House may pass healthcare reform bill without voting on it

by Mr Pink Eyes ; March 10, 2010

 I am not sure how credible this story is, but it looks as though House Democrats may be working on a plan to pass the Senate version of the healthcare reform bill without ever voting on it. If it is true, the Democrats may be looking at the “‘Slaughter Solution’ as a way to pass healthcare reform. What is the “‘Slaughter Solution?”

House Rules Chairwoman Louise Slaughter is prepping to help usher the healthcare overhaul through the House and potentially avoid a direct vote on the Senate overhaul bill, the chairwoman said Tuesday.

“Slaughter is weighing preparing a rule that would consider the Senate bill passed once the House approves a corrections bill that would make changes to the Senate version.

“Slaughter has not taken the plan to Speaker Pelosi as Democrats await CBO scores on the corrections bill. ‘Once the CBO gives us the score, we’ll spring right on it,’ she said.”

  This would allow the House to “deem” the senate version of the bill passed without actually taking a vote on it. Members would still have to vote on the rule change, but they wouldn’t actually have to vote on the bill. Of course anyone who would vote for a rule change that would pass healthcare reform without a vote is actually voting for healthcare reform with this rule change. It is a game of semantics; anyone who opposes the heathcare reform bill would surely vote against this rule change, while those that support the healthcare reform bill would be the ones most likely to vote in favor of the rule change.

  Is this an attempt to provide cover for those who are facing tough re-election campaigns by giving them the chance to say that they didn’t vote for the bill, even though they voted for the rule that would allow the bill to pass without a vote? If so, do they really think we are this damned stupid? Do they really think that we won’t see through this? Do they really hold us in such contempt?

  I can’t imagine that the House would ever vote in favor of such a rules change, and Nancy Pelosi hasn’t been approached yet with this proposal, but it does show us how desperate some Democrats have become. And you just never know.

The link is here: http://americaswatchtower.com/2010/03/10/house-may-pass-healthcare-reform-bill-without-voting-on-it/