Politics 2000

By a 220-215 vote, the House of Representatives approved a health-care reform bill Saturday. One Republican, Joseph Cao of Louisiana, joined 219 Democrats in support of the bill. The other 176 Republicans were joined by 39 Democrats against the measure.

The bill must still be passed by the Senate. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) has publicly fretted that legislation may not be approved by his chamber this year. The House will be off next week for Veterans’ Day. Thanksgiving and Christmas are also on the horizon.

Therefore, there likely aren’t many legislative days left in 2009. Each day that ticks off the calendar before next year’s midterm election makes approving a bill a little less likely. Even if the Senate passes one of the two bills that has survived a full committee vote, reconciliation with the House version must be done.

Both chambers must eventually approve an identical bill. That process will take more time. Opponents are surely counting on time and electoral prospects to stop action.

Cao is considered the most vulnerable incumbent in Congress. He is a freshman representative who was elected in 2008 because then-Rep. William Jefferson was under federal indictment for corruption. He has since been convicted and is serving a prison sentence.

Cao’s district is heavily Democratic so he seems to have voted in his district’s interests. That’s clearly what the 39 Democrats who opposed the bill did, even after President Obama addressed Democratic House members this morning. He told them in part not to be worried about Republican threats of retribution should they vote for the bill. Being Democrats, the President warned, is enough to draw their fire.

First, condolences to those affected by the shootings at Fort Hood and at the Orlando office building this week. Such sad, senseless events.

The House Rules Committee adjourned shortly before 2 a.m. eastern. The committee had been considering amendments that will be put into the health care bill. It also decided the rules by which debate on the House floor will be allowed. In contrast, the Senate allows for near-unlimited debate without a successful cloture vote.

The House will be in session Saturday at 9 a.m. eastern. Tomorrow’s session is a rarity. Typically, Congress does most of its business from Tuesday to Thursday so members can be at home Friday through Monday in order to talk to constituents.

The House passed a resolution Friday to adjourn until Nov. 16 as soon as the health care bill is passed. It’s clear Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Democratic leadership wants to hurry final passage of the legislation through the chamber before members are allowed to take another week-long barrage of angry messages from voters.

The U.S. unemployment rate spiked to 10.2 percent, according to the jobs report released today. Ten percent had been considered a psychological barrier. The figure is the worse since 1983.

Many economists say employment is a lagging indicator of a recovery. In other words, just about everything else will improve because businesses finally decide to hire more people. Retailers are expecting another rough year, considering the number of sales already advertised.

Change was the prevailing theme of Election Day this year. The governorships of New Jersey and Virginia switched parties to Republican. The hotly-contested 23rd New York Congressional District elected a Democrat for the first time since the 19th century.

In New Jersey, Christopher Christie defeated incumbent Gov. Jon Corzine, 49 to 45 percent, with 99 percent of precincts reporting. In Virginia, Bob McDonnell cruised past Creigh Deeds, 59 to 41 percent, with 99 percent reporting.

Mayors generally bucked the anti-incumbent mood. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg was elected to a third term after getting the city’s term-limit law changed. Bloomberg edged William Thompson, 51 to 46 percent. Boston Mayor Thomas Menino earned an unprecedented fifth term by defeating Michael Flaherty, 57 to 42 percent. Detroit Mayor Dave Bing was elected to a full term after replacing convicted felon Kwame Kilpatrick.

John Garamendi leads David Farmer in the 10th California House race, 55 to 40 percent, with 59 percent reporting. Bill Owens edged Doug Hoffman, 49 to 46 percent, in the 23rd New York House election.

All 11 of Texas’s propositions were approved as were all three of Ohio’s measures and both of New York’s constitutional amendments. New Jersey’s “Open State Bonds” question leads, 52 to 48 percent, with 90 percent reporting.

Washington’s Referendum 71, which allows domestic partnerships in the state, passed 51 to 49 percent. Senate Bill 5688 had been sent to a veto referendum thanks to more than 120,000 signatures opposing the law. Had a majority voted no, the bill would not have taken effect. Initiative 1033, which would have capped government spending increases to the rate of inflation and population growth, failed 55 to 45 percent.