JAMES SIMPSON: Never in the field of American politics has so much cowardice, hypocrisy and criminal fraud existed among the entire Congressional delegation of one Party. Never! News just arrived that House Democrats have voted in favor of the “Slaughter Rule” which they will use to “deem” the objectionable Senate healthcare bill passed without any of them having to actually vote on it.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made clear her reason for wanting to use this mechanism a couple of days ago when she said: “I like it, because people don’t have to vote on the Senate bill.” Incredible. You want to bypass the democratic process, just make up a rule!

How mind bogglingly corrupt and arrogant can a person be? Each time you think Pelosi can sink no further, she effortlessly pulls it off. This has even shocked some liberals. For example, CNN’s Jack Cafferty called Pelosi “beyond sleazy” for endorsing the Slaughter Rule, saying “this reeks!” and labeling the process “simply unbelievable.”

A few weeks back Cafferty described Pelosi as a “horrible woman.” For once, I truly agree with the man. That is the problem with being a doctrinaire liberal. At some point those with even a smidgen of an open mind realize they are being had. Doctrinaire liberals will ultimately do one of two things: either they will surrender their souls and join the ranks, or they will be honest with themselves and convert, realizing that true, movement leftists are just brutal, self-serving, entrepreneurial parasites. This happened recently to such noted Hollywood personalities as John Voight and David Mamet. I suspect Cafferty may be undergoing a Lou Dobbs conversion too. Look out for an offer from Fox.

But we never had illusions about Pelosi. This vote is an indictment against the entire Democrat Party. What it clearly means is that there are not enough votes in the House of Representatives to pass the Senate bill with an up-or-down vote. What it also clearly means is that virtually all House Democrats (vote count: 222 yeas, 28 nays,) are willing to toss the democratic process out the window to please the leadership. They are abject cowards, and have violated their oaths of office. They put their own self-interest above the Constitution, which this decision eviscerates.

What about Democrat claims that this rule has been used before? As usual it is a half-truth that turns the meaning of the procedure on its head. Known as a “self-executing rule,” the House has passed a number of legislative items using this technical device for issues upon which it has already agreed. See here for a complete run down on past uses.

This is a new low for this lowest of low Congresses, a new low for our country, and a frightening harbinger of what may be coming.

Businessman and Examiner.com columnist James Simpson is a former White House staff economist and budget analyst. His writings have been published in American Thinker, Washington Times, WorldnetDaily, FrontPage Magazine, DefenseWatch, Soldier of Fortune and others.

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