GOP holds 5-minute vote open for 50 minutes
It's a tactic that's been used several times by House GOP leadership in the last few years. If memory serves, when the Democrats did this once in the 90's (to the tune of something like 15 extra minutes), Republicans screamed bloody murder. Now that it's their turn, the outrage has conveneintly taken a powder.
Of course fifty minutes is peanuts compared to their Medicare bill-- which did great things like prevent bargaining with drug companies over prices-- which was held open for three hours and passed by five votes.
Another example was when Tom DeLay threatened a fellow Republican by saying that the man's son's political ambitions would be destroyed unless he voted the party line. That earned DeLay an ethics reprimand.
Oh, and the new bill? Incentives for oil companies to expand at a time when they're making unprecedented profits.
Emotions erupted on the floor of the House of Representatives this afternoon as the right-wing-led Congress held open yet another vote to twist arms and pass a bill that would line the pockets of energy company executives. The House leadership held the five-minute vote open for almost 50 minutes until they could convince three lawmakers — Reps. Wayne Gilcrest (R-MD), C.W. Bill Young (R-FL) and Jim Gerlach (R-PA) — to change their minds. The bill passed 212-210. As the vote concluded, opponents of the bill chanted in unity: “Shame, Shame, Shame!”
Think Progress even has some video that's well, well worth watching. In fact, it's a must-see. It's nice to feel proud of the Democrats again.
Of course fifty minutes is peanuts compared to their Medicare bill-- which did great things like prevent bargaining with drug companies over prices-- which was held open for three hours and passed by five votes.
Another example was when Tom DeLay threatened a fellow Republican by saying that the man's son's political ambitions would be destroyed unless he voted the party line. That earned DeLay an ethics reprimand.
Oh, and the new bill? Incentives for oil companies to expand at a time when they're making unprecedented profits.
Emotions erupted on the floor of the House of Representatives this afternoon as the right-wing-led Congress held open yet another vote to twist arms and pass a bill that would line the pockets of energy company executives. The House leadership held the five-minute vote open for almost 50 minutes until they could convince three lawmakers — Reps. Wayne Gilcrest (R-MD), C.W. Bill Young (R-FL) and Jim Gerlach (R-PA) — to change their minds. The bill passed 212-210. As the vote concluded, opponents of the bill chanted in unity: “Shame, Shame, Shame!”
Think Progress even has some video that's well, well worth watching. In fact, it's a must-see. It's nice to feel proud of the Democrats again.
posted by Matt Sandwich | 9:07 AM
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