March 20, 2010 3:33 PM

House Dems Abandon "Slaughter Solution" for Health Bill

By
Stephanie Condon
Topics
Health Care
health care

The House is forgoing a plan to pass the Senate health care bill and the reconciliation "fix it" bill, opting instead to take two votes.

Uncertain about whether they had enough votes to pass the less-popular Senate health care bill on its own, Democratic leadership planned to create a rule to "deem" the Senate bill passed upon voting for the reconciliation bill.

The "deem and pass" solution was excoriated by Republicans, who called it the "Slaughter Solution" (in reference to House Rules Chairman Rep. Louise Slaughter of New York), even though their party has used it multiple times in the past as well.

The House Rules Committee decided today, however, that the House will vote tomorrow on the reconciliation "fix it" bill first, following two hours of debate. Then they will immediately vote on the Senate's health care bill. There will be no debate in-between the vote on the reconciliation bill and the vote on the Senate bill.

"What this gives us the opportunity to do is to vote for the amendments first and then the Senate bill," House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said to reporters today. "We believe this is a better process."

Hoyer added that he believes Democrats have the votes to pass both bills, and had every reason to believe the Senate will pass the reconciliation bill, where it will only need a majority of 51 to pass.

"We have seen a letter... signed my more than 50 members of the Senate indicating they are supportive of the reconciliation bill," Hoyer said.

More Coverage of the Health Care Reform Debate:

The Hunt for Health Care Votes: Democrats to Watch

Pelosi: No Separate Abortion Vote for Health Care Bill
Obama: Health Care Debate is About Country's Character
Obama Has Given 54 Speeches on Health Care
Will Democrats Sacrifice House Seats for Health Care?
Obama Deploys Personal Presidential Touch
Dem Health Care Bill Pegged at $940B Over 10 Years
Washington Unplugged: Jill Jackson and Mark Knoller on the Final Push
Steny Hoyer: Health Care Vote Won't Cost Us in Nov.
CBSNews.com Special Report: Health Care

Details of the Bill:

What's in Health Care Bill? Take a Dose
Health Care Special Deals: What's Left In?
Dems Include Student Aid Reform Package in Bill
Health Care Bill Extends Tax to Investments
Read the Text (PDFs): Complete Senate Bill | Reconciliation Measure

Add a Comment See all 27 Comments
by bankersvox March 21, 2010 1:52 AM EDT
Don't we have Medicaid which covers the poor, and all who show up - like from Mexico etc - already ?

We also extend Medicare to younger people who have catastrophic illnesses, no matter what the income of their parents or themselves, already.

Mass experiment has shown that ER use actually goes up after everyone is "covered", not down. All costs go up. The ER is just easy to use.


What we need is TORT REFORM.

What we need is Catastrophic insurance.
Reply to this comment
by slownewsday_____ March 20, 2010 7:53 PM EDT
by jgg000101
And we pay for it for 4 years without experiencing what it is we have been paying for. If you think this is a good idea, you are a moron.

----

Come on, jgg - let's see you prove yourself less than a moron. Which parts occur within 90 days? 90 days after that? How about within the first year?

You really don't have a clue, do you?

You are all hot air.
Reply to this comment
by jgg000101 March 20, 2010 8:35 PM EDT
if you think we are not going to be paying for this 4 years before we benefit from it, you are the clueless one.
by slownewsday_____ March 20, 2010 8:38 PM EDT
And again, you aren't aware of the parts implemented at 90 days, 180 days, nor within the first year.

Are you really trying to cram BOTH feet into your mouth?
See all 5 Replies
by jgg000101 March 20, 2010 7:38 PM EDT
"Uncertain about whether they had enough votes to pass the less-popular Senate health care bill on its own, Democratic leadership planned to create a rule..."

