Passing ANWR without a filibuster?

[Meritaten1]

Now it appears the Republican controlled legislative branch has devised a mechanism that could allow drilling in the Artic National Wildlife Refuge, without the possibility of a filibuster to stop it:

See: http://www.suntimes.com/output/novak/cst-edt-novak21x.html

Scroll to the bottom: "Reviving ANWR"

Per Mr. Novak:

(snip)

"Tentative plans are for ANWR to be tucked into next year's budget bill. It then would take only a simple majority of 51 votes in the 100-member Senate under budget reconciliation to authorize drilling, while 60 senators are needed to break a filibuster if the bill was considered separately"

(snip)

Mods, please forgive if this post is a dupe

[joeybee12]

1. They recently tried this, and enough Repukes crossed over to kill it...

...not sure if that will happen this time.

[madinmaryland]

2. Robert M. Novak

"A douchebag for liberty"

[Meritaten1]

3. So, essentially, then, the fillibuster "constraint" is an illusion too?

Theoretically, the same mechanism could be applied to other legislation as well.