While Senate Finance Committee Democrats waited for the Republicans to return from recess (who were joining their colleagues who had just walked out of the EPW Committee), they engaged in small talk, making jokes about the Republican Party and telling anecdotes about times abroad. After the walk-out was over, and the Republican party as a whole was meeting, Senator Grassley (R-IA) returned to propose an idea.
Grassley asserted that "a giant, unfunded mandate is inappropriate, given the economic times." He suggested that in lieu of SHOP, to consider conducting a study on the possible efficacy of the SHOP Act to be completed in two years, "when the economy returns to a more stable state."
The Democrats did not take to this kindly, criticizing Grassley for rejecting the SHOP Act and claiming it would hurt small businesses. Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND) stated that since the American people voted the Obama Administration into power in November, this bill is complete accordance with their calls for change.
It then turned ugly, when Senator Grassley stated that "the ultimate goal of the Obama Administration and the Democratic party is to have a national, single-payer healthcare program." Senator Conrad retorted, "Your party’s whole defense is that if we follow the Democrats, down the road this is all going to lead to Bolshevism."
After erupting into a flurry of murmuring and side comments, Senator Rockefeller (D-WV) put them all to hush, stating "this needs to be heard in committee."
There were no more conversations on policy during the recess, which stretched to almost 45 minutes long. Senators were heard complaining about "being here all night," as well as calling the opposition "whiney" and "need to get over themselves." Perhaps Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) put it best when he said, "desperate times call for desperate measures. At some point they just need to realize that we are the majority party now."
We'll see what happens when we see more of tonight's coverage.
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