So, why the HELL hasn't Obama signed the HCR bill yet? When is he going to?

[HopeHoops]

:shrug:

I hope he didn't promise FOX Noise he would accommodate their schedule or they'll be back to 24x7 live coverage from Aruba of a missing white girl.

[WilliamPitt]

1. (facepalm)

[derby378]

2. On this, we agree (n/t)

[tallahasseedem]

3. OMG...

seriously?

:crazy:

[WhiteTara]

4. I think there is a world crisis fire that he is working

on today...ole Bibi is in town.

[mrcheerful]

5. Ha ha apprently someone never saw school house rock and Just a Bill

[HopeHoops]

12. Oh bullshit. I know that video quite well (and mostly from watching it as a kid).

I also have it on VHS and as an FLV downloaded from YouTube.

[mrcheerful]

18. Then why don't you know how bills are passed? A bill starts out in committee

goes to the house gets debated, things added or taken out then voted on, then its sent to the senate where it gets things added and taken out then voted on. Then its back to the house were more changes are made, then voted on, if passed it goes onto the senate who then put the finishing touches on it before its again voted on, if it passes the senate it goes to the president who either signs the bill into law or he decides to veto it. Last night was the 3rd phase of law making the bill now goes to the senate, then after the senate it goes to the president to be signed or vetoed.

[HopeHoops]

22. Um, no. Not with "reconciliation", apparently. Obama has to sign it before the Senate this time.

It is a bastardization (and one favored by the GOP when THEY are in the majority), but that's how it works. The Senate already passed this bill. The House just passed it - on it goes to Obama, but THEN the damn thing needs to go back to the Senate for a simple majority vote under reconciliation. It seems like a bunch of boojie-woojie to me, but they got around the GOP obstructionists by taking this route so more power to them.

See post #17 - that explains it better than "boojie-woojie" (although I LIKE that term).

[LoZoccolo]

24. lol

:thumbsup:

[Cha]

6. The sky is falling..you better run for cover.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

7. Quick! Before the House goes "Yoink!"

[Gidney N Cloyd]

8. LBJ would have hung that bill outside the window by it's ankles until it signed itSELF! nt

[HughBeaumont]

9. Doesn't work that way.

Has to go to the Senate and THEN Obama.

[WilliamPitt]

10. Actually

Reconciliation can only be done on a signed bill, so Obama does have to sign this thing before the Senate takes up reconciliation. TPM has a good breakdown of what happens next, in a link titled (I think) "Not Done Yet."

But still, (facepalm).

[HughBeaumont]

14. So: Obama - Senate - Obama again.

Morning paper got it slightly wrong.

[WilliamPitt]

17. Here's the TPM explanation

The House approved the Senate bill last night, warts and all. Those warts - a tax on high-end insurance plans, several special deals made for members of the Senate on Medicaid and abortion language that pro-life Democrats in the House weren't comfortable with - are removed through a budget reconciliation measure. That plan - which also passed the House last night - was the product of careful negotiations between the House, Senate and Obama administration and had the blessing of labor unions and many health care advocacy and interest groups. It also contained reforms to the student loan system.

Here's where it gets tricky. Obama on Tuesday will sign the Senate-passed bill, clearing the way procedurally for Senators to begin debate on the reconciliation fix. The whole thing made House Democrats very nervous since that meant trusting the Senate would actually fix the bits they didn't like. But Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid showed House Democrats a letter signed by members of his caucus proving they had the votes to pass the reconciliation measure on an up-or-down vote. That paved the way for Sunday night's House victory. Still with me?

The Senate parliamentary rules are that a reconciliation measure cannot be considered unless it is actually reconciling existing law. So Obama has to sign the bill before debate can start in the upper chamber. Senators have indicated they will start debate right after Obama signs the measure, and House Democrats said Sunday night they think the matter can be wrapped up within the week.

But the Senate is the Senate, and is usually about as fast as molasses. Reconciliation rules do limit the time for debate and prevent the type of filibuster that's become standard GOP practice over the last year, but it may be optimistic to think things will move along at a speedy pace. We're not sure yet.

In a statement last night, Reid said the Senate was preparing to "complete its work." Senate Democrats are planning an afternoon press conference Monday with Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and several doctors and nurses groups to showcase what is in the health care reform legislation.

Republicans for weeks have suggested they might throw up blockades known as points of order during the reconciliation debate, but we're not sure yet how serious that threat might be. Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC), one of the most conservative lawmakers, said yesterday he will introduce legislation this week to repeal what he called a "health takeover." He claims the measure is unconstitutional.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/03/not-over-yet-senate-must-finalize-health-care.php

[mrcheerful]

19. Ok school house rock didn't cover this Ha ha.

[HopeHoops]

26. Yeah, true, but "Conjunction Junction" was easily the best thing they produced.

Talk about a damn EAR WORM!

[shraby]

13. Not the main bill..it came from the Senate, then the house

made the fixes - the reconciliation bill - then the House passed the Senate bill which goes to the President for his signature and after that the House passed the reconciliation bill. Next order of business..the Senate passes the reconciliation bill which fixes the already passed Senate bill and if it gets passed with no changes at all, it then goes to the President for a signature. Each bill has passed both houses of congress and is law when the President signs them.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

20. Wrong. Obama is signing it tomorrow

[tridim]

11. Let me guess, this isn't change we can believe in?

Give it up man. Seriously.

He's signing the bill tomorrow.

[HopeHoops]

15. Thank you - an actual ANSWER. None of the "news" sites seem to find that worth mentioning.

[DevonRex]

27. You would have gotten a quicker answer if you hadn't snarked your question to death. nt

[HopeHoops]

28. Yeah, but that would have taken the fun out of it.

:hi:

[DCBob]

16. Tuesday..

read much...

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/HealthCare/health-care-bill-house-passes-sweeping-reform-legislation/story?id=10162080

[Warpy]

21. The Senate has to sign off on the reconciliation measures

and then he'll sign it. If the Senate fails to approve the reconciliation measures, he'll sign the bill that was approved by both Houses, the original Senate bill.

Don't worry, it's coming. It might not be all we hoped for, but it's coming.

[4lbs]

23. Obama signs the Senate bill, because both chambers of Congress passed it.

Then the package of passed Reconciliation fixes (the last vote by the House Sunday night) goes to the Senate.

The Senate debates and (hopefully) passes that package. Then President Obama signs the reconciled fixes.

Thus, boom! Senate bill + House reconciled fixes are fully enacted.

At least that's the way I understand it.

[hugo_from_TN]

25. So the insurance companies have a couple days to dump people.

It's all a nefarious plot.