TPMDC
CBPP: Circumvent Filibuster To Pass Worthwhile Health Care Changes
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), President Obama, and Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV)
Share
Send to a friend!
The groundswell of support for health care "Plan B" continues. The liberal-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities makes the case that Democrats would be well within their rights--and within the bounds of tradition--to use the filibuster-proof reconciliation process to tweak the Senate health care bill...and that the tweaks being considered will strengthen the bill.
CBPP notes that, in the past, the reconciliation process has been used to make policy, including welfare reform, the 2001 and 2003 Bush tax cuts, and health care programs like CHIP, Medicare Advantage, and COBRA (which stands for Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act).
Comments (13) | Join the Conversation!
Leave a comment
Follow us!
Most Popular
TPM Stories Now Surging on Digg.com
TPM Top News
© 2010 TPM Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Moose49
January 27, 2010 1:02 PM
Puts Bayh, Lincoln and Nelson to shame.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Weeferdog
January 27, 2010 1:05 PM
But it's all for nothing if the Senate doesn't move. You can have all sorts of House support, 'groundswells' and everything else, but until the Place Where Democracy Goes to Die gets off its ass, this thing is still dead. I wish it weren't so, but ...
Weeferdog
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
wbgonne
January 27, 2010 3:39 PM in reply to Weeferdog
Based on my conversation with Kerry's office this morning I don't think the Senate intends to do ANYTHING on health care. But maybe they'll outlaw medical malpractice lawsuits. In a bi-partisan way, you understand.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
JohnMcCSF
January 27, 2010 1:21 PM
The problem isn't that the use of reconciliation in this context is unprecedented or depending on which elements of HCR are included, would be out of order. Nor is the problem that narrowly targeted reconciliation resolutions could fail to get majorities.
The problem is that the Senate can guarantee nothing, that the process will take weeks of floor debate and continued national focus, and that any decision which predicates House action on a guarantee of Senate action is in effect a decision, by the House dems, to kill the bill, and likely their majority status
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
wbgonne
January 27, 2010 1:48 PM
I've reported this in other threads but I'll put it out here, too. I called John Kerry's office and Rep. Capuano's office this morning. Kerry is opposed to reconciliation because he wants to find a bi-partisan compromise. According to his office, that is the message Kerry draws from Teabag Brownie's win. Capuano is undecided and is still considering his position. With these profiles in courage, I really think health care reform is dead for the foreseeable future. Feel free to call their offices; maybe you'll get more encouraging answers than I.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Alex39
January 27, 2010 2:01 PM in reply to wbgonne
I've reported this on other threads but I'll repost it here. This appears to be an incorrect characterization of Kerry's response. See other TPM threads for the links to people who correct it.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
wbgonne
January 27, 2010 3:35 PM in reply to Alex39
What are you taking about? I just spoke to Kerry's office this morning. Did you?
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
wbgonne
January 27, 2010 3:56 PM in reply to wbgonne
OK. I went and dug up what you are referring to. A comment on another blog:
http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2010/01/house-progressives-willing-to-back-modified-senate-bill-centrist-senators-resume-customary-posture-as-villains.php/comment-page-1#comment-1748446
Whatever this commenter's sincerity, I know what I was told by Kerry's office. And I would direct your attention to the last sentence:
That sounds like obfuscation to me. This is what I think happened. I think the staffer I spoke with wasn't supposed to tell me what she did. Whether that's because it's inaccurate, however, is another matter altogether. In any case, I know what I was told by Kerry's office so please don't shoot the messenger.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
plan69
January 27, 2010 5:13 PM in reply to wbgonne
I called Kerry's office after reading one of your "Kerry doesn't want reconciliation and wants to reach across the aisle" comments. The person I spoke to emphatically and, with a touch of exasperation in his voice, said that Sen Kerry supports passing healthcare by attaching a "reconciliation rider" to the Senate Bill. As a matter of fact, he also told me that Kerry had made a comment earlier this morning supporting this very idea.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
wbgonne
January 27, 2010 5:52 PM in reply to plan69
You know what? Why doesn't Kerry just issue a statement declaring his position of health care reform going forward? Then there won't be any need to rely on anonymous internet posters who may or may not have other agendas? How's that sound? Too much to ask?
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
plan69
January 27, 2010 10:28 PM in reply to wbgonne
Good point. Maybe he should take it one step further and hold a press conference and declare his position on every single issue at the beginning of every single day. He owes us that much.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
wbgonne
January 28, 2010 9:58 AM in reply to plan69
They have things called websites now. On the internet thing. And health care reform isn't "every single issue." It is what the Democrats have been working on for one full year. Waterloo and all that. But go on: keep enabling mealy-mouthed losers, that's working just great so far.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
OhioGuy
January 27, 2010 1:54 PM
Just tack the excise tax changes onto an appropriations bill. Nobody's going to fight so hard against a tax cut.
And tack the Nebraska crap onto any bill before the Senate. Nobody but Nebraskans is going to vote against that.
There's no reason to delay passage of the House bill if this crap is all that's left to dispute.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?