Reid: Dems will use 50-vote tactic to finish healthcare within 60 days

[ProSense]

Reid: Dems will use 50-vote tactic to finish healthcare within 60 days

By Michael O'Brien

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.

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"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."

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[freddie mertz]

1. Lots of promises.

Then we have this:

http://www.dailykos.com/tv/w/002055/

From now on, only after the bill is passed, signed, and passes into law will i believe anything coming from the Dem leadership on this issue.

[gateley]

6. Agree -- there have been so many changes. I'd like to believe that all the shuffling was

attempt at that bipartisanship crap, but it sounds as though at this point, they're willing to forego that. I'm hoping Obama's meeting with the Reps is the final "see? we tried again -- what more can we do?" tactic, and then we'll forge ahead as Harry says in this statement. But as you say, I'll believe it when I see it.

[Juche]

14. Did you see the end part though?

When Obama said the public option was something the right & left were fixated on?

Health reform that may bend the cost curve, save trillions in private & public spending, cover almost everyone, combat rescission and bankruptcies, end pre-existing condition bans, cover preventative care, etc will be a huge accomplishment.

We should have a public option, but it isn't the beginning or end of it.

[freddie mertz]

17. Then why did he say "must"? nt.

[Juche]

18. He said it must include an exchange, including a public option

However I agree with Obama in the latter video when he said the public option isn't everything.

Other parts of the legislation are deeply important. Subsidies, a health exchange, universal coverage, banning pre-existing conditions, combatting rescissions, preventative care, etc.

A public option is important for moral and economic reasons. But it isn't worth killing the bill over.

[freddie mertz]

19. Then we must agree to disagree.

Especially on the mandate to buy private insurance and the lack of antitrust provisions.

Also, the pre-existing conditions provisions in the current Senate bill are less than weak.

They are more of an illusion than anything else.

[Ken Burch]

2. If he can do it, I'll take back almost every bad thing I've said about Harry

(Not every SINGLE bad thing, mind you...can't let the man get a swelled head.)

[Selatius]

3. The problem is the Dem leadership was way too short-sighted.

If they had looked far enough, they would've realized that getting all 60 votes would mean somebody could say, "I'll give you my vote only if you do..." Then, at that point, the concessions and compromises will make the bill fall apart. They should've planned to push it through using reconciliation all along. They simply didn't have to tell anybody that part of the road map until it became clear we were dealing with people not negotiating in good faith. I'm talking, of course, of Republicans and right wing Democrats.

Things could've gone a lot smoother if this was the game plan all along. Obama could've ended up with a bill long before his SOTU address.

[On the Road]

4. This is the First Time I've Seen a Reference to 50 Votes

Everyone seems to saying 51. But since Joe Biden acts as the tiebreaker, that 51st vote is not strictly necessary.

[baldguy]

5. In what sense? "Finish" as in successfully enact proposed reforms?

Or "finish" as in kill?

[niceypoo]

7. I will use past experience tactic to believe it when I see it

[Hekate]

8. As long as by "finish" he doesn't mean "put a stake through its heart"...

Move your butt, Mr. Reid, and get us that public option.

Hekate

[tavalon]

9. It takes one day, hell one hour to take a vote using reconciliation

Trying to move forward on this? Try doing, dipshits!

[tavalon]

10. Oh, wow! I'm so, so excited!!!! This is hugh!!!1!!

Not.

Do it, then talk about it.

[Enrique]

11. why 60 days?

neither Reid nor The Hill explains what the 60 days are for. Anyone know?

[BadgerKid]

13. How about to align investments?

Of either themselves (illegal conflict of interest) or friends and family. Who's going to stop them?

[RBInMaine]

12. GOOD ! Now FLOOD his and every D's office to DO IT !

[DRoseDARs]

15. I'm having a little trouble reading this. Something about checks and his ass cashing them?

:shrug:

Reid isn't looking too good for getting my vote again. He's been a stunning and embarrassing disappointment as a leader since '06 to this Nevadan.

[IndianaGreen]

16. Wake me up in 60 days and tell me if Reid kept his word (a first for him)

and that the Medicare Buy-In is part of Public Option, otherwise, I don't care to hear another dispatch from Reid.

[CTLawGuy]

20. Thanks for the supportive comments everyone

!

[Kyril Enko]

21. 50 Votes in 60 Days

He must be a Jules Verne fan! ;)