I personally encourage the President to keep the Congress in session until they pass a health bill.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

This was THE MAJOR ISSUE for many, many Americans. It could not have been discussed more during the debates and the entire Presidential campaign. All those debates, all those town halls, all those forums, all those summits, all those committee meetings, have to lead to actual LEGISLATION!

I don't care if they don't get ANY break - keep them in there until they deliver a bill that covers all Americans affordably, and removes immediately the immoral practices by insurers of: prior condition exclusions, lifetime caps, rescission, after the fact underwriting, etc. and provides a PUBLIC OPTION.

A future health insurance application should look like this:


Name ____________________________________

Address _________________________________

Phone Number ____________________________

Email ___________________________________


***********************************************************************************************************************************
Once you're in a plan, I understand that there will have to be questions about household income, etc. in order to obtain the correct subsidy, etc. but my basic point is that no one should have to answer any questions about their personal health in order to OBTAIN coverage.

And yes, I agree that single payer is the best, but I am completely resigned to the fact that we are not going to get it in this go round.

[hobbit709]

1. I say lock them in their chambers

without food, water or access to lobbyists until we get a healthcare bill.

[glowing]

2. Pres can't keep them there.. Nancy and reed can.

[backscatter712]

12. Article II Section 3 of the Constitution.

http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html#A2Sec3

The President can call a special session of Congress.

If Pelosi and Reid were inclined to put the Congress back in recess, Obama could call another special session, and another, and another.

The President can keep Congress in DC for the duration.

Of course, the President can only call them into session, but he cannot force them to act.

He can embarrass the fuck out of them for failing to act - Harry Truman did just that - called Congress into a special session to urge them to pass an expansion to New Deal legislation, and then called them the "Do-Nothing 80th Congress." when they failed to pass it.

[Cali_Democrat]

3. The President has the power to keep Congress in session?

:shrug:

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

4. Like this.

http://www.mikepence.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=302&Itemid=64

Although I guess he would have to call a Special Session that would extend the current one. Although other posters have said Nancy and Harry could do it in this session.

[Cali_Democrat]

5. That sounds like a pretty good idea to me

If we can address serious health care reform with a special session, then why not?

Congress shouldn't be going on any kind of vacation until they address this very serious issue.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

6. What's nice about that link is that it is a REPUBLICAN calling for a special session

when Bush was in office. If Pence thought it was important enough over $4.00 gas - it should be important enough with the lives of Americans hanging in the balance.

[Hippo_Tron]

11. The Constitution grants the President the power to call Congress into special session

They can, however, sit their and pick their noses for the entire time if they choose to do so.

[stray cat]

7. Illegal - all he can do is ask.

[seabeckind]

8. I totally disagree with this

Send them home and have them talk to their constituents. The ONLY people they are hearing are the lobbyists for the insurance and drug industries.

If we do not get the people involved we are guaranteed to have another Medicare Part D and credit card bill like the last one.

Send them home and encourage them to have town halls everywhere. Shout out the f--kers on the other side. The "compromise" "bipartisan" bill screws the people. Tax on the rich? Hah! Passed on to the middle class again cause we are the only ones without a voice.

My senator just voted against the single payer for my state. Why?

[kath]

9. I'm with you. To think that any bill is better than nothing is folly.

They may very will pass a crap bill that will set progress toward REAL reform back by two or three DECADES.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

10. The longer they take, the longer the Pubs will mount a disinformation campaign.

That is how they defeated it before with Clinton. I think they can take all the time they want - they can stay in session or call a new session until they get the job done they were put in there to do.

They KNOW America wants healthcare. Another round of town halls with people telling their personal stories of tragedy isn't going to advance healthcare one whit. There is a point where they have to move from DIALOGUE and POLITICAL POSTURING into ACTION! Delay isn't going to change anything except for the worse.