GOP Tries to Block "Slaughter Solution" in Health Care Vote

With just days left before health care reform is put to a vote in the House, Republicans are ratcheting up their opposition to a tactic Democrats may use to get around a direct vote on the Senate bill.

A number of House Democrats are leery about having a vote on the record for the Senate bill, since it is filled with politically damaging provisions like the so-called "Cornhusker Kickback," which exempts Sen. Ben Nelson's state of Nebraska from having to pay for any expansion of Medicaid. To get around voting for the Senate bill directly, the House would create a rule to pass the bill at the same time the House passes a reconciliation "fix it" bill.

Republicans from the start attacked the maneuver, pegging it as the "Slaughter Solution," in reference to House Rules Chairman Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.). With new confirmation from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Monday that Democrats may use the maneuver, Republicans revived their opposition to the plan.

Republicans Have Used "Slaughter Solution" Many Times
Explainer: How the House Could Pass Health Care Reform with One Vote
CBSNews.com Special Report: Health Care

House Republican Leader John Boehner announced today that his party will call for a vote on a resolution requiring an actual up-or-down House vote on the Senate health care bill, order to prevent the so-called Slaughter solution.

"The 'Slaughter Solution' is the ultimate in Washington power grabs, a legislative ploy that lets Democrats defy the will of the American people while attempting to eliminate any trace of actually doing so," Boehner said in a statement. "It shows you just how controversial this government takeover of health care has become that it takes a controversial maneuver just to vote on it. By supporting this resolution, Democrats can demonstrate that they will not try to hide from their constituents."

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell also berated the plan on the Senate floor today.

"We saw the 'Cornhusker Kickback,' the 'Louisiana Purchase,' and the all the rest," he said. "As distasteful as all these deals have been, they were child's play - child's play - compared to the scheme that they've been cooking up over in the house just this week."

He called the plan " jaw dropping in its audacity."

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Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Penn.) is calling for cameras in the Rules Committee, in order to begin "shedding sunlight on these shadowy procedures."

Republicans are even questioning the constitutionality of the plan. "It really tramples on the Constitution of the United States," Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) said on the House floor this morning, Politico reports.

The Wall Street Journal editorial board is also calling the plan "a brazen affront to the plain language of the Constitution," but CBS News Chief Political Analyst, The Atlantic's Marc Ambinder, contends the move is perfectly legit. The Congress gets to define its own rules and gets to decide what "passing" a bill means, he points out.

In spite of what they say about it now, Republicans have used the "Slaughter Solution" in a number of instances, according to Ambinder, including once to pass a $40 billion deficit reduction bill and once in 2005 to avoid a recorded vote on an immigration measure.

"It really is too bad that this kind of misinformation is made up so readily by people who absolutely know better," Slaughter said today, CBS News Capitol Hill Producer Jill Jackson reports. "There's no way in the world we would be doing an unconstitutional thing."

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[rocketjl]

The CBS new chief political analyst needs more Obama education. The government can not invent it's own rules to accomplish a task, if it violates the US Constitution. Don't know where this character comes from, but we have enough idiots already saying, I got the job and that lets me do whatever I want. Therefore, if I get this done before the public revolts, it will be the law of the land and I win. Good grief, is CBS that bad and unAmerican that it only supports those in power????????????????

[roach9703]

The corruption of the Constitution began with Richard Nixon, carried on by Bill Clinton, fulfilled by George W. Bush ( remember Cheney was a Nixon staffer), and now we are at perfection with Obama, ( or it is George W. Clinton ?). The Donkey got it one with the elephant.

[watkinsjr2000]

Republicans in Congress & in the media have lied so blatantly & so often about health care reform that they've come to remind me of the old "Tommy Flanagan" character that Jon Lovitz used to play on Saturday Night Live.I'd like to think that the American people are smart enough to see their hypocritical act for what it is.However,all the Tea Party dolts showing up to protest reform proves that more than a few people have fallen for this cynical GOP snake-oil campaign.I am totally disgusted by this whole disgraceful smear campaign!!

[rocketjl]

I agree with you. Bribery and arm twisting of 'my' representatives in Congress is OK. Although the White House is an entirely separate arm of government, where the President does things that would turn a goats stomach, that is OK. I wish 'watkinsjr200' good luck with this medical system in the future. Ask yourself, will you try to find out what 'this' bill will actually do, not what others tell you it will do.

[truthfairy1]

When are these Republicans going to stop treating us like idiots with their histrionic grandstanding and threats.

Boehner has already gone public about "doing everything in his power to stop health reform", so we know what all this fakery is about. GPO used legal Deem & Vote 35 times in 2005-2006, but that Dems are even considering it now it's suddenly "the ultimate in Washington power grabs, a legislative ploy that lets Democrats defy the will of the American people... controversial government takeover of health care has become that it takes a controversial maneuver just to vote on it."

Gimme a break, John Boehner.

Republican hypocrisy and self-involved political desperation has become nauseating.

[noloyalisti]

While the entire government is a wholly owned subsidiary of the rich greedy big corporations, the difference is that the Republikkklans are blatant, corrupt tools for their evil. And all they want is money and wars. They are against We the People and country.

[chitown639]

Republicans have used this house rule 36 times in 2005...now they want to villify the practice and call it the "Slaughter Solution". Republicans are hypocrits, liars and sleezebags.....

[Mortar_29]

They probably are. So what? The Dems are also.

[curse914]

Common Mort, what happened to the salient argument about cost?

I propose that so called "entitlement" programs can be funded indefinitely, if infinite growth is possible.

