Health Care Parody of "The Night Before Christmas" on Senate Floor

On the U.S. Senate floor on Tuesday December 22, 2009, Illinois Democrat Senator Roland Burris did a parody of the famous poem "The Night Before Christmas".

You can view the video of the Senator Burris on the Senate floor in the video on the right.  The words of Burris went something like this ... 

It was the night before Christmas
and all throughout the Senate,
the right held up the health care bill
no matter what was in it.

The people had voted, they mandated reform.
But Republicans blew off the gathering storm.
"We'll clog up the Senate", they cried with a grin.
And in the mid-term elections, we'll get voted in.

They knew regular folks needed help right this second,
but fund-raiser, lobbyists, and politics beckoned.
So tried as they might, Democrats could not win.
Because their majority was simply too thin.

Then across every state there rose such a clatter,
the whole Senate rushed out to see what was the matter.
All spring up from their desks and ran from the floor,
straight through the coatroom and right out the door.

And in what in the world would be quite so raucous,
but a mandate for change from the Democratic caucus.
The president, the speaker, of course leader Reid
had answered the call in the hour of need.

More rapid than eagles, provisions they came.
They whistled and shouted and called them by name.
"Better coverage, cost savings, a strong public plan, accountable options."
We said, "Yes, we can."
No exclusions or changes for pre-existing conditions.
Let's pass a bill that restores competition.

The Democrats all came together to fight
for the American people this Christmas eve night.
And then in the twinkle, I heard in the dome,
"The roll-call was closed.  And it's time to go home."

Despite the obstructionist tactics of some,
the filibuster had broken, the people had won.
And a good bill was ready for President Obama --
ready to sign and in health care drama.

The Democrats explained as they drove out of sight,
better coverage for all, even to our friend on the right.

To fully appreciate the words of the poem, you have to understand the full context of the health care reform situation at the time in which the poem read.  The poem was read on Tuesday, three days before Christmas on Friday. 

The Democratic Senators wanted to pass the Senate health care reform bill before Christmas.  The Republic Senators wanted to delay it as long as possible in hopes of gaining pubic opposition against it.  This what was Burris was referring to when he said "the right held up the health care bill no matter what was in it" where the political right is in reference to the Republican side.  The reference to Republicans was also suggested in the words "obstructionist tactics of some".  A filibuster was one such tactics.  But in the poem, Burris envisioned a victory for the Democrats when he said the "filibuster had broken and the people had won.  And a good bill was ready for the President Obama."

Little did Burris knew at the time that his vision would indeed come true on Thursday December 24 Christmas eve morning when when Senate approved the Senate version of the health care reform bill.  The results of the vote was 60 for the bill and 39 against it.  The 60 aye's was needed to prevent a Republican filibuster.  All 58 Democrat senators voted for it. Both Independents senators was for it.  And 39 Republican opposed it.  One other Republican senator missed the vote.  So the vote was strictly divided along party lines.

The Senate rarely votes on Christmas eve.  In fact the last time Senate voted during Christmas eve was 114 years ago in 1895. ^[ref]   Obama had planned on leaving for his vacation in Hawaii on Wednesday ^[ref], but he decided to delay his plans until the Senate voted on Thursday Christmas Eve saying "I will not leave until my friends in Senate have completed their work, ... My attitude is that if they're making these sacrifices to provide health care to all Americans, then the least I can do is to be around and provide them any encouragement and last-minute help where necessary." ^[ref]  He left for Hawaii right after the Senate vote on Thursday.^[ref]

How many votes it takes to pass a bill in the Senate is complicated as explained here.  You can see the voting process in the video on the right.

Now that the bill had passed in the Senate, it still needs to be reconciled with the version of the bill that was passed by the House of Representatives.

Apparently, parodies of "The Night Before Christmas" are quite common. You can find a list of them on about.com linked here.

More references:

• U.S. Senate meets on Christmas Eve to Approve Health Care Reform
• Senate Approves Health Care Reform Bill
• Senate Passes Health Care Reform Bill