Health Care Reform Vote Today... UPDATES

Schedule for the day... *note: "Deem and Pass" has been shot down by Dem. leadership and will not be used.

1pm - House Convenes

5-6pm - "Rules" vote: If the House clears the rule, they can move on to the next of the three important votes that will take place today.

8pm - Senate Bill vote: Note that for this vote and the next, the Minority and Majority leaders will actually be managing their respective sides when the bill hits the floor. This is unusual, as normally, the committee chairs do the honor.

9pm - Reconciliation Bill vote: After the Reconciliation vote, look for an unrelated vote, as you never want to end the day on a controversial bill in case of a miscount or other hiccup that may require Congressmen to be present for a recount. It wouldn't be good for half of the Congressmen to be boarding planes to head back home when you decide you need a recount!

For more interesting facts and tips on how to understand the procedures going on today, I would recommend going to "The Hitchhiker's Guide to Healthcare".

Also, watch LIVE what happens on the Hill on CSPAN.

UPDATE 4:02pm: Bart Stupak has reached a middle ground with the President who declared that he would sign an executive order which would clarify the abortion language in the bill, therefore Stupak and his "block" have switched their votes to "yes". TEXT HERE.

UPDATE 7:08pm: Rules passed 224 yea, 206 nay. Roll Call HERE.

UPDATE 10:47pm: Senate version of bill passed 219 yea, 212 nay. Roll Call HERE.

UPDATE 11:04pm: Voting on Motion to Recommit HR 4872.

UPDATE 11:07pm: Motion to Recommit failed.

UPDATE 11:35pm: Reconciliation Bill passed 220 yea, 211 nay.

"Freedom dies a little bit today." Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn.

Cross posted @ WCTRC

Sen. Webb Steps Up

Scott Brown’s victory in Massachusetts this week has sparked a new light in the Republican party. However, on the other side of the isle, we see the Democrats wiggling in their seats, debating the outcome of the 2010 elections and beyond.

Some Dems, however, are hearing the rally cry coming from the American people. Virginia Senator Jim Webb has been the first to acknowledge that Obamacare should slow down until they have an adequate representation of the people (i.e. until Brown is seated).

Calling the election a referendum on the "openness and integrity of our government process," Webb wrote in a statement: "It is vital that we restore the respect of the American people in our system of government and in our leaders. To that end, I believe it would only be fair and prudent that we suspend further votes on health care legislation until Senator-elect Brown is seated."

In short, he is scared.

But at least he is listening, and let’s hope that many more Dems follow in his footsteps.

Dr. Paul on the Gaza Conflict

Normally I wouldn't care what Dr. Paul says.  He has some good points to make about our financial mess, and it is good to have his opinions voiced in the 435 member House of Representatives.  However Dr. Paul and the Campaign for Liberty were a topic of conversation at the RNC Chairman Candidates Debate on Monday.

Only two days before the debate, the Campaign for Liberty posted a video on YouTube of Dr. Paul's thoughts on the current Israeli/Gaza conflict.

Essentially Dr. Paul says that America is antagonizing the Muslims in the Middle East by not stopping Israel, says there is no benefit to supporting Israel.  He also argues we should not side with Israel in its fight with terrorists, says that Israel is fighting a preemptive war by invading Gaza after Gaza had refused to stop firing missiles at Israel, and while criticizing what America has done in this conflict, refused to offer a possible solution and simply says it is a hopeless mess.  He also questions why a nuclear power would attack a bunch of poor people who just have missiles.  Maybe the same reason America invaded Afghanistan.  We were under attack from people in that country.  If a countries sovereignty is to be upheld, it must defend itself, and if   

The candidates for RNC Chair were asked how they plan on reaching out to the Ron Paul supporters and the Campaign for Liberty.  In all seriousness though, how can the Republican Party reach out to Ron Paul and his supporters and still be the party of a strong national defense?

That said, I wish Ron Paul weren't so naive about foreign policy, because he has some really good things to say about inflation, especially the threat of inflation.  The things he says about our foreign policy turn people off to what he has to say about our financial mess so that that important message is not heard.

Will tonights senate results from Georgia impact the way Obama governs?

