"Only one Senate Democrat opposes reconciliation, while 44 don't oppose"

[Clio the Leo]

**Note: This is referring to reconciliation PERIOD ... not just reconciliation WITH a PO. It's getting confusing, huh? lol **

Only one Senate Democrat opposes reconciliation, while 44 don't oppose

by: Chris Bowers
Wed Feb 24, 2010 at 13:33

Update--Jay Rockefeller favors reconciliation. Make that 44. Post updated to reflect
***
There is virtually no opposition among Senate Democrats to using reconciliation to finish health reform.

As of right now, only one Senate Democrat, Blanche Lincoln, has come out in opposition to using budget reconciliation to finish health reform. A second, Evan Bayh, originally opposed and then changed his mind.

By contrast, 44 Democratic Senators have stated, without any countermanding statements, that they are open to reconciliation. You can see the list here. I am including both "yes" and "maybe" Senators for question #1 on that chart, since anyone who is a maybe has at least left the door open.
Further, a look at the 14 members of the Democratic Senate caucus who have yet to make a public statement on reconciliation shows that it should be easy to round up the remaining seven votes to use the procedure.

<snip>

Among this list, only Bill Nelson and Robert Byrd pose serious threats against the use of reconciliation. The rest are either all freshman (who aren't going to block major legislation), and / or they are reliably liberal votes. It should be pretty easy to round up another seven from this list.

While it is still worthwhile to get 50 Senators on record as not just open to, but favoring, reconciliation, the outcome of the Senate reconciliation whip count seems like a foregone conclusion. The Senate has the votes to use reconciliation. Now, the question is what will actually be in that reconciliation bill.

http://www.openleft.com/diary/17552/only-one-senate-democrat-opposes-reconciliation-while-fortythree-dont

[blue neen]

1. Link?

Thanks! :)

[Clio the Leo]

2. Whoops.... fixed. NT

[Cha]

3. Kicks!

[Bitwit1234]

4. Amy Klobuchar opposes it, she said she believes in following

the constitution and it isn't in the constitution. Hey Amy neither is cloture and the filibuster. She stated that much in the emails that she sent back to a privilege few. You can't even get an auto reply from her. I guess she just doesn't want to give up those corporate dollars. Thank God for Al Franken.

[DFLforever]

5. She's supporting it now.

Check the list at Open left

[depakid]

6. She actually said that?

Sounds like a fucking teabagger.