By a vote of 7-4, the House Rules Committee has passed a “closed” rule on debate over the Obamacare repeal measure. No points of order, no amendments (besides the one offered by Rules and “deemed” as passed with passage of the rule itself).
Is this hypocritical? It is. There’s no way around that. The Republicans have promised a move away from closed rules and toward open ones. But you also have to think about the status quo ante. Nancy Pelosi’s 111th had zero — zero — open rules. The Republicans are looking to keep repeal from getting messy and — let’s be honest — they’re looking to get it out of the way so they can move on to other things. So I get the closed rule. But that doesn’t make it any more attractive.
The repeal vote will be symbolic anyway. Number of votes this will cost the GOP in all national elections combined in November 2010: Zero.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse(By "this" I mean the closed/open rule issue. Yeah, some people will be offended that the GOP wants to repeal Obamacare, but no one's going to be surprised.)
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseOh man, this will be only the beginning (on the first day!) of the hypocrisy, lies and retracted promises this new House will submit. Believe me, this will only get worse and more and more reasonable conservatives will have buyer's remorse and regret falling so hard for an unreasonable and immovable group of newbies who have little clue as to how to govern. It would almost be humorous if it wasn't so sad. Face it, business as usual is the status quo despite all the cries for a "new government".
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThis is a war for the country to any of you crying over "the hypocrisy" (you know who you are)
When are we going to figure out the Democrats want to destroy the nation as it was founded, ya but let's PLAY NICE in the rules committee, right!
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"The Republicans are looking to keep repeal from getting messy"
Well, that's exactly the reason why the Dems did the same in the 111th and why the Reps will keep doing so in the 112th.
See also: deficit reduction and Reagan and W administrations.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseBothers me not in the least. When the Dems control the House again (as surely they will somewhere down the echoing corridors of time in 50 to 100 years or whatever) they'll go right back to their dictatorial ways.
The Republicans won, they should act like it. I never liked this part of their promise anyway.
And to quote whoever it was who said it (including but I've been told not originally Oscar Wilde) "Hypocrisy is the tribute vice pays to virtue."
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseConsidering the way the Dems treated the minority in Congress since 2006, this troubles me not one single bit.
Here's someone who puts it better than I can...
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Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI am not bothered by this one bit. In the house, the motto has been and will always be: "the ends justifies the means."
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIt's not hypocritical because the bill was debated in 2009 and 2010. The American people weighed in on Nov 2 and want repeal. No need to waste time debating that now, or compromising it with amendments.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIt's a repeal. You're either doing away with the previous law or your not. They want a simple yes-or-no - do we undo this law or don't we? It doesn't strike me as even a little bit hypocritical to do it under a closed rule. Did they promise to never use a closed rule, or only to, in your words, "move away from closed rules and toward open ones?" Sometimes, that's appropriate. There aren't any legitimate amendments to repeal - do away with it or don't.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuseit is not hypocritical. they did not promise open rules on every measure. some things are not appropriate for that. the gop promised their voters a repeal of Obamacare. Amendments would only make it less than a repeal of Obamacare.
This is a good sign, not a bad sign. they are doing what they promised.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe inconvenient truth is that the GOP promised a prompt House vote on the REPEAL of this bastardized version of socialized medicine, not a rewrite of it. Therefore there is nothing for anyone to offer so using "open rules" would simply be a collosal waste of time. Meaning, a waste of OUR tax dollars.
Good for them.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSeanB at comment #1 is correct. It is NOT hypocritical. NPR this morning played the recording of Boehner saying he did not promise open rules on every measure.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAnd quite frankly, the way we've been treated by the Democrat Congress for four years, a good slap in the mouth of the Democrats once in a while will be a good thing for them - and the country.
I don't think the people who just worked their rear ends off to get the GOP in power in order to repeal Obamacare are going to care how they get it done, as long as they 'get 'er done'.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAnd the Democrats will howl like damned souls no matter what we do, so just keep moving forward and ignore them.
And a potential number of votes this exercise could cost Democrats is in double digits. The 13 congresscritters who voted against the healthcare law last year, survived the election and now will not vote for repeal? Let's not forget that McCaskil (MO), both Nelsons (FL & NE), Landrieu (LA) and number of other esteemed senators who probably want to have a revote on this issues.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWe really need to stop judging each side by different sets of rules. If the Rs, overall, move to more open procedures then they've done what they said they'd do. If they promised an open vote on everything, I missed it.
It's like Joe Wilson vs BHO. One man lies in his efforts to take over one-sixth of the economy, the other points it out. Even people on the right dumped on our guy for what amounted to using the wrong fork with the salad.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIf I hear one peep out of Pelosi about the "hypocrisy" of a closed rule to repeal a law that was "deemed and passed," well, I don't know what I'd do. The way that whole monstrosity became law was horrific. I don't see a problem with trying to just repeal it, period. If that means no amendments, etc., then fine.
I'll take a wait and see approach to other items that come up. If this becomes the norm, well then my lack of faith in politicians will be justified. If not, then I may, MAY begin to believe things might start to change.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseYes, let's muddy the waters in the repeal of tyranny.
Good Lord, some people would complain if you unwrapped a chocolate coin and found real gold inside.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe Democrats lived by the sword, let them die by it. Even if it won't amount to anything ultimately. I'd like to think that maybe feeding them some of their own medicine will cure them but I'm far too cynical for that.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseTo paraphrase Rush Limbaugh, "Why should we allow Democrat amendments to a bill repealing Democrat legislation most Americans didn't want in the first place?"
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