UPATED HOUSE VOTE WHIP COUNTS: Democrats Still Short on Votes Needed to Ram ObamaCare Through

As we close down for the evening, here is the latest House Vote "Whip Count," this time from several sources we will keep following until the expected vote on Sunday:

Firedoglake (David Dayen) - 203 "Yes" to 210 "No" (With Leaners) / 191-206 without Leaners


Washington Post - 160 "Yes" to 207 "No" with 64 Undecided


NRCC Code Red - 202 "Yes" to 205 "No" with 24 Undecided

All three would agree that Democrats and Obama are still short of what they need for passage of the Senate Health Care Bill in the House. But there are many undecideds, and the pressure has to be tremendous on these Democrats.

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Democrats Vote 222-203 to Keep "Deem-and-Pass" Available for Sunday Vote on Senate Health Care Bill

Democrats effectively voted today by a 222-203 margin to move forward with their "deem-and-pass" (coming to be known as "Demon-Pass") rule to ram ObamaCare through the House of Representatives. Republicans had put forward a resolution to force a direct up or down vote on the Senate Health Care Bill, but it was defeated with 222 Democrats voting against the resolution. It now looks like Sunday afternoon or evening will bring a vote in the House on a package of fixes to the Senate Health Care Bill, with a provision that "deems" the Senate Health Care Bill to have been "passed" without actually being voted on.

Democrats shot down a Republican effort to force an up-or-down vote on the Senate healthcare bill on Thursday afternoon.

In a 222-203 vote, Democrats beat back a GOP resolution offered by Democrat-turned-Republican Rep. Parker Griffith (Ala.) that would have forced lawmakers to vote on the Senate healthcare bill separately from the series of fixes they hope to make to that legislation.


All Republican lawmakers who voted opposed the measure, which had the effect of ending the GOP's effort to force a vote. They were joined by 28 Democrats, who broke with party members on the vote.


Two hundred and twenty-two Democrats supported the measure, though — enough to proceed. Three members of either party did not vote.


Republicans had hoped for the separate vote to get Democratic lawmakers on record on the Senate bill, which includes some provisions on abortion, excise taxes and other issues that House lawmakers find distasteful.. . . MORE

Below are the names of Democrats who have said they are against ObamaCare or are undecided who voted with Pelosi today in favor of using the "Demon Pass" "Slaughter rule":

• Jason Altmire, Pennsylvania.
• John Barrow, Georgia.
• John Boccieri, Ohio.
• Allen Boyd, Florida.
• Leonard Boswell, Iowa.
• Joe Donnelly, Indiana.
• Brad Ellsworth, Indiana.
• Baron Hill, Indiana.
• Marcy Kaptur, Ohio.
• Dan Maffei, New York.
• Jim Marshall, Georgia.
• Jim Matheson, Utah.
• Michael McMahon, New York.
• Betsy Markey, Colorado.
• Patrick Murphy, Pennsylvania.
• Earl Pomeroy, North Dakota.
• Nick Rahall, West Virginia.
• Joe Sestak, Pennsylvania.
• Carol Shea Porter, New Hampshire.
• Ike Skelton, Missouri.
• Zach Space, Ohio.
• John Spratt, South Carolina.
• Charlie Wilson, Ohio.

It is not clear whether this signals they will vote "Yes" on Sunday, or whether this vote today was to curry favor with Pelosi and Obama and give them what they want on "deem-and-pass," while they still plan to vote "No" on Sunday. 

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Democrat Rep. Tom Perriello Admits to Tea Party Gathering, "If You Don't Tie Our Hands, We Will Keep Stealing" - Video 3/16/10

Here is video of Virginia Democrat Rep. Tom Perriello at a Tea Party gathering on March 16 where he just comes right out and says, "If you don't tie our hands, we will keep stealing." He had been talking about the need for balanced budget amendments and pay-as-you-go legislation, and then moved to this most honest and direct admission.

Ironically, this Democrat Congressman makes this admission at the very moment his party and President Obama are asking Americans to entrust one-sixth of our economy into their stewardship by passing ObamaCare.

Via The Schilling Show

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"Blue Dog" Democrat Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin Says Use of "Deeming" Rule to Pass ObamaCare Will be "Poison" - Video 3/18/10

Here is audio of South Dakota "Blue Dog" Democrat Rep. Rep. Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin on a conference call today, where she said the use of the "Slaughter Rule" to ram Health Care through the House will be "poison" to the atmosphere of Congress, and will make it very difficult to ever get anything done in the future on a bipartisan basis:

"There’s also been talk about using a legislative maneuver called ‘deeming,’ which would consider the Senate bill – without a direct vote on the bill – it would consider the Senate bill ‘passed’ with changes. While deeming – like reconciliation – has been used by Republicans and Democrats in the past, the context in which it would be used in this case leads me to conclude that it would poison an already terribly partisan atmosphere and leave the Congress even less able to find bipartisan solutions to fiscal problems that are on the verge of becoming overwhelming."

Via NRCC Blog

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Democrat Sen. Barbara Boxer Fading in New Field Poll Against All GOP Challengers

All three possible GOP Senate Candidates in California are within striking distance of incumbent Democrat Sen. Barbara Boxer, and one of them is actually ahead. In a new Field Poll, Tom Campbell now leads Boxer 43%-42%. Carly Fiornia is now just one-point behind Boxer at 45%-44%, and Chuck DeVore trails Boxer by only 45%-41%. Campbell is leading Fiorina by six-points for the GOP Nomination, with DeVore way behind.

The really ominous news in this poll is the lack of strength for the incumbent, Barbara Boxer. For her to not get beyond 45% of the vote against any of the three possible GOP challengers shows just how vulnerable she is.

You can get all the latest 2010 U.S. Senate polls and projections here, updated as new polls are released. We have kept California in the "Dem Hold" category for now, but if more polling shows the race as tight as this Field Poll, it will soon be moving to "Tossup." That would be a really bad omen for Democrats if California is in jeopardy.

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Latest House Vote "Whip Count": Democrats Still 11 Votes Short of Passing the Senate Health Care Bill

Over at the liberal Firedoglake.com, David Dayen has posted a new House Vote "Whip Count." This morning, he had the count at 205 in favor, 210 against (including "Leaners"). In straight "Yes" or "No" totals, it was 192 "Yes" and 208 "No." That leaves Democrats still 11 votes short of getting the Senate Health Care Bill through the House. The lack of positive movement for Obama and the Democrats probably explains why the President has now canceled his trip to Indonesia.

Dayen summarizes that Democrats now need "11 of the last 16 uncommitted."

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MSNBC's "Countdown" Whines About Baier's Interview; Makes Compilation of Him "Interrupting" Obama - Video 3/18/10

MSNBC's "Countdown" complains about Bret Baier's interview with Obama, and makes a compilation of him "interrupting" the President.

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