DeMint: politics more important than observing the birth of Jesus, and no, we're not holding up anything.

Fresh from his pharisaical, breast-beating in the temple, "prayercast" Wednesday night, Senator Jim DeMint says he intends to keep Senators away from their families- and, by extension, from their family observations of the most important day of the Christian year:

DeMint also said he would force the Senate to return to Washington after Christmas to vote on a $290 billion increase to the federal debt limit. Treasury officials told lawmakers that they need an increase of borrowing authority to keep the government solvent beyond Dec. 31.

“I’m not going to waive any time,” DeMint said in an interview, when asked whether he would force Reid to go late into Christmas Eve to pass healthcare legislation. “I think it’s our responsibility to stretch this out because every day we do we have time to tell Americans what’s in it."

DeMint said Democrats hope “they can pass it before Americans know what’s in it, while people are thinking about Christmas and being with their families.”

DeMint has yet to verify that he has, himself, read the legislation he needs so much time to tell people about.


DeMint's other face declared today:

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) said on Fox News today that Ben Nelson will be "an American hero if he stands up and says no" to health care reform.

DeMint insisted that Republicans "have not been in the way so far, we haven't held up anything. They are on their own. It's the Democrats against the American people. Republicans are pretty much on the sidelines and have been."

He also said that "Ben Nelson will be an American hero, if he stands up and says no to this. The type of intimidation and pressure he's under is incredible."