Kathianne
03-21-2010, 07:34 AM
http://thehill.com/homenews/house/88077-democrat-advises-defectors-to-vote-no-quickly-or-get-treated-like-a-pinata
I think I will. Seems the firm 'No' Democrats may vote and leave to avoid bullying if switches are needed. Seems Hastert used the method that Pelosi is, that one did not go well:
...In 2003, then-Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) asked then-Rep. Butch Otter (R-Idaho) to vote yes on the Medicare drug bill that was a focal point of President George W. Bush's domestic agenda.
Otter said he would vote no, but promised Hastert he would not leave the House chamber until the vote was over.
But the vote was a fiasco for Hastert and other GOP leaders. The 15-minute vote extended for nearly three hours. After Otter and Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) talked to Bush, they changed their votes and the bill passed.
At the time, House Republican leaders assigned "doormen" to make sure GOP members who voted no would stay in the House until the votes were secured. Some were able to quickly vote no, but the tactic of keeping Otter and Franks around was key to the passage of the bill.
It is unclear if Democratic leaders will attempt to keep defectors from going home after they cast their vote.
One built-in advantage for Democrats is that there will be two votes -- one on the Senate-passed measure and one on the fixes to that bill.
There is little-to-no hope for Democratic leaders to persuade Taylor, but there are likely other Democratic no votes that could be pressured to do an about-face.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has suggested in recent days that unlike the Republicans in 2003, she will not look to create votes on the floor, saying the roll call will happen when Democrats have the votes.
However, The Hill's whip list suggests that the vote will be very tight. Democrats can only afford 37 defections if every member votes.
I think I will. Seems the firm 'No' Democrats may vote and leave to avoid bullying if switches are needed. Seems Hastert used the method that Pelosi is, that one did not go well:
...In 2003, then-Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) asked then-Rep. Butch Otter (R-Idaho) to vote yes on the Medicare drug bill that was a focal point of President George W. Bush's domestic agenda.
Otter said he would vote no, but promised Hastert he would not leave the House chamber until the vote was over.
But the vote was a fiasco for Hastert and other GOP leaders. The 15-minute vote extended for nearly three hours. After Otter and Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) talked to Bush, they changed their votes and the bill passed.
At the time, House Republican leaders assigned "doormen" to make sure GOP members who voted no would stay in the House until the votes were secured. Some were able to quickly vote no, but the tactic of keeping Otter and Franks around was key to the passage of the bill.
It is unclear if Democratic leaders will attempt to keep defectors from going home after they cast their vote.
One built-in advantage for Democrats is that there will be two votes -- one on the Senate-passed measure and one on the fixes to that bill.
There is little-to-no hope for Democratic leaders to persuade Taylor, but there are likely other Democratic no votes that could be pressured to do an about-face.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has suggested in recent days that unlike the Republicans in 2003, she will not look to create votes on the floor, saying the roll call will happen when Democrats have the votes.
However, The Hill's whip list suggests that the vote will be very tight. Democrats can only afford 37 defections if every member votes.