Does this not sound sleazy?
Reply to this comment
by slownewsday_____ March 20, 2010 7:42 PM EDT
Of course. It's Washington. Are you new to the US?
by jgg000101 March 20, 2010 7:52 PM EDT
I'll tell you what's new to the US and that is the level of corruption, arrogance, deceit, and overall slime and ooze of this administration.
See all 4 Replies
by jgg000101 March 20, 2010 6:51 PM EDT
seriously, if they have all this time to spend rewriting the rules, they can rewrite the freaken bill. So now they will be voting into legislation a bill that hasn't yet been written. If, in addition to bribes, threats, backroom deals, secret meetings, and midnight votes it requires a gimmick to get this passed, we are in deep doo doo.
Reply to this comment
by slownewsday_____ March 20, 2010 7:42 PM EDT
Right - and put us back in 1994. Ain't happenin'.
by jgg000101 March 20, 2010 7:51 PM EDT
yea, right, so pass a lousy bill that nobody knows what they are voting on since they are now voting on something that hasn't been written, and they have no clue as to what the bill will actually cost because the numbers are fudged. And we pay for it for 4 years without experiencing what it is we have been paying for. If you think this is a good idea, you are a moron.
by bradkt1 March 20, 2010 5:11 PM EDT
The so-called "Slaughter Solution" was a terrible idea in the first place. It was born out of political cowardice and trying to have it both ways...the very things that I despise most in politicians.

In addition, given the makeup of the Supreme Court, it's no telling what their final decision might have been on the constitutionality of such a political maneuver...even though the Republicans had used the same procedure several times before. It was wise not to give them an opening.

We elect our political leaders so they can take positions, not so they can have it both ways and straddle the fence. When it comes to legislators, we expect them to represent us by actually voting on the issues. If you like the way that they voted, re-elect them. If not, vote them out of office.
Reply to this comment
by ge556 March 20, 2010 11:43 PM EDT
You don't seem to have a clue what the procedure was about. No straddling any fence involved. As a matter of fact, the one-vote procedure would allow them to vote on what they want, rather than voting on the Senate bill they don't want first. So you should prefer the one-vote direct approach.
by bradkt1 March 21, 2010 1:08 AM EDT
The whole idea of the Slaughter Solution was to enable Democrats to avoid being attacked by Republicans for voting in favor of the Senate bill and to only actually vote on the "improvements" that the House wanted. That's called trying to have it both ways...they didn't want to be put in the position where they had to tell the public "I voted for it before I voted against it."

If you couldn't see that, you are the one without a clue.
by wfw3536 March 20, 2010 4:53 PM EDT
At least the democrats realized that the American people were smarter than they thought. I am glad they are showing some backbone so we know which democrats to vote out in November and they can't say they did not know what they were voting on.
Reply to this comment
by fedup12 March 20, 2010 4:40 PM EDT
Where the heck was the GOP during the run up to war in Iraq? They weren't howling with disdain when Halliburton and Blackwater and the Defense Contractors were getting all those SWEET no bid deals.

We could have paid for this health care many times over with what we spent in Iraq. And look what we got there.

Please note that I am not for the health care bill I am just against Hypocrites.
Reply to this comment
by thomasxstewa March 20, 2010 4:29 PM EDT
When Victim with PAID Insurance Dies Rapidly,Often In First Hours of Stay , Replacement, now has more than 120 Days to Collect Hospitol Insurance Fees, Maybe Forever... Making Switch again sure thangee'.
Addium:20March'010 To Say Hon US Senate can ONLY "presume" that Hon US Represenative Health Care Bill PASSED in Late 2009, Nov Is NOT Legal Statement. Since Arch of D' Angelo Is Found to Be Illict methodology in 1985 by Hon US Supreme Court Decision Which Stands & Permanent and Forever, PRESUMPTION: IS NOT LawFul, For ANYONE in US.
Since 33 States Claim to Be Enacting laws Forbiding Health Care Bill to Take Effect In Those STATES, Likely Those Hon US REPRESENATIVES In those 33 STATES Whom Vote For Health Care Bill Will BE Defeated next Election, As Matter of Course.
AS Trade Unions Start Turning to Protest by lack of Support, Even More Health Care Passers Will Also Be Defeated.
So Bill with Few Takers, In Fact 33 States is enough for US Constitutional Admendment to Ratify.
General Motors Never Came Back on Public Stock Market, Again Evidence In Futility of Present Legal Situation. People Are Harvested As New workers Are Trained. Early RETIREMENT, FORGET IT,Quick HARVEST, IN FACT ANY PAYMENT OUT TO US CITIZEN, FORGET IT. ALL GOING TO FORGEIN ACTUARIES THAT HAVE HEAVILY INVESTED IN HOSPITOLS, INSURANCE SCHEMES, BANKS & MEDIA.
US IS Broken By Worlds Second Largest GOLD Producer:BARRICK GOLD. Hon Obama, whom on facebook list name twice in WhiteHouse linkup, once as Hon Barak Obama esq, Second time in identical FB Website as Hon Obama Barak esq, Hawaii Public Records never States Where Hon Barak Original Birth Certificate came from, in Hawaii, Bringing Public Records Own Birth Certificate From anywhere, Even FORGEIN nation & surrendering that Certificate for Hawaiian Certificate of Birth is Legal & Disclouse NOT Legal. To prevent less native Hostility toward Overseas workers, often from Milatary.Dc May Be Similar or done Underhandedly. Hon Barak esq Is Islamic Al Quaeyda Adjutant General FROM Somila.Seperatist Islamics Seek Encounter to Death with Christian.
Never has US Citizen Been More Decieved, In Fact Pictures of Hon House Passage may be photoshops of much earlier Date when Defunct Pictured Sgt at Arms, could get in Building, As Late Night Entry IS NOT Allowed By Anyone for Any Reason, matter of policy.
Did Hon US Senate Pass bill of Legislation or did simply revolve around musical chairs venue of Pretended Passage. Awaiting Suckers whom now are about to enter Very FRENCH Style of medicene. Go In & Never Come Out, Hospitol only for Killing Patients with Proposed Unlimited term of Stay Allowed Under health Care Bill ,being tortured to Death for few Good Looker or Familes Awaken to truth. Instant Death to Most IS More Accurate, by Few Families involved in That Specific Hospitol as Staff on that specific ward. Enjoying anothers Death, Entertainment Murder With BIG PayOff, Insurance & Possessions of Victim.

