Saturday, November 22, 2003
Congress Watch, Again
At the risk of becoming known as "Lili One Note," (an actual nickname among my close friends; well, getting organized means never having to apologize for being anal-retentively obsessed), here's an update on the two worst bills of the twentieth and the twenty-first century, which Republicans are still determined to ram through Congress.
On Energy - secret meetings are going on; the bill will be back. Let's be ready. Spend half a day getting in touch with friends, relatives (who will listen) to alert them and give them information about who to call the moment we know the energy bill is be rescheduled for debate. In the meantime, not a bad idea to send approving emails to those of your Senators who voted "nay" on the cloture vote, and disapproving ones who didn't. It always means more to a Senator when the contact is from a constituent.
Here's where to find out who voted which way on the bill. Remember, the right vote was "nay." Senator Specter is a good target if you're from Penn; he knows better; he won't like hearing his vote was unpopular.
One spooky fact you'll find on the senate site, Frist voted "nay." What's that about? He seemed outraged that cloture didn't pass and promised the bill would be back. Was the leadership worried that if they won by one vote for cloture it would look bad, so Frist tipped the balance to make sure cloture wasn't invoked, giving Bush time to get back, and more backroom deals to be made? Any thoughts on what Frist's vote was all about?
Neither Kerry or Edwards was in Washington for the vote. Not good. Let them know; not only do we need their votes on both energy and Medicare, we need their voices in that debate. What the hell do they think they're going to be able to campaign on if Bush gets these two big legislative victories, and they weren't even around to vote against them?
Medicare: I watched C-Span covering the house debate and vote late into the night; after staring at a long shot of the well of the house overwhich were superimposed the results of the vote - the bill lost by two points - without benefit of Mr. Lamb's impeccable taste in classical music of the baroque period, I gave up. What was happening was a three hour delay in certifying the vote, during which time Bush twisted some arms by phone. His message, as reported on MSNBC this morning, don't damage me by voting against this bill.
Debate is going on right now in the Senate; my awful cable co doesn't provide coverage of C-Span 2 on the weekends so I can't tell you too much; saw some of the debate at the house of a friend. Daschle's on board for this one. Watch the debate if you can; listen to it on the radio; mine doesn't pick up that station, or I can't find it. The vote will probably be on Monday. It would be great if a whole mess of emails or faxes were waiting for every moderate Republican and any Democrats who look shakey, letting them know that they don't have to give Bush this huge win, and why it's such a lousy bill.
Josh Marshall has come up with a wonderful adjective to describe this Medicare boonswagle - "scamliness," which he claims to have already copyrighted. Since I'm
Contact information and more on both bills is available below here and here.
On Energy - secret meetings are going on; the bill will be back. Let's be ready. Spend half a day getting in touch with friends, relatives (who will listen) to alert them and give them information about who to call the moment we know the energy bill is be rescheduled for debate. In the meantime, not a bad idea to send approving emails to those of your Senators who voted "nay" on the cloture vote, and disapproving ones who didn't. It always means more to a Senator when the contact is from a constituent.
Here's where to find out who voted which way on the bill. Remember, the right vote was "nay." Senator Specter is a good target if you're from Penn; he knows better; he won't like hearing his vote was unpopular.
One spooky fact you'll find on the senate site, Frist voted "nay." What's that about? He seemed outraged that cloture didn't pass and promised the bill would be back. Was the leadership worried that if they won by one vote for cloture it would look bad, so Frist tipped the balance to make sure cloture wasn't invoked, giving Bush time to get back, and more backroom deals to be made? Any thoughts on what Frist's vote was all about?
Neither Kerry or Edwards was in Washington for the vote. Not good. Let them know; not only do we need their votes on both energy and Medicare, we need their voices in that debate. What the hell do they think they're going to be able to campaign on if Bush gets these two big legislative victories, and they weren't even around to vote against them?
Medicare: I watched C-Span covering the house debate and vote late into the night; after staring at a long shot of the well of the house overwhich were superimposed the results of the vote - the bill lost by two points - without benefit of Mr. Lamb's impeccable taste in classical music of the baroque period, I gave up. What was happening was a three hour delay in certifying the vote, during which time Bush twisted some arms by phone. His message, as reported on MSNBC this morning, don't damage me by voting against this bill.
Debate is going on right now in the Senate; my awful cable co doesn't provide coverage of C-Span 2 on the weekends so I can't tell you too much; saw some of the debate at the house of a friend. Daschle's on board for this one. Watch the debate if you can; listen to it on the radio; mine doesn't pick up that station, or I can't find it. The vote will probably be on Monday. It would be great if a whole mess of emails or faxes were waiting for every moderate Republican and any Democrats who look shakey, letting them know that they don't have to give Bush this huge win, and why it's such a lousy bill.
Josh Marshall has come up with a wonderful adjective to describe this Medicare boonswagle - "scamliness," which he claims to have already copyrighted. Since I'm
Contact information and more on both bills is available below here and here.
