House takes up a plan tied to health care overhaul

AP via SFGate ^ | 4/1/9 | ANDREW TAYLOR, Associated Press Writer

[SmithL]

WASHINGTON, (AP) -- The House took up a budget plan Wednesday that would allow Democrats to enact health care legislation more easily while Senate Republicans won a key vote to slow the advance of global warming legislation. As debate continued on nonbinding Democratic budget plans largely mimicking President Barack Obama's $3.6 trillion budget proposal, Republicans in the House offered an alternative that would eventually end the Medicare program as it is presently known.

For all the pell-mell developments on Capitol Hill, the young administration's budget plan, while stripped to its essentials, appeared on track to pass on Thursday.

The House and Senate plans, nonbinding blueprints called budget resolutions, are a necessary step toward enacting major legislation such as Obama's plans to overhaul the health care system.

Much of the debate centered on who should bear the blame for mammoth deficits and what should be done about them. However, the most contentious question may be whether to use the measures as a precursor to advancing health care legislation under fast-track rules that would allow it to pass through the Senate by a simple majority after just a 20-hour debate.

As a general rule, debate is freewheeling in the Senate and most bills need 60 votes to advance, guaranteeing that the minority party has leverage.

Seeking the upper hand over Senate Republicans, House leaders are insisting on having a filibuster-proof bill at the ready if bipartisan efforts to pass health care fall apart. That effort is being resisted by the Senate, though it seems increasingly clear that the final House-Senate compromise on the budget is likely to allow health care reform to pass on a fast track.

After a decisive vote Wednesday, apparently global warming legislation will not advance on such a filibuster-proof path.

[sourcery]

The Republicans once again earn their moniker: The Stupid Party. Cap and trade would be easily repealed. Socialized medicine will be irreversible.

[Kenny]

The Republicans once again earn their moniker: The Stupid Party. Cap and trade would be easily repealed. Socialized medicine will be irreversible.

Could not have said it better!

But are they that stupid? Starting to wonder if they're not in on this mess because otherwise, you'd be hearing all hell break loose over slipping NATIONALIZED HEALTHCARE through in a budget.