SLAUGHTER OF PEOPLE IS NOT LEGAL, YET THATS ONLY BASIS OF HEALTH CARE IN HEALTH CARE BILL BILL.Making PAYOUT Much Longer
orig postiHealth Care Bill weekend Passage event by HON US Congress sent HealthCare bill to HON US Senate in LATE 2009, Nov. Several Problems then, US Congress was NOT In session that day/NIGHT & photos show Person with Grey hair, heavy set & Mustache, identified in News Release as hon US Congressional Sgt at Arms, whom Lost Job (fired) about 6 Years ago for Misconduct. Recently, earlier week in WP, picture on internet with Same Heavy set gray haired & Mustached defunct Sgt at ARMS, with group on HON US Congress Floor area with Hon Pelosi, Seems that specific BAD guard Knows how to enter US Congress when out of session, Intends HEALTH CARE BILL DECEPTION WITH GREAT FORETHOUGHT & Pulling ILLICIT Spoof Photo session that becomes foundation for HealthCare bill Moving Bill on in Process,NOT by Vote.
Unfortuntely ANYONE Can Vote for Hon US Represenative in Chamber. Even ONE Person Can Vote for Entire hon House of Represenatives. complete Fraud, Public Seems NOT smart Enough to UnderStand Mess HEALTH CARE BILL has fallen into. terrible Crime, Right in Front of US CITIZENS Public Eyes.
Murder Is NOT Health Care & Present Bill Is Harvest of People whom bought BAD iNSURANCE, NOT HealthCare At ALL. Entertainment Murder In isolated Place called hospitol. Inside Foundation of present HealthCare, Is HATE of WORKING Citizens of United States of America. Union & ALL Lawyer, Often Seems, Are that Way with Others, Even Government Lawyers. Whole Lie now called health Care Bill Needs Be Thrown Out Immediately, Defeated.HON Congress Is About To Criminalize HealthCare Process Further than every before.
Public Being Duped & Repeat of first events in US Congress in Late 2009.November 2009.Hon US CongressPeople Are NOT Above PROCEDURAL Law. Complete Investigation of Method & Legality of HEALTH CARE BILL & "PRESUMED" VOTE NEED BE ENACTED & Bill Struck from Record, Permanetly & Forever.
Reply to this comment
by carolhill814 March 20, 2010 4:28 PM EDT
All of this is one big con for all of us and that is a fact and the biggest con is BO b/n/a Barry Soetoro.

Look it up for yourself on cuil.com or iquick.com.
Reply to this comment
See all 27 Comments
.

Follow Political Hotsheet

Scroll Left
Scroll Right More »
CBS News on Facebook
  • Building You a Better Morning

  • CBS This Morning

    "CBS This Morning," anchored by Charlie Rose, Gayle King and Erica Hill, airs weekdays from 7 to 9 a.m. ET and at the same time in other time zones.
    Learn more...