Posted on 03/13/2017 8:06:46 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Who would have thought that Sen Ted Cruz, R-Texas, would find the Gordian knot that will change the #Obamacare impasse from a grinding campaign to try to pass a repeal and replace bill that no one is entirely satisfied with? The senator seems to have found a way to avoid a filibuster entirely in the effort to reform health care reform and pass a new, free-market law.
Thus far the problem has been what and what not can be included in a reconciliation bill that only needs 51 votes to pass the Senate. The bill being presented does not contain things like group insurance plans by associations, buying policies across state lines, tort reform, or removing a lot of Obamacare regulations. What is left is something that conservatives have called “Obamacare-light.” The rest of the provisions, it is promised, will happen in a separate bill where 60 votes will be needed.
Cruz, a Harvard-trained lawyer, has found a way around all that. Ordinarily, it is up to the Senate Parliamentarian what and what cannot be included in a reconciliation bill. However, the senator has found a provision in the 1974 #budget Act that states that the Vice President, as President of the Senate, can also determine what can be in reconciliation. Hence, Obamacare can be tossed on the ash heap of history and replaced by free market reforms in one fell swoop.
If the Senate Republicans are willing to do it. Invoking the provision of the Budget Act would be seen as a radical move. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and the Democrats would be enraged and will protest to the heavens. But it looks like the Republicans can roll them over and fix the greatest public policy blunder in a generation, if not a century. All they have to do is not go wobbly and stick together.
Of course, it should be mentioned that Obamacare was passed using dodgy tactics and lawyers’ tricks. It would only be fitting if the dysfunctional health care law is repealed using some clever lawyering. Trump will get his first legislative victory, Healthcare would be fixed, and Cruz becomes the master of the Senate. So much winning. #Ted Cruz
Yes, that other article also was explaining Cruz & this proposal of his.
Ping.
I forgot to say the problem may not be 60 votes but trying to get 50 Republicans to vote yes.
Sounds great in theory. I wonder what the genesis of the whole idea of granting the VP such power was? There must have been a reason..
Nice!
This is EXACTLY the kind of convoluted DC crap the Dems have been pulling for decades, it’s about time our side start fighting using the same rules.
I’m just going to say thank you very much, Ted, I hope you can help us out.
Far as convincing the GOP leadership, I don’t think the GOP has any leadership, the party is trash, it serves no purpose or function other than to mind the store while democrats are in disfavor just long enough to piss off the electorate enough to put democrats back in power.
The democrats are vampires, and the GOP is their human familiars who TCOB when the sun is up.
I think this is a re-hash of when Cruz brought it up ten days ago.
Absolutely
“Sounds great in theory.”
Yep, Cruz always sounds great in theory. But when it comes to making it happen...
Absolutely.
A yes, the inevitable will Hatch chicken question.
Who put the Parlimentarian in place? Why is that not an elected position? One unelected retard runs the country?
is he-who-is-not-to-be-named being named?
So PRyno is a piece of 0bama.
Problem solved!
And that is why the rinos hate him, because he epxects them to do the damned job they were hired by Americans to do- that pisses them off that someone would dare attempt to hold them accountable
Mitch could also dismiss the Parliamentarian and appoint a Republican - it’s within the rules - the current guy was appointed by Dingy Harry but Mitch just doesnt have it in him.
Graham, McCain, Collins won’t be on “our” side. There goes the Bill. They won’t vote to defund Planned Parenthood.
51 and done.
So it’s going to take a Texan to set things straight.
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