rssReconciliation Watch: GOP Getting Worried
Wednesday, April 01, 2009 at 3:08 pm
- 6 Comments
All 41 Republican senators have signed an open letter asking Democratic leadership not to use the filibuster-proof reconciliation process to pass health care reform, a sure sign that the threat of reconciliation, which would allow the Senate to pass a health care reform bill with 51 votes instead of 60–issued again yesterday by Secretary of Health and Human Services nominee Kathleen Sebelius—is working for the Democrats.
The Weekly Standard (PDF) has the letter, which includes the usual minority party talking points: Reconciliation “would be a tremendous disservice to the country” that would “restrict the ability of Senators to amend and perfect” a health care plan, and so on.
The reality is that faced with possible exclusion from health care negotiations, GOPers have to at least pretend to be open to compromise. The threat imposes a choice: If Republicans don’t want a simple majority vote, then two more Republicans have to show they are serious about “amending and perfecting” health care by making real concessions and signing on to an Obama plan. Then the threat goes away—and the country gets health care reform. If all the Republicans choose the partisan route (as they did on the stimulus bill) then guess what? They’ll get the dreaded partisanship of a simple majority vote on health care—and the country gets health care reform.
Either way, Obama wins. Which is why Republicans are objecting more and more.
6 Comments
Comment posted April 1, 2009 @ 12:47 pm
No way is this bipartisanship no matter how you cut it. If the Republicans stick to their guns and get out and let the country know what reconciliation is, come 2010 there should be a revolution against the Democratic Congress. Republicans can say they were steadfast and did not waver.
Comment posted April 1, 2009 @ 1:56 pm
Give the American people Health care and eliminate the insurance leech industry. If the Republicans get in the way exclude them. If this is what the Republicans want, give it to them. Now the idiot Republicans want to show the American people their own version of a budget stimulus plan that includes increasing military spending and saying to hell with the American people and their day to day needs and services which they have a right to based on their taxes to the government. I will never help elect another Republican Asshole as long as they are a bigoted, stupid, rich mans party.
Comment posted April 27, 2009 @ 2:52 pm
You extremist right-wingers lived by the sword throughout all eight miserable, criminal years of the Bush administration, using “reconciliation” many times, including once to ram through the Bush tax giveaways to the rich even though the Democrats fiercely opposed it. Now, you'll die by that same dual-edged sword. It's a booger, ain't it? I'll cry tomorrow. LMAO at teabagging buttheads!
Comment posted April 27, 2009 @ 9:52 pm
You extremist right-wingers lived by the sword throughout all eight miserable, criminal years of the Bush administration, using “reconciliation” many times, including once to ram through the Bush tax giveaways to the rich even though the Democrats fiercely opposed it. Now, you'll die by that same dual-edged sword. It's a booger, ain't it? I'll cry tomorrow. LMAO at teabagging buttheads!
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