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Congressional Scholars Agree There’s Nothing Outrageous About Majority Rules in the Senate
Matthew Yglesias —
... Norman Ornstein, Thomas Mann, and Molly Reynolds have an excellent piece in The New Republic making the point that complaints about the evils of using the budget reconciliation process to pass major legislation such as health care reform are totally bogus: ...
Reconciliation
Political Animal —
... he said. "It's an ominous signal of the level of cooperation we can expect from the Republicans on health care. Maybe the Republicans are telling us they want us to pass healthcare reform through the budget reconciliation process." Note that Schumer said this in a press statement. It wasn't, in other words, just an off-hand comment to a reporter -- Schumer's office was actually sending a not-so-subtle message. On a related note, Thomas Mann, Norm Ornstein, and Molly Reynolds had a very interesting item in The New Republic the other day, presenting a guide to the last 19 ...
Moving forward on reconciliation
Political Animal —
... "are tempted to use their political muscle to speed passage of health care legislation with minimal concessions to the Republican minority." The majority party would reportedly "resort to an obscure procedure known as reconciliation to clear the way for Senate passage of a comprehensive health bill with a 51-vote majority, rather than the 60 votes that would otherwise be needed." It's worth noting that this is framed the wrong way. Reconciliation is not "obscure"; it's a procedure used many times in recent years, usually by Republicans. Reconciliation was used to pass welfare ...
Santorum: Reconciliation ‘Has Never Been Done Before’ — Except For When I Used It
Think Progress —
... 1980, when it was first created. The New Republic notes that using reconciliation to pass health care reform fits into the historical pattern. "Whether reducing or increasing deficits, many of the reconciliation bills made major changes in policy. Health insurance portability (COBRA), nursing home standards, expanded Medicaid eligibility, increases in the earned income tax credit, welfare reform, the state Children's Health Insurance Program, major tax cuts and student aid reform were all enacted under reconciliation procedures." ...
House and Senate Democrats have a budget consensus -- and it includes reconciliation option
AMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth —
... 1980, when it was first created. The New Republic notes that using reconciliation to pass health care reform fits into the historical pattern. "Whether reducing or increasing deficits, many of the reconciliation bills made major changes in policy. Health insurance portability (COBRA), nursing home standards, expanded Medicaid eligibility, increases in the earned income tax credit, welfare reform, the state Children's Health Insurance Program, major tax cuts and student aid reform were all enacted under reconciliation procedures." ...
The misguided evolution of the 'nuclear option'
Political Animal —
... change its rules with 67 votes, but Trent Lott & Co. thought they'd try it with 51 votes. Senate Dems, at the time, threatened all-out political war over this, which is why Lott referred to his underhanded scheme as the "nuclear option." Reconciliation, in contrast, is part of the existing Senate rules . No one's talking about changing anything -- just following the process that's already in place. Thomas Mann, Norm Ornstein, and Molly Reynolds -- hardly reflexive partisans -- recently said it would be "perfectly reasonable for Democrats to use the process for health ...
There's no need to 'change the rules'
Political Animal —
... try it with 51 votes. Senate Dems, at the time, threatened all-out political war over this, which is why Lott referred to his underhanded scheme as the "nuclear option." (It was never executed, and the Gang of 14 struck a deal that let conservative judicial nominees get confirmed.) Reconciliation, in contrast, is part of the existing Senate rules . No one's talking about changing anything -- just following the process that's already in place. It's a process that Republicans have used and ...
McCain forgets that the groundwork has been laid
Political Animal —
... . Speaking at a conservative think tank, McCain acknowledged Republicans' use of reconciliation, and conceded it might come back to haunt them now. "I fully recognize that Republicans have in the past engaged in using reconciliation to further the party's agenda," McCain said. "I wish it had not been done then, and I hope it will not be done now that the groundwork has been laid." Reconciliation has been applied to everything from health insurance portability (COBRA) to nursing home standards, Medicaid eligibility to the EITC, welfare reform to S-CHIP, tax cuts to student ...
Chutzpah watch -- reconciliation edition
Political Animal —
... could file "hundreds" of points of order objections to the bill, each one requiring 60 votes to waive. "We are very much engaged in taking a hard look at our rights under reconciliation," Gregg said. It's tempting to think the Senate Republican caucus would pick someone to lead the fight who'd be slightly less embarrassing, but I'm quite certain they don't care. In light of Gregg's new found interest in the rights of the Senate minority, it's worth reemphasizing that reconciliation has been applied to everything from health insurance portability (COBRA) to nursing home ...
Santorum Ties Himself Into Knots Justifying Congress’ Use Of Reconciliation During The Bush Years
Think Progress —
... since 1980 for everything from the State Children’s Health Insurance Program to student aid efforts, to expanding Medicaid eligibility. In 1995, Santorum was the GOP’s point person to push welfare reform through the budget reconciliation process. “This is a bill the president has ...