Leading into today's Senate runoff race in Georgia, Patrick Ruffini postulated that a Saxby win of five or more points would mean that the high Democrat turnout among African Americans and the youth was an anomaly that happened because Obama was at the top of the ticket. He went on to explain how this could mean good news for the Republicans in 2010.

After not gaining leading Jim Martin by three points and not earning 50% of the vote in the November 4th election, Saxby Chambliss cruised to a 15 point win tonight.

Since the elections congressional Democrats have been generally willing to work with Obama and let him call the shots. They understand that his campaign was responsible for their house and senate gains, and have been willing to let him lead as a result.

The question is do tonights election results demonstrate just how big of a bump Obama game downtickets? If they do, will Democrats see the threat they face in 2010, and as a result seek to work more independently of Obama to make sure they get elected?

What do you think?

Now There's a List of Endorsements...

Especially during primary seasons candidate's try to lock up key endorsements early on to give themselves credibility, and draw more support.

In the AG race, Ken Cuccinelli has been demonstrating that he has the support of the grassroots by touting his list of endorsements from unit chairmen, and John Brownlee has been bolstering his prosecution/law enforcement message by touting the list of sheriffs who support him.

While the nomination contest for Attorney General has been going on almost as soon as Virginia's legislative session ended, only recently have people been able to sort of talk about a "nominating contest" for lieutenant governor in Virginia. Since the end of October Patrick Muldoon an attorney from Alexandria has been campaigning to challenge Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling in his bid to once again run as the Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor. While Bill Bolling doesn't face much of a threat from someone whose last significant bid for elected office was a failed attempt to oust Rick Boucher as the congressman from the 9th district, Bolling's campaign decided to try to squelch this insurgency early. In an e-mail sent out this afternoon Bolling sent out his endorsement list. Bolling has the support of almost every Republican leader. The list is devastatign to the Muldoon campaign because it will be difficult for Muldoon to find significant party support.

Here is the list:

REPUBLICAN PARTY LEADERS SUPPORTING BILL BOLLING FOR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR

State and Congressional Leaders

The Honorable Robert McDonnell, Attorney General and 2009 GOP Gubernatorial Nominee

The Honorable George Allen, Former Governor and Senator

The Honorable Jim Gilmore, Former Governor

The Honorable John Hager, Former Lieutenant Governor and Former RPV Chairman

The Honorable Jerry Kilgore, Former Attorney General and 2005 Gubernatorial Nominee

Congressman Eric Cantor, House Minority Whip, 111^th Congress

Congressman Tom Davis, III

Congresswoman Thelma Drake

Congressman Randy Forbes

Congressman Virgil Goode

Congressman Bob Goodlatte

Congressman Rob Wittman

Congressman Frank Wolf

John Brownlee, Candidate for Attorney General

Sen. Ken Cuccinelli, Candidate for Attorney General

David Foster, Candidate for Attorney General

State Senate

Senator Thomas Norment, Jr., Senate Minority Leader

Senator Steve Newman, Senate Republican Caucus Chair

Senator Ken Stolle, Republican Leader Pro Tempore

Senator Walter Stosch, Republican Leader Emeritus

Senator Ken Cuccinelli

Senator Emmett Hanger

Senator Robert Hurt

Senator Steve Martin

Senator Ryan McDougle

Senator Mark Obenshain

Senator Fred Quayle

Senator Frank Ruff

Senator Ralph Smith

Senator Richard Stuart

Senator Jill Holtzman Vogel

Senator Frank Wagner

Senator William Wampler

Senator John Watkins

House of Delegates

Speaker William Howell

Majority Leader Morgan Griffith

Delegate Kirk Cox, House Republican Whip

Delegate Sam Nixon, Jr., House Republican Caucus Chair

Delegate Dave Albo

Delegate Clay Athey

Delegate Rob Bell

Delegate Kathy Byron

Delegate Bill Carrico

Delegate Ben Cline

Delegate Mark Cole

Delegate John Cosgrove

Delegate William Fralin

Delegate Tom Gear

Delegate Todd Gilbert

Delegate Phil Hamilton

Delegate Frank Hargrove, Sr.

