So this is how freedom dies.... with thunderous applause

Bear with me. I'm a little grumpy this morning.

I made the mistake of underestimating the trickery and diabolical lengths the wicked men running our country would go to in order to thwart the will of the American people and dismantle our great healthcare system in order to increase their own power and wealth. Stupid me.

I do intend to actively participate in the next election by supporting each and every opponent of each and every 'yes to socialism' vote that occurred in the Constitution-less House last night. Care to join me?

This is what I would have said if I had been there last night.

For those of you that might be less obsessed informed than I, you are aware, are you not, that this "legislation" takes over student loans and gives the IRS sweeping control over your lives in addition to destroying the healthcare system that all the leaders of countries with socialized medicine flock to when they, themselves, need the best in medical care?

Kucinich and Stupak are particularly loathsome to me. I had hope that some Democrat somewhere had some scruples. Stupid me again. I don't know what Obama promised Kucinich in Air Force One, but it must have been pretty good. And, Stupak caved for the promise of an Executive Order.

Ace has a lot to say on the matter and it's all good reading (language warning, however). Here's just a taste:

Here's the EO: Worthless paper.
The President can not (or at least could not, back when we were a Republic) rescind a law at the stroke of a pen, or deny someone (or some organization) federal money to which they are entitled.

Which is interesting when you consider what the President had to say about such actions. Hypocrisy, much? Of course, Obama probably had his fingers crossed. Maybe I should try to sell Stupak some swamp land in Michigan.

Did you hear about the protestor that shouted, "You took an oath!" and "The people have said no!"? That was not me. I felt the need to clarify that. At least the Republicans applauded.

Mark Steyn had this to say in his piece, "Happy Dependence Day!":

...over time, as I've been saying for years now, governmentalized health care not only changes the relationship of the citizen to the state but the very character of the people. As I wrote in NR recently, there's plenty of evidence to support that from Britain, Canada, and elsewhere.

This assault to our Constitution is a travesty of epic proportions. And, I'm not even exaggerating this time. What can be done? I'm not sure. Since there is no regard for the Constitution, procedural rules and laws, I can't imagine how this can be fixed because Congress and this president are above the law.

There is a Silver Lining according to John at Power Line:

With Stupak's collapse, passage of the Democrats' government medicine bill is assured. This is a dark day in American history; one of the darkest. But there are many reasons for optimism. Here are a few:

* The health care battle is just beginning. Next, the Senate will try to enact the House's "fixes" to the original Senate bill. Some Senators say that won't happen. If not, then President Obama has the option of signing the original Senate bill--now passed by the House--Cornhusker Kickback and all. I assume he would do that, but the resulting blowback from House Democrats, not to mention the American people, would be something to behold.

* The health care bill's taxes will go into effect promptly, but its substantive provisions are, for the most part, deferred for four years. This means that we have plenty of time to repeal the legislation. Sure, it will take a new Congress and new President. But repealing this disaster of a bill will by a rallying cry for the American people for years to come. Moreover, even if the Republicans only take over the House in November, and not the Senate, won't it be possible to throw roadblocks in the way of the bill's implementation? Won't budget appropriations be necessary to sustain the various federal tentacles the bill seeks to establish? What will happen if the House simply refuses to fund them?

* I've never been prouder to be a Republican. The party's Congressional leaders have fought this battle to the end on behalf of the American people--with intelligence, toughness, persistence and good humor. The contrast between the parties has never been starker than in today's debate. If any intelligent Democrats were watching--there must be some left--they had to be embarrassed for their party.

I know the lawsuits are pouring out of the woodwork but I'm not convinced they will do any good because again, if you don't have rules and laws that govern you, you don't have to live by rules and laws. That's the condition we're in and it's a sad one.

So what can we do? Eat right and exercise before we have to interact with Obamacare and/or his death panels. Americans will have to rely on themselves for their own health. That's a positive spin, right? OK, I'm stretching but I don't have much to work with on this one.

Did you hear that? That was the sound of our founding fathers rolling over in their graves.