Rules Committee meeting descends into chaos  —  At the House Rules Committee meeting, Democrats desperate to pass their national health care plan are running into the barrier of basic civics.  Here is the problem: The Senate has passed its HCR bill.  If the House passes the same bill …

House leaders plan separate health vote, rejecting ‘deem and pass’  —  House leaders have decided to take a separate vote on the Senate health-care bill, rejecting an earlier, much-criticized strategy that would have permitted them to “deem” the unpopular measure passed without an explicit vote.

Reports: Deem and Pass is dead; keep the no-mentum going  —  Well, well, well.  Breaking news all over that the Dems have now abandoned Demon Pass.  —  WaPo alert: … The Hill tweets: “Our Roxana Tiron reports Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) told her Pelosi now WILL NOT use ‘deem and pass.’”

Health-care updates  —  The Democrats are looking like they're going to win this one clean.  And when I say clean, I don't just mean they seem to have the votes.  I mean they seem to have the votes without going the deem and pass route.  They're going to take a straight vote on the nine pages …

Rep. Engel: Pelosi has abandoned ‘deem and pass’  —  Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) said that Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) won't use the tactic of deem and pass for healthcare reform.  —  Instead there will be two separate votes, one on the Senate bill and one on the reconciliation bill.

Menacing  —  Things are getting pretty heated in the Capitol with crowds of anti-Reform/Tea Party activists going through the halls shouting slogans and epithets at Democratic members of Congress.  —  As our Brian Beutler reports, a few moments ago in the Longworth office building …

Tea Party Protests: ‘Ni**er,’ ‘Faggot’ Shouted At Members Of Congress  —  Abusive, derogatory and even racist behavior directed at House Democrats by Tea Party protesters on Saturday left several lawmakers in shock.  —  Preceding the president's speech to a gathering of House Democrats …

Tea Party sign threatens gun violence if health care passes.  —  Tea Party activists have gathered on Capitol Hill today for a “Code Red” rally against health care reform.  Speakers at the event included Republican Reps. Steve King (IA), Michele Bachmann (MN), and Mike Pence (IN).

Democrats Picking Off Stupak Supporters  —  House Democratic leaders appear to be succeeding in their push to peel off abortion-rights opponents lined up with Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) against a health care overhaul.  —  Stupak said those standing with him now number about six — down from the rough dozen he has claimed for weeks.