Serious Business
by digby
It’s 12:30 in the morning and the Republicans just keep the amendments coming. McConnell finally suggests they just go home for the night and take it up tomorrow. Reid says no:
MR. REID: MY FOCUS IS ON THIS LEGISLATION AND I KNOW THAT THERE’S OTHER THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH BEFORE WE LEAVE HERE. BUT I’M NOT CONCERNED ABOUT THOSE AT THIS STAGE. I WANTTO FINISH THIS LEGISLATION. AND I WANT TO DO THAT AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN. AND SO I WOULD ASK THAT WE JUST PROCEED. … I WOULD HOPE THAT MY FRIENDS UNDERSTAND THAT IT WOULD BE TO THE BENEFIT I THINK OF MOST EVERYONE IF WE COULD GET OUT OF HERE AT A DECENT HOUR TODAY. IF IT’S NOT, IF WE’RE
GOING TO KEEP GOING, THAT’S THE WAY IT IS IS, I’M AN OLD MARATHONER AND GETTING OLDER EVERY DAY.THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE REPUBLICAN LEADER IS RECOGNIZED.
MR. McCONNELL: I WOULD JUST ADD, THERE’S SOME OBVIOUS DISADVANTAGES TO THE MINORITY TO BE IN A RECONCILIATION CONTEXT, BUT ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES, WE’VE HAD MORE AMENDMENT VOTES TODAY THAN WE HAD IN THE ENTIRE MONTH OF DECEMBER ON THE PREVIOUS HEALTH CARE BILL, AND SO THE MAJORITY LEADER MAY NOT THINK WE’RE SERIOUS ABOUT CHANGING THE BILL BUT WE’D LIKE TO CHANGE THE BILL. AND WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM OUR FRIENDS ON THE OTHER SIDE, WE COULD IMPROVE THIS BILL SIGNIFICANTLY...
Yes, they’re just trying to improve the bill. You’ve undoubtedly heard about the important improvement to keep Viagra from sex offenders. Here are just a few more:
Brownback 3653 –“To promote the production of renewable fuel.”
Brownback 3690 — “To provide for the relocation of the United State Embassy to Jerusalem.”
Vitter 4872 – “To repeal the law that provides automatic pay increases for members of Congress.”
I hope Reid keeps them there all night. After listening to these idiots drone on and on about the horrors of abusing the rules of the Senate, this nonsense is just embarrassing.
They are clowns. Evil clowns.
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