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| Reconciliation? I Think Not |
| 2009-03-18 |
| March 18 (Bloomberg) -- President Barack Obama may try to push through Congress a health-care overhaul, energy proposals and tax increases by using a partisan tactic that would thwart Republican efforts to block the measures. The administration and congressional Democrats are debating whether to use a parliamentary procedure called reconciliation to advance some of the biggest items on the president's agenda. The move would allow Democrats to approve plans to raise taxes by $1 trillion, create a cap-and-trade system to rein in greenhouse-gas emissions, and overhaul health care without a single Republican vote. "You're talking about running over the minority, putting them in cement and throwing them into the Chicago River," said Senator Judd Gregg, a New Hampshire Republican who stepped down last month as Obama's pick for Commerce secretary. "It takes the minority completely out of the process." Reconciliation reduces the number of votes needed to pass legislation in the 100-seat Senate to a simple majority rather than the 60 required to overcome resistance to major bills. The tactic also limits debate to no more than 20 hours and imposes restrictions on amendments. Read the rest. |
| Posted by:Deacon Blues |
| #6 The maneuver may carry a steep political cost because it is likely to poison relations with Senate Republicans Washington, the town of mis-speak, double-talk, mis-direction, and downright deception all aimed at the American voter. "Reconciliation"-another example of nothing resembling reconciliation. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2009-03-18 23:49 |
| #5 The trunks never have the cajones to do to the donks what is done to them. They have less discipline, are more craven, and are more easily maligned by the MSM. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2009-03-18 21:36 |
| #4 They never learn. Destroy the process and the process won't be there to protect you when you lose power. What can be put up, can be taken down. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2009-03-18 20:41 |
| #3 I don't know, TW. On Charlie Rose, our illustrious |
| Posted by: Frank G 2009-03-18 19:50 |
| #2 Your pardon. Trailing daughter #2 says it's actually fortissississimo, not triple forte as we orchestral types used to call it. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2009-03-18 19:49 |
| #1 What an opportunity to give sole ownership of these bills to the Democrats, should they manage to force this through. Nail this one home -- starting with the Stimulus bill, the Republicans have been completely excluded from any negotiations to address the concerns of the 48% of Americans who did not vote for the Democratic version of hope and change. That the Democrats, led by President Obama, are even considering this tactic for issues that really need to be worked through by all involved, should be trumpeted in triple forte. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2009-03-18 19:47 |