Health care horror update

As of 7:27 p.m. tonight, as a result of Rep. Zack Space’s switch from Yes to No, the number of Firm and Likely No’s in The Hill’s whip count had increased from 35 to 36, Space voted yes on the bill last year and yes in committee on this bill.

As of 11:37 p.m. tonight, the number of Firm and Likely No’s in The Hill’s whip count had increased again, to 37. Thirty-eight no votes will defeat the bill. IN the few days I’ve been following the whip count, the No category has gone from 36 to 35, stayed at 35 for a day or two, then climbed back up to 36 and then 37.

At 3:48 p.m. today (i.e., yesterday, March 20), the Hill reported that Bart Stupak was saying that “at least six” of his original 12 are standing firmly against the Senate healthcare bill. If we combine those figures with Eric Cantor’s report the other day that there were 33 No’s plus 12 Stupakites adding up to 45 No’s, then the No’s by Cantor’s calculation would now be down to 39, one more than the number needed to stop the bill.

s

Robert Costa writes at 8:38 p.m. tonight at the Corner:

Senior Dem staffer says abortion/executive order deliberations will take place tonight at the White House.

Stupak won’t be there … Dem staffer says “this still isn’t nailed down”

“Executive order deliberations” refers to a proposal in the works that the president pledge to the Stupak group before the vote in the House that after the bill becomes law, the president will sign an executive order barring the use of federal funds for abortions. One wonders how an executive order can change the contents of a statute passed by the Congress. Still, the effort shows that the Democratic leadership are still trying to win over the remaining Stupak members, meaning (here’s the positive side) that even with as many as six Stupak defections to the Yes camp, the leadership still doesn’t have the votes to pass the bill; but also meaning (here’s the negative side) that both the White House and Stupak are still greatly desirous of crafting a compromise that will make it possible for the remaining Stupak group to vote for the bill.

Posted by Lawrence Auster at March 21, 2010 02:36 AM | Send