Here is why reconciliation won't work

Human Events ^ | 03/02/2010 | vanity

[GilGil]

"Making the reconciliation process even more unwieldy and exhaustive is the rule that senators may offer an unlimited number of amendments which could work to the GOP’s advantage, legislative strategists said."

[GilGil]

It would appear that the reconciliation process is to be used for budgetary issues only. As such, senators can offer unlimited numbers of amendments and basically cut up the bill like swiss chees. another way of saying this is running out the clock.

It would appear that the problem will not be the democrats but the republicans. We can 100% win this withouot a doubt. The missing link will be how good we will be at keeping the republicans in line. they can drown and choke this bill to death with reconciliation!!!!

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

I hope you’re right.

On the other hand, socialist medicine is a moot point after financial Armageddon strikes, which will be within 2 years.

[Man50D]

It will be interesting to see if the conservative tea party movement has helped the OP(formerly the GOP) grow a spine.

[BunnySlippers]

Bookmarking ... hoping ...

[CaptainMorgantown]

The Republican leadership needs to be willing to do whatever is necessary to stop this abuse of the legislative process. They need to do more than just complain about how unfair it is. They need to do whatever it takes to win, even if that means shutting down the Senate for months with parliamentary devices like 1000’s of ammendments.

[socialismisinsidious]

Here is how Jake Taper is saying obama will handle the budgetary issue:

Obama to Say Democrats Will Use Reconciliation to Pass Senate Health Care Reform Fix

He will argue these rules are perfectly appropriate because the procedure is not being used for the whole bill, just for some fixes; because reconciliation rules are traditionally used for deficit reduction and health care reform will reduce the deficit;

[fortheDeclaration]

The problem is the the Democrat controlled House won't pass the Senate version.

Nothing that the Senate Democrats would do would change that, even Reconciliation.

What is amazing is how few 'experts' even understand that.

[fortheDeclaration]

Yes, but the House has to pass the Bill FIRST.

[The Good Doctor]

Few amendments will delay it for a few days or weeks, others ruled non-germane. It cruises through. The Senate reconciliation is not going to be their problem. It’s the House, and that’s unfortunately looking doable.

[lack-of-trust]

Rules mean nothing to Democrats

Laws mean nothing to Democrats

[PGalt]

Rules mean nothing to Democrats

Laws mean nothing to Democrats

Rules and laws mean nothing to criminals. The Democrat Crime Syndicate marches on.

[Intolerant in NJ]

I’m still trying to figure out how Obama can now suggest his new slimmed down version of the healthcare bill, emphasizing Republican-proposed additions (yeah, right) and still expect to pass it using reconciliation - I thought they could only “reconcile” the bill already passed by the Senate with the House version of the same bill once the House voted on it, and that any new bill from Obama would have to be considered and voted on by the Senate, exposing it to potential filibuster which theoretically the ‘rats can’t break now - all very strange......

[OldDeckHand]

"Yes, but the House has to pass the Bill FIRST."

No, they can actually pass them in which ever order they like, so long as Obama signs the original legislation first. In other words, they can work out all the problems - in theory - and then have the House pass the original Senate bill. Then, both the Original Senate bill, and the Reconciliation Bill would be sent to Obama for his signature. It's kind of a dirty legislative trick.

[OldDeckHand]

"I thought they could only “reconcile” the bill already passed by the Senate with the House version of the same bill once the House voted on it,

That's certainly what common sense would dictate, but that's not how it has to work. They can pass the reconciliation bill first, so long as Obama ends up signing the original Senate legislation before he signs the Reconciliation. They'd just pass Reconciliation first, then sit on it until the House passes the Senate bill. Confusing, I know.

[OldDeckHand]

"What is amazing is how few 'experts' even understand that. "

I know we've had this conversation before, but it's not sinking in. The House would pass the Senate bill once the Reconciliation bill is passed first. Once that reconciliation bill is passed, the House leftists won't have any problems passing the original Senate legislation because it won't be the controlling law - the Reconciliation Bill will be.

If they can get the Reconciliation Bill passed, everything else becomes moot, as a practical matter.

[OldDeckHand]

" He will argue these rules are perfectly appropriate because the procedure is not being used for the whole bill, just for some fixes; because reconciliation rules are traditionally used for deficit reduction and health care reform will reduce the deficit;"

Not after the House takes a razor to the Cadillac Tax, it won't. The only thing that made the Senate bill palatable, even favorable when it got scored by CBO is that robust Cadillac Tax. But, the unions won't have it, so that's the biggest sticking point. Once that is gone (or raised to such a level it won't affect unions), the price of the original Senate bill is going to skyrocket, especially in the last ten years of the projection - which for the Byrd Rules for Reconciliation, are the most important 10 years. It's a problem for the Dems, even in the Senate.

[caww]

This is what I thought too..that Bos bill would have to go thru the process because it’s a new bill...this thing just gets so complicated as it goes along...but then I suspect the Demos will by pass whatever necessary to cram this thru...

I also heard that only the house has to pass it and it can go straight to Bo for signiture...so who really knows how this goes?

[caww]

So which one is the reconciliation bill? I’m sorry but I don’t think I’m getting this right. But I want to.

[caww]

Ok so why would the house pass the senate bill? Are there enough votes?

[TomasUSMC]

Ten thousands pigs were seen being loaded off of trains in Washington D.C. preparing the Capital for the biggest Nuclear Pork Giveaway in a hundred years.