TPMDC
Barrasso: Senate Should Only Pass Health Care Reform If It Can Get 70 Or 80 Votes (VIDEO)
Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY)
Share
Send to a friend!
Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) told Fox News this morning that the Senate should only pass health care legislation if it can get 70 or 80 votes.
He also called reconciliation -- a process by which Democrats could pass legislation with a simple majority -- a "trick."
"If you're gonna pass something that's gonna impact everyone in this country personally, their own personal health care, and impact one sixth of the economy, you ought to get something like this passed with 70 or 80 votes in the Senate," he said. "That's the way you get the American people to say, yes, this must be a good idea.'"
Under reconciliation, which is a filibuster-proof process used for budgetary matters, Democrats could pass legislation with only 51 votes. Barrasso dismissed it as a "trick."
"The whole process, legislatively, is to get around the rules," he said.
Watch:
Barrasso also repeated a talking point from Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, questioning why President Obama is releasing his health care proposal before the bipartisan health care summit scheduled for Thursday. Barrasso said, however, that he will attend the summit if he's invited.
Comments (26) | 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.
Bearlegdairy
February 22, 2010 10:28 AM
War in Iraq? Sure, 50 votes. Spying on Americans? Sure, 50 votes. Multi-billion dollar tax cuts for the wealthiest 1%. Sure, 50 votes. Saving billions of dollars and thousands of lives a year? Fuck you. 80 votes.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Dorn76
February 22, 2010 11:38 AM in reply to Bearlegdairy
bingo
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
dswx
February 22, 2010 11:42 AM in reply to Bearlegdairy
I only wish your words came from Obama so that the MSM would all cover it! This should be point number one on all the Sunday talk shows this coming Sunday but of course we know it will be some Republican talking point.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
jback87
February 22, 2010 10:30 AM
70-80 votes? Health care reform requires a larger margin of support than amending the Constitution? That makes perfect sense.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
MASON
February 22, 2010 10:41 AM
Interesting... Is Barrasso fearing defections?
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
mans_best_friend
February 22, 2010 10:41 AM
I'm surprised he's not demanding 110 votes.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Chris
February 22, 2010 10:59 AM in reply to mans_best_friend
Not to mention the legislation should also have to be signed by both the Republican minority leader and the POTUS before it becomes law. Isn't democracy great!!!
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
sTiVo
February 22, 2010 12:13 PM in reply to Chris
Don't forget getting the previous President's approval.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Brownbagger
February 22, 2010 1:14 PM in reply to sTiVo
And a big "YES" on Sarah Palin's palm.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Viva!America!
February 22, 2010 10:50 AM
LOL!!! HA! HA!
Was there a laugh track going when he gave this interview?
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
AhTrini1
February 22, 2010 11:03 AM
What a joke the hypocrite party is . . .
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
KdNicewanger
February 22, 2010 11:07 AM
Someone from the Democratic Leadership should write those words down for use at a later date.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Icarus
February 22, 2010 11:39 AM
What he meant to say is the health bill requires unanimity, as we can see from Republican devotion to their filibuster rights.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
biff diggerence
February 22, 2010 11:45 AM
Scumbag Papist, alleged "Doctor".
Crappy Doctor, evidently. Now a US Senator from a flyover.
Graduate - Reading (PA) Central Catholic 71 or 72.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
baltimore
February 22, 2010 11:53 AM
all laws must pass with 100 votes in the Senate; except when the GOP (God's Own Party) is in power.
i got a better idea- abolish senators and just let the lobbyists write the laws. would be cheaper, eliminating the middle-man.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Icon
February 22, 2010 11:55 AM
If 11 or 21 Senate Republicans were legitimately interested in changing the unsustainable status quo, Sen. Barrasso would have an argument.
There aren't 11 or 21 Senate Republicans interested in improving the state of health care. I doubt there's even 5.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Jackster
February 22, 2010 11:55 AM
At least 11 vote from my side of the isle? Ya sure, but someone else, sure as hell not me.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Jackster
February 22, 2010 11:58 AM
One question senator, If our child was badly injured by an inept Dr., is their pain and suffering only worth $250k?
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Jackster
February 22, 2010 11:59 AM in reply to Jackster
Sorry, "YOUR"
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
biff diggerence
February 22, 2010 12:42 PM
Sorry, I was busy fumbling with these beads.
Haven't read the Constitution, yet.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Michael Lafferty
February 22, 2010 1:05 PM
Senator Barrasso: "The whole process, legislatively, is to get around the rules."
Must have been the effective 70 or 80 vote 'majority' he was referring to, and—well, you know—those 'majority rules:' those that define 51 of 100 as a simple majority. What a tool…
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
ondioline
February 22, 2010 1:07 PM
A Unicorn!
A Unicorn and two dolphins!
"I Dig a Pygmy," by Charles Haughtrey and the Deaf Aids!
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
jsdc007
February 22, 2010 1:08 PM
Hey, why stop at a 70 vote majority? Let's just make it a 100 vote majority while we're at it. Let's do the same for tax cuts, defense spending, and all the other BS that the GOP has passed with 50 votes.
How on earth do these people even get elected in the first place?
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Eric Jaffa
February 22, 2010 2:12 PM
"you ought to get something like this passed with 70 or 80 votes in the Senate...That's the way you get the American people to say, yes, this must be a good idea.'"
Yeah, whenever something passes the Senate overwhelmingly, I conclude it's a good idea. Like The Patriot Act. (sarcasm)
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Nancy Irving
February 24, 2010 5:56 AM
I guess Barack Obama should step down as President, because he didn't get 70% of the vote. After all, it's a pretty powerful job that affects all Americans, not just the measly majority that voted for him!
Come to think of it, since the average House district has about 650,000 people in it, Barasso shouldn't even have a job, since the whole state of Wyoming has only about 550,000 people.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
ImpureScience
February 24, 2010 9:45 AM
My email from TPM had the headline: "Can the GOP Really Strangle Reform In Senate?"
Our Democratic senators are doing a fine job of this on their own, no assistance needed.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?