Delegate Clarke Hogan

Delegate Tim Hugo

Delegate Sal Iaquinto

Delegate Riley Ingram

Delegate Bill Janis

Delegate Chris Jones

Delegate Terry Kilgore

Delegate Steven Landes

Delegate Scott Lingamfelter

Delegate Matt Lohr

Delegate Manoli Loupassi

Delegate Danny Marshall

Delegate Jimmie Massie

Delegate Joe May

Delegate Don Merricks

Delegate Jackson Miller

Delegate Harvey Morgan

Delegate Dave Nutter

Delegate John O'Bannon

Delegate Glenn Oder

Delegate Bobby Orrock, Sr.

Delegate Chris Peace

Delegate Brenda Pogge

Delegate Charles Poindexter

Delegate Bob Purkey

Delegate Chris Saxman

Delegate Edward Scott

Delegate Beverly Sherwood

Delegate Terrie Suit

Delegate Robert Tata

Delegate Lee Ware

Delegate Tommy Wright

State Central Committee Members

Morton Blackwell, National Committeeman

Kathy Terry, National Committeewoman

Michael Thomas, First Vice Chairman

Polly Campbell, Secretary

Rick Neel, Treasurer

Walter Curt, Finance Chairman

Juanita Balenger, Eastern Vice Chairwoman

Kevin Gentry, Eastern Vice Chairman

Trixie Averill, Western Vice Chairwoman

James Hale, Western Vice Chairman

Tom Foley, 1st District Chairman

Gary C. Byler, 2nd District Activist

Mike Wade, 3rd District Chairman

Jack Wilson, 4th District Chairman

Tucker Watkins, 5th District Chairman

Fred Anderson, 6th District Chairman

Linwood Cobb, III, 7th District Chairman

Michael Ginsberg, 8th District Chairman

Michelle Jenkins, 9th District Chairman

James Rich, 10th District Chairman

Becky Stoeckel, 11th District Chairman

Michael Lowe, 1^st District Rep.

John Van Hoy, 1^st District Rep.

James Bowden, 1^st District Rep.

Carol Dawson, 1^st District Rep.

Allen Webb, 1^st District Rep.

David O'Kelley, 2^nd District Rep.

Chuck Smith, 2^nd District Rep.

Roger Miles, 2^nd District Rep.

Shirley Darnauer, 2^nd District Rep.

Ken Golden, 2^nd District Rep.

Bryan Meals, 3^rd District Rep.

Christopher Woodfin, 3^rd District Rep.

Cortland Putbrese, 3^rd District Rep.

William Flanagan, 4^th District Rep.

Irene Hurst, 4^th District Rep.

Linas Kojelis, 4^th District Rep.

Robert Wheeler, 4^th District Rep.

Chris Shores, 5^th District Rep.

Gene Smith, 5^th District Rep.

Rachel Shoenewald, 5^th District Rep.

Edward W. Early, 5^th District Rep.

Mickey Mixon, 6^th District Rep.

Matthew Braud, 6^th District Rep.

Lynn Mitchell, 6^th District Rep.

Wendell Walker, 6^th District Rep.

Kristi Way, 7^th District Rep.

Marie Quinn, 7^th District Rep.

Edward Fuhr, 7^th District Rep.

Brian Plum, 7^th District Rep.

David Fuller, 7^th District Rep.

Vellie Dietrich-Hall, 8^th District Rep.

Michael Giere, 8^th District Rep.

Mark Kelly, 8^th District Rep.

John Kilgore, 9^th District Rep.

Jerry Lester, 9^th District Rep.

Judi Lynch, 9^th District Rep.

Howard Lind, 10^th District Rep.

Mary Gail Swenson, 10^th District Rep.

Keith Damon, 11^th District Rep.

Patsy Drain, 11^th District Rep.

Rick Hendrix, 11^th District Rep.

Michael Rumberg, 11^th District Rep.

Lori-Ann Miller, Young Republican Federation of Virginia President

Neil Miller, Young Republican Federation of Virginia Rep.

Andrew Vehorn, Young Republican Federation of Virginia Rep.

Sam Bradshaw, College Republican Federation of Virginia Rep.

Adam Erby, College Republican Federation of Virginia Rep.

