Harkin: Dems Will Force Senate Republicans To Stay '24 Hours A Day'

The Hill:

The chairman of a key Senate committee overseeing healthcare reform said Monday that the chamber will work every weekend in December to pass the bill by Christmas.

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), the chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, predicted during an interview on the liberal "Bill Press Radio Show" that the Senate will have the 60 votes needed to call up the healthcare bill this week. But Harkin said senators will not begin amending the legislation until after the Thanksgiving break.

Read the whole story: The Hill

Comments

[msgirlintn]

I love this idea. If the Repubs want to fillibuster, then let's give them a fillibuster. Bring cots in and the whole nine yards. They have nothing constructive to add, just something else to stall and kll the bill. And I think this should be broadcast on cable and let the people see just how their tax dollars are at work.

[Vere15]

They could kill time by reading Sarah Palin's book out loud forwards and backwards - and as a result get it read into record of the house where it could become under closer scrutiny

[msgirlintn]

Nah, they would enjoy that too much.

[Wildwood]

At least as an Iowan I have one Senator I can be proud of! The other one is bought and paid for by the insurance, pharmaceutical and factory farm interests. The good news is that Grassley may actually have a challenger this time.

[Joe The Nerd Ferraro - Huffpost Blogger]

i would love to see the senate in session like harkin is describing.

imagine a Sargent at arms grabbing gop senators by the scruff of their necks saying "get in there, you were the ones who wanted it read, you need to sit there and listen to it being read".

[oldpol2]

Does an old heart good. Wish they would bring back the old fashion fillibuster. I want to see these clowns nailed to their seats until we get health care with a strong public option.

[Marnie1]

Like watching dysfunctional bratty children.
Politicians need to GROW UP ALREADY.

There are real adult problems to deal with and you are squabbling over who rules the sand box.

My cats know how to share a litter box, politicians can't even get beyond that level

[lacollins26]

I would love to see Obama stand in a joint session and state that effective immediately all government run healthcare that goes to pay for the healthcare plans for the Senate would be halted. Can you imagne how many republicans would say how unfair it is and how they were being targeted? I bet thats one healthcare expense the American people pay that they have no problem with.

[OneLiberalLady]

Keith Olbermann had a powerful piece last night about a "health fair" for those without insurance and described some of the desperate situations of some people who showed up, inclludeing one person whoo had sky-high blood pressure and others who had serious undiagnosed conditions. It says a lot about our current "system."

[josephebacon]

I'll believe it when I see it.

[DaveVentura]

Harkin sure must want to please the insurance industry and drug industry. He'll work overtime to turn us into a nation of serfs who must pay the insurance industry and buy overpriced meds.

[msgirlintn]

It's the Repubs that want to delay and do nothing. Harkin wants to help the American people who voted the Dems in with a strong majority and a strong mandate.

[RustyPatina]

What? Make the senators work a little overtime and do their job? Outrageous!

[VPN]

Not even "overtime" just getting them to work something closer to the kind of work week most Americans have would go a long way to getting more done. Seems pretty out of balance when we have a 3 day week end because of a Holiday and they end up with 7 to 10 day off. With Their working 120 or 130 days a year and the rest of the time beating the bushes for campaign reelection money its no wonder we the people get ignored.

[markytex]

socialism? tell me which registered republican has ripped up their social security check and turned down medicaid.

[BritishAmerican]

Zero!None! Nil!

[oldpol2]

*crickets*

[osage]

TODAY’S REPUBLICANS ARE AMERICA'S ENEMY WITHIN

Republicans ARE practicing seditious DEMAGOGUERY and anti-democracy OBSTRUCTIONISM intended to destabilize our economy for purposes of political exploitation.

Republicans AREN'T making a sincere effort to STOP the bleeding THEIR incompetent leadership and failed policies created. Instead, they're using inflammatory lies and accusations as a smokescreen to conceal their subversive agenda, which is to cause President Obama and America to fail so they can blame Democrats for the consequences of THEIR calamitous mismanagement.

Republicans ARE preposterously professing that THEIR disgraceful political WHORING had nothing to do with the banking, real estate, stock market and employment catastrophes that resulted.

Republicans ARE trying to hamstring Democrats to prevent them from repairing the damage caused during a Republican presidency that was irresponsibly enabled by Republican Senators and Representatives.

Republicans ARE offering ridiculous arguments meant solely to disrupt and prevent progressive change. They'd rather divide America and create political gridlock than endure the political consequences of effective Democratic governance.

Republicans AREN'T the LOYAL OPPOSITION; they ARE the ENEMY WITHIN whose mercenary personal priorities have eroded their moral and ethical standards to the point that duplicity and betrayal are their preferred modus operandi.

It's one thing to advocate their conservative beliefs; it's another thing entirely to willfully sabotage America's government because a successful Democratic presidency would not be vulnerable to the greed, fears and hatreds that have produced and sustained the radical Republican anti-government corporatism and anti-Christian faux theocracies that are poisoning and crippling American society.

[VPN]

Well said!

[Adartist777]

Sounds like treasonous behavior to me.

[oldpol2]

Well done and absolutely fanned!!!

[Martin 27514]

You have them on "prevention and wellness". That is the argument that wins against all the vested iinterests including BIG Medicine, BIG Pharma, BIG Insurance, BIG Food.

Many forms of most chronic Western diseases arise from injuries to autonomic nerves - those to your organs - through straining in the bathroom, straining in labor, recurrent surgery, etc. Most disease is preventable through adjustments to diet (nothing with a bar code), exercise (x2 per day), bowel habit (x1 per day, no straining), childbirth (be sensitive and moderate), posture and gait.

Senator, you can talk for three months - they do not have the facts, they do not have the high ground.

References:
John Robbins www.heathyat100.org Author. Has set out the dietary argument, brilliantly for 25 years
Tom Harkins www.harkins.senate.gov Politician. Has set out prevention and wellness for 25 years
Jane Plant www.janeplant.com Geologist. Long term breast ca survivor. Stopped dietary dairy products
All peer-reviewed published papers at www.bristolanatomycourse.co.uk

[keepyourheaddown*]

GOT HOPE???
The insurance companies, Big Pharma, and the Banks have plenty of hope...

How about you America? Still think your living in a Democracy???

They couldn't care less about you...

What a effn joke this government is...

So go ahead and vote, yeah, you do that and then the congress will do what they please...

WAKE UP PEOPLE YOUR GOVERNMENT SELLS TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER!!!

[atexasdem]

It's time to show the republicans what a MAJORITY party can do. I don't see why the democrats are afraid of a filibuster. Let the republicans filibuster their hearts out. It's a legal and time honored procedure. Let them stand and talk for days, weeks, whatever they want. That's their right. Then when they finally collapse, vote it through. It's called leadership. It's called doing what you were elected to do. It's called doing what the people instead of the lobby forces want. Personally I'd like to see the republicans filibuster any and all health care bills. Maybe they can set some new records. Maybe they can explain why they oppose health care for anyone but themselves. Now that would be a great filibuster subject.

[mcvet]

LOL We ARE talking about Southern Conservatives here for the most part you know. They can't put a sentence together, let alone talk for an extended period of time without putting on the Hood and Sheet. Let them do that and bring out the Burning Cross and they can talk for days on end... no one will understand a word of it, but Talk they can.

[Matthew King]

You are a true American hero! Thank you for reading the Constitution & Bill of Rights and keeping American's safe!

[VPN]

Now if he can just follow through with out capitulati­ng........­..........­........