[curse914]

by Mortar_29 March 17, 2010 1:08 PM EDT

You see curse? This is your simplistic approach to life. You need to look at this issue with open eyes.

None of this happened overnight. The onslaught didnt happen overnight and things just fell apart. It happened slowly, over time.

With a 50% corporate marginal tax rate now, I would probably either ship much of my operatiosn overseas, or close shop. Because it would not be worth it to me to stay in business on a 2-4% profit margin, which is where I would be at.

You see, we cant prove a negative. I cant prove the loss of that job I didnt hire...because we never hired that person. But I know, as the head of this company, that we would have hired another person if the climate was different.

It is all about the bottom line. If my family had to take less, because the government wanted to penalize my success...I am not going to allow that. So rather than have a new employee, and me make even more...we wont have the new employee, we may cut pay increases, etc in order to pass along the increased tax and regulation burden on. I am certainly not going to take it on myself! That would be stupid

=================

I agree with your sentiment, Mort.

But it is a rhetoric for rhetoric world. All knowledge is not equal and those who control the narrative are in control of everything.

I am not as "simplistic" as you would propose.

[leepoe1]

In the last Congress that Republicans controlled, from 2005 to 2006, Rules Committee Chairman David Dreier used the self-executing rule more than 35 times, and was no stranger to the concept of "deem and pass." That strategy, then decried by the House Democrats who are now using it, and now being called unconstitutional by WSJ editorialists, was defended by House Republicans in court (and upheld). Dreier used it for a $40 billion deficit reduction package so that his fellow GOPers could avoid an embarrassing vote on immigration. Of course, now that the shoe is on the other foot, why it's akin to Stalinism and sacrilege.

[curse914]

by Mortar_29 March 17, 2010 1:00 PM EDT

"Charity is no part of the legislative duty of the government." - James Madison

================

How about a little context with that quote.

] snip [

On the Memorial of the Relief Committee of Baltimore, for the Relief of St. Domingo Refugees.

House Of Representatives, January 10, 1794.

Mr. MADISON remarked, that the government of the United States is a definite government, confined to specified objects. It is not like the state governments, whose powers are more general. Charity is no part of the legislative duty of the government. It would puzzle any gentleman to lay his finger on any part of the Constitution which would authorize the government to interpose in the relief of the St. Domingo sufferers. The report of the committee, he observed, involved this constitutional question ? whether the money of our constituents can be appropriated to any other than specific purposes. Though he was of opinion that the relief contemplated could not be granted in the way proposed, yet he supposed a mode might be adapted which would answer the purpose without infringing the Constitution.

Mr. NICHOLAS concurred in the sentiment with Mr. Madison. He considered the Constitution as Refining the duty of the legislature so expressly, as that it left them no option in the present case.

Mr. BOUD1NOT supported the question on constitutional grounds. He instanced several cases, which had occurred and might occur, in which relief must necessarily be granted, and that without occasioning any doubt of the constitutionality of the business; such as granting pensions, affording relief to the Indians, supporting prisoners, &c. He alluded to the circumstance of the alliance between the United States and France, the connection between the citizens of the United States and that country, &x.

==========================

The same could be said of Bush's Nation Building experiment in Iraq. Are we "obligated" to rebuild their society? Where does it state as such in the Constitution?

[Mortar_29]

It doesnt. And I am not for it.

[curse914]

You did take note of Madison admission?

"Though he was of opinion that the relief contemplated could not be granted in the way proposed, yet he supposed a mode might be adapted which would answer the purpose without infringing the Constitution."

I guess it depends on where our priorities are and if our elected official will ultimately reflect the values of the majority through legislation.

"Nation Building" is another tough sell not only to progressive, but to actual republicans.

[curse914]

by Mortar_29 March 17, 2010 12:51 PM EDT

Okay, so what is your point?

Look, I started a small business several years ago. We have grown, and we may even reach critical mass where we become a public corporation.

Do you know what my biggest obstacle is, what it has always been, to starting this company, expanding it and receiving just compensation for my ideas and hard work and risk?

The government! Its overbearing taxes and regulations forces me to find ways to get around it. I cant make my decision on expanding based on the market. No! I have to make it based on the fact that the government may "reward" me for my success by taking even more of my property...making my efforts not worth it.

I am not worried about competing against the Chinese or Germany or anyone else. With freedom, I can beat the pants off their government-reduced companies!

My biggest obstacle is the government. And thus, I didnt hire a new employee this year. That would have been one more person off the unemployment rolls. One more person with healthcare coverage. One more person paying taxes.

==============

No, you are not going to beat the pants off of China's version of unregulated capitalism. The "big boys" of our Nation's economy have been allowed to move into that unregulated space (and pay very little if any taxes), you will never be given that option if they have anything say about it. Many of the stupid regulations that keep (mortar) down have been put in place by the Unfettered "Free Market" giants, it is a sweat bit irony.

I have no doubt that anyone who earns 1 million from the bottom up, is going to pay way more in taxes than someone who earns a million on money sitting in the bank or via investments. The system is rigged against entry into the big boys club.

[Mortar_29]

Agreed. Which is why I need government out of it, instead of protecting the big boys! I need the government out of my business! Wit hthat, I can compete against ANYONE!

[curse914]

by Mortar_29 March 17, 2010 1:11 PM EDT

Agreed. Which is why I need government out of it, instead of protecting the big boys! I need the government out of my business! Wit hthat, I can compete against ANYONE!

=================

And on this count, I would side with you. We really need to look at the anti-competitive regulations that have been put in place that fortune 500's have been shielded from.

[Mortar_29]

"Charity is no part of the legislative duty of the government." - James Madison