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......
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.
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?