Comments on: Senate bill cannot be fixed if House votes for it http://www.aapsonline.org/newsoftheday/00889 from the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons Thu, 07 Apr 2011 16:47:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: John Barchilon, M.D. http://www.aapsonline.org/newsoftheday/00889#comment-4317 John Barchilon, M.D. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 04:24:54 +0000 http://www.aapsonline.org/newsoftheday/?p=889#comment-4317 This news about the "safe harbor" for members who agree to vote for a bill so unpopular it is sure to get them voted out of office should fill the headlines of every newspaper, every TV screen, and consume every talk show in the nation. But we need to know who was promised what and by whom. Because if this is true -- that balky members of congress will be given a safe haven for voting with the president -- it would constitute nothing less than attempted bribery of legislators by the White House. No lobbyist is allowed to offer a quid pro quo, but if they do the Justice Dept tries them for bribery, a criminal offence punishable by jail time and huge fines. What makes Obama think he can bribe legislators when nobody else can? So, if the evidence comes forth, i.e., who was promised what by whom, and if indeed those members of congress did lose their seats in the upcoming election, and if a Tea Party-driven Republican congress emerges, I can see the new house impeaching the President for bribing legislators. This news about the “safe harbor” for members who agree to vote for a bill so unpopular it is sure to get them voted out of office should fill the headlines of every newspaper, every TV screen, and consume every talk show in the nation. But we need to know who was promised what and by whom. Because if this is true — that balky members of congress will be given a safe haven for voting with the president — it would constitute nothing less than attempted bribery of legislators by the White House.

No lobbyist is allowed to offer a quid pro quo, but if they do the Justice Dept tries them for bribery, a criminal offence punishable by jail time and huge fines. What makes Obama think he can bribe legislators when nobody else can?

So, if the evidence comes forth, i.e., who was promised what by whom, and if indeed those members of congress did lose their seats in the upcoming election, and if a Tea Party-driven Republican congress emerges, I can see the new house impeaching the President for bribing legislators.

]]>