Just got a copy of a rough draft of the most recent revision of the senate HCR bill. It is a triumph, a celebration of what Americans can accomplish when they put aside partisan bickering and come together to get things done.
The system works.
Some highlights of bi-partisanship after the jump.
- Federal minimum wage will be lowered to $.57 an hour. Blanche Lincoln (D-WalMart) demanded this amendment, saying that she "just couldn’t see herself" voting for the bill without it. A minimum wage, she explained, seemed "uncomfortably close to socialism", and placed unfair restraints on business.
- The entire social security trust fund will be put on "Papa's Moustache" in the third. Mary Landreiu (D-South Deliverance) expressed mixed emotions regarding the bill, saying that she will likely "hold her nose" and vote for it. When asked whether or not the gambling industry in Louisiana would profit handsomely from such a high-stakes horse race, she snapped, "of course not, and I find that very insulting that anyone would even say such a thing."
- The manufacture and sale of condoms will be illegal in every state. Ben Nelson (D-North Deliverance) grudgingly indicated that this amendment will probably secure his vote for cloture, though he reserved his right to vote against the bill. "If God intended for people to choose when they have children, He’d have given us free will," said Nelson.
- Christian nativity scenes will now be mandatory in every room of every house from October until June. Added by Harry Reid and approved by unanimous consent in the Senate, this amendment was widely seen as an olive branch extended to Republicans in the spirit of bi-partisanship and compromise. John Boehner categorically rejected the notion that any Republicans would vote for the bill, however, saying "the arbitrary and unreasonable cutoff date of June 1 is a slap in the face to millions of Christian Americans. Clearly, the Democratic leadership is dangerously out of touch."
In a late-breaking development, Joe Lieberman (I-Sith) announced he plans to filibuster.