any bill? Who has read the bills? Couldn’t Harry Reid say he was the official holder and arbiter of the senate bill, and produce his “original” copy that will coincidentally match whatever the house passes?
I think Slaughter and reconciliation are smoke screens while this is what they really want to pull off.
Once it passes in the house, berri will sign it. I think they will then commence setting up a health care beauracracy that will be well entrenched if/when any legal challenges are settled some years from now.
tigerlily on March 18, 2010 at 2:27 PM
If you’ve already called, or cannot get through – call your state’s Governor.
Ask him to support the 10th amendment, and to personally call the states reps and tell them to vote no.
Rebar on March 18, 2010 at 2:33 PM
Gibbs might want to talk to Hoyer. Now it’s Monday.
Wethal on March 18, 2010 at 2:38 PM
Here’s to hoping that when they copied the Senate bill for the House to vote on, somebody forgot a page.
(It’s happened before.)
MarkTheGreat on March 18, 2010 at 2:40 PM
Good to hear that some of the yes votes may flip to no,but of course Altmire will probably flip to yes.With possible redistricting here in W.Pa.,maybe I’ll get a chance to vote against him in 2012.
If we still had Mellisa Hart and Rick Santorum in office,they could have been the votes that killed the bill.Sad part of this is that most of the people who voted for Altmire and Casey don’t want the bill to pass.
Of course,Altmire and Casey are Democraps,so they can do no wrong./sarc
DDT on March 18, 2010 at 2:40 PM
Does this mean they are cancelling the Easter break?
MarkTheGreat on March 18, 2010 at 2:41 PM
I love Sen. Coburn, this was sweet.
Cindy Munford on March 18, 2010 at 2:42 PM
I’m pretty sure Rep. Broun knows that the answer to all three of those questions is “Yes! Yes! and Triple Yes!!!” [Except, on the last, it isn't incompetence. It's the Pragmatist's belief that "anything goes, so long as it 'works'." And, on the second, it isn't ignorance, but willful blindness and indifference because of the first answer.]
Good to hear a Republican finally show some balls, though. This guy just got on my “follow” list.
JDPerren on March 18, 2010 at 2:44 PM
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