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 …

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 …

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.’”

CBC member: Health bill protesters called lawmakers the N-word  —  Rep. Andre Carson (D-Ind.) claimed Saturday that healthcare protesters at the Capitol directed racial epithets at him Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) as they walked outside.  —  Carson, a member of the Congressional Black Caucus along with Lewis …

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 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).

‘Stupak dozen’ is now a half-dozen holdouts  —  Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) says that “at least six” of his original “dozen” members are standing firmly against the Senate healthcare bill.  —  Following a 20-minute huddle on the House floor with a handful of the holdouts, Stupak told reporters that he has …

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.