Posted on 02/28/2010 2:23:09 PM PST by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Democratic leaders in the Congress voiced confidence on Sunday they will have the votes, possibly within a couple of months or so, to pass landmark legislation to overhaul the healthcare system.
Facing a wall of Republican opposition, Democrats have said they may resort to a rarely used procedural tactic, .. reconciliation, to win approval on purely partisan votes.
President Barack Obama, who hosted a White House summit last week that produced no sign of bipartisan compromise, is to announce this week how he would like Democrats to proceed on a top legislative priority.
"Our members, everyone of them, wants healthcare" reform, House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, told ABC's "This Week" program.
"Everybody wants affordable healthcare for all Americans," Pelosi said. "They know that this will take courage."
Surveys show Americans oppose the sweeping legislation pushed by Democrats during the past year. But polls also find that most Americans favor reform and believe costs need to be reduced and coverage expanded.
Republican Senator Lamar Alexander warned Democrats to expect voter backlash in November's congressional elections if they try to use reconciliation, which would enable them to win passage in the 100-member Senate with 51 votes rather than the 60 required to clear Republican roadblocks.
"It would be a political kamikaze mission for the Democratic Party if they jam this through after the American people have been saying, 'Look, we're trying to tell you in every way we know how, in elections, in surveys, in town hall meetings, we don't want this bill,'" Alexander told "This Week."
"We'd really like to get a bipartisan bill," said Senator Robert Menendez, ..
"In the absence of that, the American people ... have said in the polls that they want to see (us) move forward on healthcare reform," ..
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (R) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (L) speak to the media outside of the West Wing of the White House, in Washington, DC, on February 25. President Barack Obama will muster the votes in the House of Representatives to force his flagship reform of US healthcare through without Republican support, Pelosi said Sunday. (AFP/File/Saul Loeb)
At this point in the game that is just another way of saying "this turkey is dead".
what are they smoking?
“President Barack Obama, who hosted a White House summit last week that produced no sign of bipartisan compromise, is to announce this week how he would like Democrats to proceed on a top legislative priority.”
Aren’t we in a sad state of affairs with this person at the helm? Sad, Sad, Sad...
Let them drag this out into the summer. People want jops, not healthcare. I’ve never seen a political party implode like this. It’s amazing.
I really doubt Pelosi’s talent for “muscling votes” is going to work this time around.
The endorphins from the berserker frenzy/kamikaze push to sign the House bill have worn off and those reps who do not come from super-safe districts are now sobered up and thinking of the consequences.
Those threaten and bribe tactics are not going to wash anymore. Self-preservation wins.
First, let's hurry, hurry.
Then, we need bipartisanship.
Then, we'll jam it down your throats.
Then, there's no hurry it will be fine in two months.
If they have a strategy, I don't know what it is. They come away from this appearing to be incompetent and confused.
Today, Democrat Senator Kent Conrad swore the Dems would not use reconciliation to pass Obama’s health care bill.
Every day that goes by, yet more wheels will come off this bandwagon.
The more Obama, Rahmbo and Pelosi keep pushing this excrement the more will democrat revolt brew and bubble.
There is no one at the helm.
Medical marijuana
Maybe I'm just "whistling past the graveyard", but that sounds to me like they're going to put off voting on it till they're so close to the November elections that by mutual and probably silent consensus the vote will be delayed till AFTER the election : And how the elections go may determine whether the crap is EVER voted on...at the very least, if the Ds are voted out and replaced by Rs, it will then be safe to conclude that the proposals are dead at least for the foreseeable future.
Nuclear option!
What's good for Republicans is good for political idiots too.
please please please let them speak of nothing but “healtcare” and cap n trade ...from now until November!!!!
HEY ‘RATS! America doesn’t want your communism! Stuff it!
I think you've answered your own question.
a lot of damage could be done in a lame duck session...
Lord! I hate that womans hands— I have no idea why but they drive me UP THE WALL! Like nails on a chalkboard!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.