Posted on 09/22/2009 6:30:37 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Senate Republicans issued a blunt warning to their Democratic colleagues today: Don’t even think about using reconciliation to ram through a health care bill.
Minority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters that Democrats suffer a severe backlash if they used the procedural tactic, which would allow them to pass reform legislation with a bare 51 votes. This warning is not new – GOP leaders have gone so far as to call the use of this procedural maneuver a “nuclear” option – but McConnell renewed his warning amid reports that the Senate could still use reconciliation of they can’t win bipartisan support for health reform.
“Let me say…budget reconciliation has never been used to structure one-sixth of the American economy,” said McConnell. “If that option were chosen, there would be a severe, negative, and I think appropriate reaction from the American people.”
“If you thought the American people were upset in August, you haven’t seen how upset they will be if this device is chosen.”
McConnell acknowledged today that Republicans had in the past used reconciliation to pass tax cuts, but he said the large impact any health care package would have on the nation’s economy made any comparison unfair.
Majority Leader Harry Reid has said he is keeping open the option of using reconciliation, while stressing that he would rather pass a bill along less strictly partisan means.(continued)
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
Why do I have the feeling that a Senate Republican “severe” reaction would be no worse than a U N Security Council resolution expressing extreme displeasure??
A “severe” reaction. Such as an animated exchange on a Sean Hannity radio show, complete with hand-wringing and a couple ‘gosh darns’ thrown in for emphasis.
mitch has it the severe reaction right.........but it will come in the form of dismissal slips in 2010. and it will be with a vengeance that lasts into 2012.
I believe he means us reacting.
A very strongly worded letter signed by all of the minority leadership.
Geez McConnell sounds like a name I should know. New guy or closeted ol Fogey?
Sounds like one that should go in the 2010 Purge.
GOP need to strong arm these idiot RINOS. Ried threatens the GOP with the nuclear option via the media of coarse to give the moronic cnn, msnbc viewers that it’s the Republicans that are standing in the way of this bill. YOU LIE! YOU ALL LIE!
I suspect he means something less drastic than that, but not much.
If the Senate passes something this big with a budgetary procedure, I suppose a Republican Senate could simply EXPEL Democrat Senators in the future the same way, and imprison them for the duration of their terms if need be.
There are a lot of things the Senate could do on its way pell mell into a future fraught with third-world killings and other abuses.
It's up to Harry Reid to decide whether we continue to live in the United States or find ourselves armed to the teeth holed up in our homes like they were castles ~
The distance between "now" and a return of "feudalism" is very, very short.
BTW, in feudalism people like Harry Reid don't win.
McConman is a gelding. Wimp! Such a dumbazz.
Let them remember, if they do it, that turn about is fair play.
what the GOP leadership is boiling the wet noodle for the whipping?
Republicans in the senate have no credibility.
Not to worry, they won’t even be able to come up with 51 votes.
Don’t worry, the Republicans will fall in line and vote along with them ...
What can be done to destroy Socialized Medicine via civil disobediance?? Organized medical strikes, refusal to register, underground insurance, blackmarket medicine, etc.
If the Democrats pursue the nuclear option they give CONSERVATIVES (screw the Republicans pussies) the high moral ground. They will be jamming government run health care down America's throat.
Double Secret Probation? (muffled cough) BS!
“If you thought the American people were upset in August, you haven’t seen how upset they will be if this device is chosen.”
Yeah Mitch, but shouldn't you and your republican colleagues be leading that charge?
A simple Constitutional challenge brought before the Supreme Court would blow this crap out in the street.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.