In the early hours of the morning, as most of the nation slept, the United States Senate gathered together to cast their vote on cloture, (the ending of all debate) on their version of the health care reform bill.

After a touching speech by Majority Leader Harry Reid in which he read of the plight of his constituents, the motion went to a vote. Shortly thereafter, at 1:17 a.m. the motion was passed and, like thieves in the night, the Senate has moved one step closer to passing this bill.

Senator Mitch McConnell stated, “If they were proud of the bill they wouldn’t be doing it this way.” He continued by saying, “They wouldn’t be jamming it through in the middle of the night on the last weekend before Christmas.”

In the end the votes went along party lines, with 60 votes in favor and 40 votes opposed. While it may sound like the Republicans did their best to stop this bill, I have to ask myself, did they really?

Senator Reid has used all kinds of procedural shortcuts to get to where they are now. He has not allowed the bill, or any of the amendments to it, be read on the floor. All it would take is for one Senator to demand the procedure be adhered to for that to come to an end. Yet not one Republican spoke up and demanded that rules be adhered to.

Not one Republican asked to see where in the Constitution is it even authorized for the United States Senate to discuss health care reform.

Not one Republican mentioned the case of Lambert v. Yellowly, 272 U.S. 581, 589, 47 S.Ct. 210 (1926), which states, “It is important also to bear in mind that ‘direct control of medical practice in the States is beyond the power of the Federal Government.’ Linder v. United States 268 U.S. 5, 18. Congress, therefore, cannot directly restrict the professional judgment of the physician or interfere with its free exercise in the treatment of disease. Whatever power exists in that respect belongs to the states exclusively.”

These Senators all took an oath to uphold the Constitution, and no matter whether they voted no on the measure for cloture or not, they all have violated their oaths by even participating in this illegal act.

Those of us who are demanding the our elected representatives uphold the law, and adhere to their oaths of office have been targeted by those whose goal it is to see this bill passed, no matter what.

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, in a speech on the Senate floor, called opponents of this bill, birhters, and fanatics in right-wing militia and Aryan support groups.

I take great offense at those comments. We are constantly told to obey the law or face the consequences. Yet why won’t our elected officials uphold the law? Is it because we want these things no matter whether they be legal for our government to provide them for us?

There are a lot of things I would like. I would like a faster internet connection. I would like for everyone else at work to do their job, so that I don’t have to pick up their slack. I would like to be able to shoot at those cars that drive by my house at 2 a.m. with their music blaring.

But you know what, you don’t see my writing my Senator, or Congressman, asking for those things. You know why, because I know it is not within their authority to give them to me. And dammit, neither is affordable health care!

When have you ever known the government to run anything more effectively than the private sector? All of you who stood by and did nothing to stop this bill, all of you who sent your elected officials letters asking them to vote in favor of this bill, you are going to live to regret this day.

Live your life in such a way that when your feet hit the floor in the morning, Satan shudders and says “OH SHIT!!…. HE’S AWAKE!!”

“Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery?“

~ The Author ~
Neal Ross can be reached for comments at bonsai@syix.com. Visit Neal’s Blog at http://www.zombie-slayer.com/neal