Posted on 02/20/2010 3:21:04 PM PST by Libloather
Reid: Dems will use 50-vote tactic to finish healthcare in 60 days
By Michael O'Brien - 02/20/10 01:44 PM ET
Democrats will finish their health reform efforts within the next two months by using a majority-vote maneuver in the Senate, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said.
Reid said that congressional Democrats would likely opt for a procedural tactic in the Senate allowing the upper chamber to make final changes to its healthcare bill with only a simple majority of senators, instead of the 60 it takes to normally end a filibuster.
"I've had many conversations this week with the president, his chief of staff, and Speaker Pelosi," Reid said during an appearance Friday evening on "Face to Face with Jon Ralston" in Nevada. "And we're really trying to move forward on this."
The majority leader said that while Democrats have a number of options, they would likely use the budget reconciliation process to pass a series of fixes to the first healthcare bill passed by the Senate in November. These changes are needed to secure votes for passage of that original Senate bill in the House.
"We'll do a relatively small bill to take care of what we've already done," Reid said, affirming that Democrats would use the reconciliation process. "We're going to have that done in the next 60 days."
The move would allow Democrats to essentially go it alone on health reform, especially after losing their filibuter-proof majority in the Senate after Sen. Scott Brown's (R) special election victory in Massachusetts.
Republicans have protested the maneuver as a hyperpartisan tactic to ram through a health bill, and have said that plans to use the reconciliation process make moot a bipartisan summit at the White House this week, where both GOP and Democratic leaders are supposed to present their ideas on healthcare.
Reid said that the final Democratic bill is likely to be unveiled Monday night.
Reid the fascist slug doesn’t have 50 votes.
Self-survival genes are kicking in amongst rat senators.
Reid knows he’s about to be stomped at the voting booth.
...the Dems will lose control of both Houses in November and the Presidency in 2012...if not sooner.
The American people might react even more strongly than merely voting these traitors out of office, should they ram this abomination through.
I don’t know if any pubs read this forum, but this is for you....if these cock-a-roaches try this, DO NOT SHOW UP FOR THE VOTE...do not even show up in the senate at all....if they are going to go this alone, make sure they are all alone..make these communist bastards shove this crap through without anyone else even present...
I understand from another article that in response to negative determinations from the parlimentarian, that Biden will be on hand to overrule him. Nuclear on top of nuclear.
These people will stop at nothing. They are totally dangerous because, with one or both chambers gone in November, they are willing to walk the plank to political suicide.
I think this is a dog and pony show to placate the far left of the RAT party.
Eventually Reid et al will announce that they tried their best but just dont have enough RAT votes to do this. The goal will be to convince the Koskreeps that they really really tried.
Bingo! I'm surprised it took 26 posts for someone to say this. The Senate bill will never get through the House. It barely made it last time.
And then does everyone who has paid thousands - actually, had thousands confiscated from them, in the 4 years ahead of 2014 - get their money back?
Or will that money also be funneled off to muslim countries?
I’m so thankful Juan McCain and Lindsey Graham and cohorts helped put together the Gang of 14 to preserve the comity and traditions of the Senate, and to keep the Republican majority from bypassing the Dims by using a nuclear option to break the Dims non-traditional use of the filibuster to block more than 100 Bush court nominees.
That brave action by Juan and Lindsey preserved comity and insured that the Dims would never ignore the traditions and rules of the Senate to force legislation they can’t get passed under Senate rules.
Thanks Juan and Lindsey. With ‘leaders’ like you, who needs Dims.
That’s fine. Now look for another job.
I PRAY you are right. Can’t abide the thought that this monstrosity will become the law of the land!
“Im so thankful Juan McCain and Lindsey Graham and cohorts helped put together the Gang of 14 to preserve the comity and traditions of the Senate, and to keep the Republican majority from bypassing the Dims by using a nuclear option to break the Dims non-traditional use of the filibuster to block more than 100 Bush court nominees.”
Ugh!!! I just had a nightmare revelation....The Gang of 14 was created in response to the Repubs push to used reconcilation. Here is my nightmare....McCain and Grahman find 12 Democrats to form another Gang of 14 or 10..to push their MODERATE (moderately liberal) in law. I fear this will be the outcome. McCain’s reelection bid may be the only thing that stops this from happening.
The Dims, very successfully, used the filibuster to block a Senate vote on more than 100 Bush court nominees who'd been approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee. The filibuster was not traditionally used top block votes on court nominees voted out of committee. But the Dims did it for 100+ Bush nominees.
Juan and Lindsey's Gang of 14 accomplished nothing but it kept 100 Bush nominees off the court, vacancies Obama is now filling.
They sure as heck didn't preserve any traditions which kept the Dims from using any trick they desire to pass legislation. They later used the Clay Pigeon tactic trying to pass amnesty, and wrote into Obamacare provisions that it'd take 67 votes to repeal it, and they'll use reconciliation for Obamacare if they think it will work.
Heeee'rs Harry!
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Assuming the Dems attempt Reconciliation: What are the roadblocks that we can impose? I heard on Neil Bortz (Jamie Dupree Segment) that any amendment gets 24 (or 36?) hours of debate. So multiple amendments can be the same as the filibuster. Any input here is appreciated!!
I can only say what I have heard/read elsewhere: that a reconciliation process is really ONLY designed for a budget and that multiple amendments - or the stripping away of same through requirements of endless discussion of each and every one - are allowed. If that’s the way things go it will get bogged down and I pray this nightmare is STRIPPED TO THE BONE!!!
Harry, did you get that done yet?
Assuming the Dems attempt Reconciliation: What are the roadblocks that we can impose? I heard on Neil Bortz (Jamie Dupree Segment) that any amendment gets 24 (or 36?) hours of debate. So multiple amendments can be the same as the filibuster. Any input here is appreciated!!
Perhaps if Harry had one or two conversations with real people he would realize that there is no public support for his brand of health care reform. It is these feel-good, inbred conversations that have amplified Dem stupidity and brazenness. They're like a weatherman that never looks out the window. I hope they fail craptacularly.
To: JLLH Thanks, I think this is how we can blunt this!
Doesn’t the house have to approve the Senate bill before it can be reconciled?
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