Angie Hall

Carol Ford

Ed Gillespie, Former Republican Party of Virginia and Republican National Committee Chairman

Don Huffman, Former Republican Party of Virginia Chairman

Kate Obenshain, Former Republican Party of Virginia Chairman

Gary Thomson, Former Republican Party of Virginia Chairman

Unit Chairs

Timothy Raynor, Accomack

Christian Schoenewald, Albemarle

Chris Marston, Alexandria

Loren Newman, Jr., Alleghany/Covington/Clifton Forge

Mary Alice Williams, Amelia

Stephen Witham, Amherst

Evans Thomas, Appomattox

Mark Kelly, Arlington

Bill Shirley, Augusta

Kevin Corwin, Bedford County / City

Joyce Kistner, Bristol

Elaine Cogsdale, Brunswick

Jerry Lester, Buchanan

Gene Smith, Campbell

Jeff Sili, Caroline

Carolyn Honeycutt, Carroll

Patricia Meyers, Charles City

Anthony Pascuita, Jr., Charlotte

Donald Williams, Chesterfield

Hon. John Wood, Colonial Heights

Don Bishop, Craig

John Coates, Culpeper

Susan McCammon, Dinwiddie

Carla Cash Harris, Emporia / Greensville

Blake Slusser, Essex

Jim Kaplan, Fairfax City

Jim Hyland, Fairfax County

James P. Fisher, Fauquier

Gene Bishop, Floyd

Doug Johnson, Fluvanna

Teresa Preston, Franklin City / Southampton County

Bill Stanley, Franklin County

Bob Seale, Frederick County

B.J. Huff, Fredericksburg

John Walsh, Gloucester

Ben Slone, Goochland

Dawn Cox, Grayson

Gary Lowe, Greene

Pat Barksdale, Halifax

Kyle Adams, Hampton

Angela Kelly-Wiecek, Hanover

Kerri Wilson, Harrisonburg

Mike Wade, Henrico

Don Lawson, Henry

David Kiser, Highland

Phil Justice, Hopewell

Rick Batten, James City

William Rilee, King & Queen

John Hubbard, King William

Joan Blackstone, Lancaster

Damie Carter, Lee

Robert James, Jr., Lexington / Rockbridge / Buena Vista

Pat Mullins, Louisa

Adam Erby, Lunenburg

Mark Peake, Lynchburg

John Tucker, Madison

Tony Kostelecky, Manassas

William Wren, Manassas Park

Timothy Halpin, Martinsville

Michael Lowe, Mathews

Tim Boyle, Mecklenburg

Lee Davis, Middlesex

Patty Manthe, Montgomery

Jane Ladd, New Kent

Steve Groce, Newport News

Pam Brown, Norfolk

Colin Cowling, Northampton

Jeanne Kling, Northumberland

Ronald Chipper, Nottoway

Doug Rogers, Orange

Charles Butler, Jr., Page

Elizabeth Stanley, Patrick

Linas Kojelis, Petersburg

Tom Arthur, Pittsylvania

John Anderson, Poquoson

Bryan Meals, Portsmouth

Ray Kramer, Powhatan

John Marsden, Prince Edward

Daniel Robinson, Prince George

Lyle Beefelt, Prince William

Beckie Cox, Pulaski

Mark Armentrout, Radford

Cortland Putbrese, Richmond City

Debbie Harper, Richmond County

Adam Boitnott, Roanoke City

Graham Leonard, III, Roanoke County

Michael Meredith, Rockingham

Gregory Habeeb, Salem

John Kilgore, Sr., Scott

Michael Monahan, Shenandoah

Adam Tolbert, Smyth

Bryce Reeves, Spotsylvania

Susan Stimpson, Stafford

Stephen Trent, Suffolk

Earl Hall, Surry

Aaron Roberts, Tazewell

Kenny Golden, Virginia Beach

Lisa Mauck, Warren

Patty Denton, Washington

Chris Darden, Waynesboro

Robert Fountain, Westmoreland

Richard Hill, Williamsburg

Patricia Jackson, Winchester

Ben Boggs, Wise

Aubrey O'Quinn, Wythe

Doug Meade, York

So far the top of our ticket has unified the party as we head into 2009. Hopefully it will stay that way and help us as we try to sweep all three executive offices next fall. As we work towards that end pleas sign up to be a delegate to the Republican State Convention next May 30th, and let's prove to the nation that Virginia is not some purpley blue state.