Once the bill gets approved (likely Monday), Democrats will send this phantom bill over to the Rules Committee, where it will be stripped, and then they'll insert in all of the actual changes that they've negotiated.
In this final week Democrats are scrambling to obtain the congressional votes they need to get it passed in the House, so they can starting blacking out portions and inserting others and send it to the Senate for a vote the Senate will try to pass via reconciliation.
Groups opposing the bill and those in favor of the bill are spending massive amounts of money, in advertising, to sway Democratic politicians into either for or against the bill, according to the New York Times that figure is expected to top $30 million this month.
Not only are these swing Democrats being pummeled in the new spate of advertising — which could total $30 million before week’s end — but extensive efforts are under way in Congressional districts, where groups on both sides of the issue are using tactics similar to get-out-the-vote drives to urge constituents to contact their lawmakers. Mr. Obama is calling lawmakers, too, and on Monday is traveling to Ohio to open a weeklong campaign to close this act of the health care debate.
Representative James E. Clyburn of South Carolina, the No. 3 Democrat in the House, said Sunday on “Meet the Press” on NBC that he had yet to lock down enough votes to pass the bill. But he added: “We’ll be working it going into the week. I am also very confident that we’ll get this done.”
They do not have the votes yet, but deals are still being made and arms still being twisted and they are sure they can obtain more votes in the end.
Make sure your voice is heard as well, advertising is one thing, radio and newspaper ads, but hearing from constituents, jamming their phone lines showing the opposition that the polls show is a direct way to let the politicians know what will happen should they try to shove this down our throats.
Numbers to call are listed here and here.
Also, FreedomWorks is conducting a Storm The House protest tomorrow.
We are calling everyone that is able to come to Washington, DC on March 16th, 2010 for one last push against Obamacare. We will meet at the Cannon building at 9am and speak with as many representatives as possible, encouraging them to vote NO on this version of health care reform.
[Update] Part of what is said to be removed from the shell bill, is the "Public Option" and as RedState points out, the language in the bill the House will be voting on, probably this week, clearly states:
Subtitle B—Public Health Insurance Option
SEC. 221. ESTABLISHMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF A PUBLIC HEALTH INSURANCE OPTION AS AN EXCHANGE-QUALIFIED HEALTH BENEFITS PLAN.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—For years beginning with Y1, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (in this subtitle referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall provide for the offering of an Exchange-participating health benefits plan (in this subdivision referred to as the ‘‘public health insurance option’’) that ensures choice, competition, and stability of affordable, high quality coverage throughout the United States in accordance with this subtitle. In designing the option, the Secretary’s primary responsibility is to create a low-cost plan without compromising quality or access to care.
RedState concludes:
The logic escapes me. If the Democrats didn’t write their own death warrant with the 12/24/09 Senate bill, this should pretty much seal it.
More from Malkin.
