GOP wins House battle over Medicare bill

[Q]

GOP wins House battle over Medicare bill

Senate debate on bill under way

From Ted Barrett
CNN Washington Bureau
Saturday, November 22, 2003 Posted: 2:23 PM EST (1923 GMT)


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In a dramatic vote that took almost three hours to complete, the House narrowly passed a Medicare and prescription drug bill and sent it to the Senate for final consideration.

Democrats held a slight lead in the vote count for most of the session. But the Republicans, who control the chamber, refused to close the vote. That allowed GOP leaders and President Bush -- who made several middle-of-the-night phone calls to wavering members -- to scrounge up more votes.

In the end, at about 6 a.m., they persuaded two junior members, Rep. C.L. "Butch" Otter, R-Idaho, and Rep. Trent Franks, R-Arizona, to vote yes, tipping the scale in favor of the GOP-written bill.

"The president and I had a conversation and I did what I think was the right thing for the country," a visibly distressed Franks told a reporter while leaving the Capitol. "I don't have any other comment." - http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/11/22/elec04.medicare/index.html

[Q]

1. Ho Hum...

...yawn.

- Yeah...I BET they 'persuaded' junior members. EITHER VOTE FOR THIS or we'll end your career!

[Malva Zebrina]

5. or your life.

;

[Tatiana]

8. They strongarmed and threatened the Repub representatives.

I watched some of it on C-span and some of those reps looked like their very life was threatened.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

2. Let's face facts:

Starting with the baby-boomers, there will be no retirement, no golden years, no overtime, nothing except working to an early grave, for a substandard and non-living wage. The Democrats are turning out to be as guilty as the repukes in this.

[Malva Zebrina]

9. buy some land

somewhere where it is still rural and fairly cheap. Learn how to work it and how to feed yourself and your family. Teach your children how to love others and how to appreciate the nature around them. Love anbd live the simple life somehow and someway. Take care of yourself.

[jab105]

3. Hate to be pessimistic...

but I think that this is the equivalent of Clinton's Welfare reform...

I think the prescription drug plan, though we can not afford it in any way shape or form will secure the 2004 election for Bush...

[AmericanDem]

6. How?

Explain why you think this way. I watched lou dobbs round table yesterday with steve forbes and the others. 1 person said that Bush should hope this bill isn't passed, it was so bad. It can be used AGAINST him this coming election.

Something like this isn't going to go over lightly. They may have played typical dirty tricks to get what they want but at the same time might have sealed their fate for this up coming election.

[RC]

7. What make you think they will lose the next election,

or if they do, that they will step aside for the winners?

[Kenneth ken]

4. Thanks

I was up all night following this on CSPAN internet streaming This is the best reporting I've seen on this abomination of law-making. I slept for about an hour this morning, but not well.

This seems to me like the last nail in the coffin marking the death of this nation as a democratic-republic.

I am both appalled and completely unsurprised.


edit: new rules of law making. We will keep the vote open until it goes the way we want it to.