Read Robert Reich on healthcare reform
Tuesday, February 23, 2010 at 19:21 I simply adore Robert Reich - well, Mr. Maven comes in ahead of him hands down in other ways, but still… Reich is able to call ‘em as he sees ‘em.
That’s a quality all too rare in this day and age of political correctness and ideological posturing.
FYI: Read my post on just what a reconciliation vote is.
Read on:
It’s Time To Enact Health Care With 51 Senate Votes
This week the President is hosting a bipartisan gab-fest at the White House to try to tease out some Republican votes for health care. It’s a total waste of time. If Obama thinks he’s going to get a single Republican vote at this stage of the game, he’s fooling himself (or the American people). Many months ago, you may recall, the White House and Dem leaders in the Senate threatened to pass health care with 51 votes – using a process called “reconciliation” that allows tax and spending bills to be enacted without filibuster – unless Republicans came on board. It’s time to pull the trigger.
Why haven’t the President and Senate Dems pulled the reconciliation trigger before now? I haven’t spoken directly with the President or with Harry Reid but I’ve spent the last several weeks sounding out contacts on the Hill and in the White House to find an answer. Here are the theories. None of them justifies waiting any longer.
1. Reconciliation is too extreme a measure to use on a piece of legislation so important. I hear this a lot but it’s bunk.
