A Christmas Eve Vote On Health Care

The U.S. Senate could be in for a night of voting on Christmas Eve if Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) has anything to say about it: DeMint tells The Hill that he plans to use every procedural tool in his belt to stretch out debate as long as possible, which would mean Christmas Eve voting.

"I'm not going to waive any time," DeMint said in an interview, when asked whether he would force Reid to go late into Christmas Eve to pass healthcare legislation. "I think it's our responsibility to stretch this out because every day we do we have time to tell Americans what's in it."

This basically confirms that the GOP's strategy, in effect, is to fight Democratic health care reforms in every way they can. DeMint has emerged this year as the Senate's leading conservative voice, so, while a more moderate lawmaker might not want to steal Christmas Eve in the name of fiscal conservatism and small-government ideals, it's fitting that DeMint could end up playing the role of Grinch for Republicans.

This article available online at:

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2009/12/a-christmas-eve-vote-on-health-care/32312/