You’re a mean one, Mr. DeMint…

Senator Jim DeMint of South Carolina once said that he wanted health care reform to be President Obama’s Waterloo.

Now, it turns out, all he wants for Christmas is to be known as Senator Grinch. The Hill reports that DeMint is trying to drive the health care debate all the way to Christmas Eve:

Sen. Jim DeMint said Thursday he is prepared to use every procedural tool to delay a vote on the Democratic healthcare legislation.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is planning to schedule votes around the clock over the next week to meet a deadline of passing the bill by Christmas. Without the cooperation of Republicans, the marathon schedule would end with a vote on Christmas Eve.

Reid hopes that Republicans will waive some of the procedural formalities so senators are not forced to spend the evening before Christmas milling about the Senate floor.

But Sen. DeMint (R-S.C.), chairman of the Senate Republican Steering Committee and a leader of the conservative opposition, told The Hill he will not yield back any time.

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 Senate healthcare reform 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.”

via DeMint promises to delay health bill, force Christmas Eve vote – TheHill.com.

As I’ve said before, this isn’t a sign of strength. If you can beat a bill, you let it go to a vote. If you can’t beat a bill, you drag it out as long as possible to excite your base before you go down in flames.

But anyways, Senator DeMint, in your honor, here’s the cartoon adaptation of Dr. Seuss, just for you: