Reid Warns That Reconciliation Is Still An Option

[SpartanDem]

At a special evening meeting of the Democratic caucus tonight, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid outlined, in broad strokes, the details of his health care bill, which the CBO has found, in a preliminary analysis, will expand coverage to 94 percent of Americans while reducing the deficit. And earlier in the day, during a separate meeting about floor procedure, Reid let three of his party's key skeptics know that if they join Republicans at any stage of the process to block the bill, he still retains the option of passing major parts of it through the filibuster proof budget reconciliation process.

In response to a question from TPMDC Nelson told reporters that, at a meeting this afternoon with Sens. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), Reid "talked about process, procedure, discussion about reconciliation and a whole host of issues of that sort."

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/11/reid-outlines-bill-for-caucus-warns-conservative-dems-that-reconciliation-is-still-an-option.php?ref=fpa

[Truth2Tell]

1. So why not just do it?

Why didn't they do it to begin with?

Why did he negotiate away so much of this bill for months with these blue dog shitheads?

:shrug:

[SpartanDem]

2. It's not simple

First it temporary that why the Bush tax cuts expire after five years. Secondly is that it meants pass budget issue nothing it possible raise points order against non germane parts and have stripped out. There is a very misguided notion its some magic thing that let you pass anything the 51 votes.

The current whip count seems to indicate that a majority are in favor of establishing a public health insurance agency. The real problem is whether the public option may even be included in a budget reconciliation bill. This is due to the Byrd Rule. The Byrd Rule rule, originally propagated by Senator Robert Byrd in the mid 1980s, defines what constitutes "extraneous matter" that would be subject to a point of order by any Senator. These six tests for identifying extraneous matter are:

* do not produce a change in outlays or revenues;

* produce changes in outlays or revenue which are merely incidental to the non-budgetary components of the provision;

* are outside the jurisdiction of the committee that submitted the title or provision for inclusion in the reconciliation measure;

* increase outlays or decrease revenue if the provision's title, as a whole, fails to achieve the Senate reporting committee's reconciliation instructions;

* increase net outlays or decrease revenue during a fiscal year after the years covered by the reconciliation bill unless the provision's title, as a whole, remains budget neutral;

* contain recommendations regarding the OASDI (social security) trust funds.

A point of order can be waived if 60 members vote in favor of waiving it. If the point of order is upheld, the provision would be struck from the bill. Of course, that essentially defeats the point of running the public option through reconciliation to get around the filibuster threat. Now, there are some exceptions to the Byrd Rule that can eliminate the point of order

http://www.congressmatters.com/story/2009/8/23/212522/822

[47of74]

3. Yes but would Reid follow through

Based on his performance to date I have my doubts.

[grantcart]

4. good