Obama, Senate May Stymie 60-Vote GOP Filibuster Efforts

The Bulletin ^ | Tuesday, March 03, 2009 | Joe Murray

[curth]

The Obama administration announced Sunday it would keep all options on the table as it prepares to battle Republican lawmakers over a massive budget that stands to usher in historic changes in energy and health-care reform.

Peter Orszag, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, refused to rule out the possibility the Obama administration would press for the use of a questionable Senate tactic in which just 50 senators would be needed to pass the controversial changes. The comment was a clear indication the White House is expecting a bruising battle over the legislation.

By using the budget reconciliation process — a lawmaking provision that would keep the budget safe from a GOP filibuster — the budget would need only 50 votes to pass instead of the 60 traditionally needed to overcome a filibuster.

“We have to keep everything on the table. We want to get these … important things done this year,” Mr. Orszag told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos. He singled out healthcare by describing it as “the key to our fiscal future.”

But there is serious question as to whether the Obama administration’s use of the budget reconciliation process is consistent with the bill that birthed the process.

Codified in 1974, the budget reconciliation process was to be used “as a deficit-reduction tool, to force committees to produce spending cuts or tax increases called for in the budget resolution.” There is serious doubt, however, the procedural tool intended to reconcile existing tax or entitlement law with the new tax or mandatory spending targets can be used to circumvent debate on an issue of national importance.

[nufsed]

The interstate highway program is one of the greatest successes of the federal government. It was conceived, funded and the overall planning was federal. Second to World War II in my mind to show what can be done if someone has their head on straight in DC. I guess going to the moon is in there somewhere. Polio vaccine. Shall I stop now?

Here's the general point, you're operating under a false premise that the federal government has never done anything worthwhile. It sounds good only to those who don't know history or are ignorant. Tell it to the Nazis and the emperor.

[Puppage]

Read #19. The government never “took over” the highways

Did I say they did?

[PogySailor]

Related:

That Was Then, This Is Now: The Filibuster

[refermech]

Good one!! Har!!!

[ElectricStrawberry]

.....and if those interstate highways were ever truly privatized.....would they be better or worse? Cheaper or more expensive?

...lemme tell you about the Big Dig. $2.7 Billion proposed.......$15 billion spent. Massachusetts now pays around $880,000 per mile EVERY YEAR to take care of it’s State roads.......think someone else could do it better and cheaper?

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

Wrong.

Drive I-94 between Milwaukee and Detroit (and wear a kidney belt!)

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

You forgot that the I-Sytem was the brainchild of DDEisenhower, Republican POTUS.

[philman_36]

Here's the general point, you're operating under a false premise that the federal government has never done anything worthwhile.
I'm not operating under any false premises. The question posed was...
Can someone please name ONE thing that the government ever took over and made better?
The government never took over the highway system and the government couldn't make something that didn't exist better.
The federal government has done very little that is "worthwhile". Unless you like the Nanny State and then they've done lots of worthwhile things. Most of the time they're making a bad situation worse or correcting errors that they made in the first place by meddling where they didn't belong!
Yes, laying out the plans for a national highway system was a good thing, but all the government did was pool the resources for it. And, as a Texan, I'm thoroughly ticked that so much of the money that I and my fellow Texans pay into gas taxes gets redistributed to other States.

Did I say they did?
No, Puppage, you didn't. I was trying to show you how the answer offered didn't fit, despite protestations to the contrary.

[nufsed]

I am familiar with the scandal and rip-off.

If you want to judge the interstate highway system started in the 50s by the political quicksand known as the state of Mass. Go ahead and do so.

My first trip across the country was in 1959 in the back of my dad's 53 Mercury. I've driven across the country 9 times on the Interstate system and I thank God for President Eisenhower and the federal program.

Lastly, without the interstate highways how would they know where to build the Wal Marts?

Suit yourself. That's my opinion.

[nufsed]

Your first reponse was incorrect. Read the federal legislation establishing the system. Based on that major factual error, I won’t read the rest of your reply.

[nufsed]

Why did you say I forgot that and if I did so what? Read my other posts.

[nufsed]

I have to leave. So far we have responses that indicate, the feds did not take charge of the Interstate Hwy system, there are potholes in Wisconsin, and there are corrupt politicans and contractors in Boston.

None of them reason enough to debunk my original posts.

I suggest some of you read more on the federal regulations about the interstates and the histor of General Eisenhower as a young officer.

G-Day (tribute to Paul Harvey).

[philman_36]

Read the federal legislation establishing the system.
I don't have to read the legislation. You're even admitting they didn't "take over" the highway system!
The legislation simply established it and directed the funding for it!

For your edification...
Transcript of National Interstate and Defense Highways Act (1956)
To amend and supplement the Federal-Aid Road Act approved July 11, 1916, to authorize appropriations for continuing the construction of highways; to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 to provide additional revenue from the taxes on motor fuel, tires, and trucks and buses; and for other purposes.

[dartuser]

You obviously haven’t driven on the Pennsylvania interstate highway system.

[Ev Reeman]

The Obambi budget is one of the worst budgets in US history!

[philman_36]

Provided further, That in the case of those sums heretofore, herein, or hereafter apportioned to any State for projects on the Federal-aid secondary highway system, the Secretary of Commerce may, upon the request of any State, discharge his responsibility relative to the plans, specifications, estimates, surveys, contract awards, design, inspection, and construction of such secondary road projects by his receiving and approving a certified statement by the State highway department setting forth that the plans, design, and construction for such projects are in accord with the standards and procedures of such State applicable…

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

Why did you say I forgot that and if I did so what? Read my other posts.

Are you always this thin skinned? Don't worry about a reply. I'm ignoring you so it doesn't escalate into a full-fledged "snit".

[VeniVidiVici]

I want to see just ONE interview with those pussies Lott and Frist over this.

[Vaduz]

Dirt roads are obamas idea of an interstate highway

[Eagle Eye]

Yeah, got him the GOP nomiation, right?

His nomiation has got to be one the the top 5 political blunders in US history.

The man who destroys the GOP’s majority gets nominated for President then runs a lackluster campaign and loses to a nobody.