Anthony Weiner: more like that, please | Michael Tomasky

Last night the House of Representatives was debating a bill to spend about $7 billion on healthcare monitoring for rescue workers and residents involved in 9-11 health fallout in lower Manhattan. The Democrats brought it to the floor under a rule requiring a two-thirds majority, because that same rule also prevents the addition of "mischief" amendments from the minority, which the Republicans were planning on adding, evidently excluding undocumented immigrants, thus forcing a tough vote that would have made many centrist Democrats vote no lest they open themselves up to charges that they want to spend "your" tax money on a bunch of illegals.

So the bill got 225 votes, with 159 against, but since 255 is short of two-thirds, it failed. The Democrats were 243-4 in support, and the GOP 12-155 against.

This made Democrat Anthony Weiner of Brooklyn pretty unhappy. Follow this link to TPM to watch his amazing tirade on the floor last night.

This is what the Democrats need more of. One of the big differences between the two parties is a really simple thing: passion. Republicans have an excess of it, and they're always fulminating at Democrats and liberals, and Democrats and liberals rarely fulminate back. Well, liberals do, I guess, in the sense of people like me. But Democrats don't. They're forever saying no, no, you're being unfair, you're factually mistaken, boo hoo.

They just need to show people they have some fight in them. This Weiner rant should be for them a galvanizing ( or -nising) capital-M moment. Republicans are using procedural excuses to deny health monitoring services to 9-11 rescue workers. Period. How much more black and white can it get? This is a huge winner for them if they understand how to use it.

But they won't. They don't play for keeps the way the R's do. Remember always, friends, the emblematic moment of this political year so far. Earlier this year, the House was debating the healthcare bill. Nathan Deal, Republican of Georgia, wanted to retire and vacate his seat early to go run for governor. Neil Abercrombie, Democrat of Hawaii, wanted to retire and vacate his seat early to go run for governor.

The healthcare vote was approaching, and everybody knew that every vote counted. The GOP leadership said to Deal, no way buddy - you hang around to vote against this bill, then you go do what you want. The Democratic leadership let Abercrombie leave before the vote. Not only was there no penalty placed on him. They threw him a goodbye party. And - this is the kicker - he didn't even go to it!

That's your difference right there. Democrats: follow young Anthony before all is lost.