So now the House of Representatives has passed a bill. It has some problems, starting with the odious Stupak Amendment. Still there is a lot of reason for mild happiness. We are closer to comprehensive health insurance reform than we have been in the Dog’s life time. All the details aside, this is a very good thing, as it means we are significantly more likely to achieve real reform than we have been before.

Originally posted at Square State.

The next hurdle is, of course, the United States Senate. We have already seen Sen. Lieberman lining up to prove that A) he is not a Democrat anymore and B) that he is the biggest obstructionist asshole in the history of obstructionist assholes. Not only is he putting himself in the way of reform, he is making it easier for other lily-livered Democratic Senators to do the same.

On the Republican side we know what we will hear “Slow down”, “It costs too much”, “Government take over of health care!!!!”. The main tactic of the GOP has been to delay the process in whatever way they can. In the Senate, there are many ways to delay any process. We have seen the Republicans do it with Executive Branch appointees, we have seen them do it with the Stimulus bill, we have seen this on the extension of Unemployment benefits, and we have seen them do it with the Health Care Reform Act.

They will use every procedural tactic they have to stretch this out as long as they can. From their point of view it is a good tactic. The longer it takes the Senate to pass their bill the more time there is for weak-kneed Democrats to be wooed away from doing what their constituents and the nation wants them to do. There is also the issue of other things needing to be done. The time for fooling around with Health Care Reform and nearly nothing else is over. There are budget bills that must be completed and passed. There are other issues like the illegal torture programs of the Bush Administration, which need Congressional investigation. There are all of the oversight responsibilities of the Congress in our wars and perhaps most importantly there is the need for a jobs stimulus bill, which has to be in place soon if the Democrats are going to be able to make a case, they can run the economy better than Republicans in 2010.

All of this means the Senate is out of time. They have this reputation as the “Greatest Deliberative Body in the World”, which they are proud of. The idea is there is nothing in the world, which can push the Senate to move faster than it is willing to move. However, the Dog thinks there might a way to move past these delaying tactics. The Thanksgiving recess is traditionally two weeks long. The Christmas recess is often as long as a month.

This combined with the other work makes the prospect of getting a bill on health care reform to the president’s desk anytime soon dim. Or does it? Here is the thing, the Constitution does not allow either House of Congress to adjourn without the consent of the other. If we can get the votes together in the House, we can force the Senate to stay in session for as long as it takes to get their work done. The Dog is a big believer in the need for Federal elected officials to get home and see the people who put them in office in the first place. It is a critical step in having a truly representative government. However, the mandate for health care reform with a Public Option is one that is clear. It has been tested at the ballot box, it has been tested time and time and time again in polls and it is clear that the majority of the American People want this change. It is time to force the Senate to do the work of the people and keep doing the work of the people until we get the reform we are demanding.

There are already rumors that Majority Leader Reid is talking about shortening these recesses. The problem here is, Sen. Reid is a Senator and not particularly strong at times when he should be. We have seen it time and again where he talks tough but allows things which make it harder to get the Democratic agenda passed.

This is where we should help him out, from the House side. Article 1, Section 5 , Clause 4 of the Constitutions reads:

Neither House, during the Session of Congress, shall, without the Consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other Place than that in which the two Houses shall be sitting.

By getting Speaker Pelosi to refuse to vote on the adjournment, or to vote to not allow the Senate to adjourn until there is a health care reform bill be do several things. First off the House makes it clear they are not going to just roll over to the Senate on the important issues in this bill. Second we present the Republicans with the choice of staying around or actually confirming the opinion they do not really care about the issues facing the public. Third, we keep the pressure on all the wavering Dems. If you are just posturing like Sen. Lieberman may be, then it is becomes harder to maintain when you are the one keeping the Senate from recessing and everyone from seeing their families over the holidays.

Finally it moves the issue to the level of paramount importance it deserves. It makes it clear we will not be held hostage to an arbitrary calendar but will do what it takes to make the changes the nation has elected these officials to enact.

If we are going to make this stick, it needs action and it needs it today! Below is the number for Speaker Pelosi’s office as well as her e-mail. Please give her a call, thank her for her efforts so far and let her know she is not done. By starting to talk now about keeping the Senate in Session for as long as it takes now, she can start to affect the thinking of those who know better on this issue but are hopping it will go away if there is more time.

Here is the contact information for Speaker Pelosi:

Phone – 202-225-0100
Email

Achieving real reform is hard. We need to use all the tactics in our arsenal if we are going to prevail, because it is sure the other side will use all of theirs. Keeping Senators in Washington over the holidays is one way to keep the pressure on.

The floor is yours.