Reconciliation....

[dave29]

still an option?

[liberalpragmatist]

1. Possibly for some things

What might happen if Brown wins is that the House passes the Senate bill, plus some modifications - modifying the excise tax, etc. - through reconciliation.

[tabatha]

4. see #3

[karynnj]

9. Do you mean this as two steps?

1) Pass the Senate bill as is.
2) Then separately modify the already passed and signed bill, with a supplemental bill to modify the excise tax etc.

Just trying to understand.

[liberalpragmatist]

14. What I imagine could happen would be something like this:

Pass the Senate bill in the House. Then prepare a reconciliation-only bill that would be fairly limited - but you could modify the excise tax and impose some of the other financing and coverage modifications in there. Probably not insurance regulations or structure of the exchanges, though, which would have to simply go with the weaker Senate versions for now.

[karynnj]

15. That makes sense to me - and it would seem that that could even be done

next week if need be.

[depakid]

2. It always was- and still would be if the leadership had the political will and fortitude

and if they actually desired the policies that they claimed.

[tabatha]

3. Reconciliation is used only for budget reconciliation

NOT policy reconciliation. Know what you are talking about.

A reconciliation instruction (Budget Reconciliation) is a provision in a budget resolution directing one or more committees to submit legislation changing existing law in order to bring spending, revenues, or the debt-limit into conformity with the budget resolution. The instructions specify the committees to which they apply, indicate the appropriate dollar changes to be achieved, and usually provide a deadline by which the legislation is to be reported or submitted.<1>

A reconciliation bill is one containing changes in law recommended pursuant to reconciliation instructions in a budget resolution. If the instructions pertain to only one committee in a chamber, that committee reports the reconciliation bill. If the instructions pertain to more than one committee, the House Budget Committee reports an omnibus reconciliation bill, but it may not make substantive changes in the recommendations of the other committees.<2>

[dave29]

5. could a scenario like post #1 play out?

with areas of the bill that effect the budget?

[tabatha]

8. Everytime I have heard a dem talk about it,

they have said that reconciliation is not the way to go.

I am imagining that certain things are happening now, but I'll have to wait until it is passed before I say anything.

[depakid]

6. LOL- KNOW what you're talking about before aplogizing for lack of political will

The Byrd rule can be used for any item that affects the budget deficit.

For example, Republicans used to the process for drilling in ANWR (among other things).

Given the obsession with CBO estimates re: the effect on the federal budget -it's "legality" -and it's appropriateness to the present situation ought to be obvious.

If the show was on the other foot- Republicans wouldn't hesitate. Why?

Because Republicans believe in getting 'er done- and manage to get their way even when they're as far from power as they are today!

Democrats on the other hand settle for making excuses, scolding their constituencies- and losing policy battle after policy battle (then wonder why they lose elections).

[tabatha]

10. I am not apologizing for lack of political will.

Where did I say that.

I am going by what Weiner said - someone who I think knows what is going on.

[depakid]

11. Sure sounds like it

If the leadership had the political will and fortitude- and the administration had the credibility to push, this would already happened- back in August.

We'd been well stuck into bona fide financial reform- having emasculated rather than empowered the corrupt two bit extortionists in the Senate and we'd be talking about picking up seats in 2010, rather than losing our congressional majority.

[tabatha]

12. I think you are writing history as you wish it would be.

Why don't you run for office since you are so wonderful?

[depakid]

16. Someone once said- to paraphrase "I see things that aren't and ask why not."

Fact is though that this business has played out repeatedly before- on both sides of the aisle, so it doesn't take much insight to see the pattern of the past two decades.

As to elected office, I live where we do get 'er done- and where our leaders tend to listen to the economists, etc. who "got it right" -and "get it right."

That's why unemployment dropped last month to 5.5% -and there's been a surge in job advertisements indicating that it'll continue to do drop, with minimum wage as about $14.00 -and very few going bankrupt solely because they or a family member is injured or falls ill.

Democratic leaders had an historic opportunity and populist mandate to move America in that direction- and the irony is that Republicans (had the shoe been on the other foot- would have done JUST THAT).

Remember the naught's should have been more than just a rallying cry left by the wayside.

Don't forget the naughts, because this decade, no matter what anyone on the right might say, was conservatism on trial. You want less taxes? You got less taxes. You want less regulation? You got less regulation. Open markets? Wide open. An illusuion of security in place of rights? Hey, presto. Think we should privatize war by handing unlimited power given to military contractors so they can kick butt and take names? Kiddo, we passed out boots and pencils by the thousands. Everything, everything, that ever showed up on a drooled-over right wing wish list got implemented -- with a side order of Freedom Fries.

They will try to disown it, and God knows if I was responsible for this mess I'd be disowning it, too. But the truth is that the conservatives got everything they wanted in the decade just past, everything that they've claimed for forty years would make America "great again". They didn't fart around with any "red dog Republicans." They rolled over their moderates and implemented a conservative dream.

More: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/1/3/821080/-Remember-Naught

[jefferson_dem]

7. Just today, Van Hollen said "Hell Yeah!"

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601070&sid=aPg2UfFaCh9c

[RBInMaine]

13. No. There are not enough votes for it. Won't happen on something as big as healthcare.

[depakid]

17. Defeatest attitudes and excuse making is why you lose. Repeatedly