Oh Good....just what we need.....six months for FAUX and the right-wing noise machine to cobble up every excuse in the book why reconciliation and a straight majority vote is a violation of their civil rights, a slap in the face to the concept of party cooperation, and whatever else they decide helps make their argument.

The threat to global warming caused by massive issuance of hot air has just gone up exponentially.

Harry and Louise, here we come...for six months. Ugh.

Republicans are highly skeptical the fast-track process won't be used if available."

Because that is exactly what THEY would do. There is no good faith with the G nO P!

Republicans are highly skeptical the fast-track process won't be used if available."

When talking about Republicans on anything less than the bill THEY would pass, we are only talking about 3 GOP senators. And on something like National Healthcare, there exists a bright red line of ideology, that defines the parties as much as anything. This would make it highly risky for ANY gooper anywhere in congress to go along with dems, unless they exact a huge list of dem concessions.

OTOH, if dems use the RP for Healthcare reform, it will contain some very liberal elements, that likely wouldn't have been added if repubs had played ball in good faith. So the GOP has an interesting choice. Have an ideological orgy of dissent and not participate, or have a very liberal bill that will make their heads explode.

I'm guessing the latter, but wouldn't mind to much if the former prevailed, as long as a largely effective and meaningful bill gets passed.

Would someone mind refreshing me on the legislation that the GOP passed using reconciliation while W was in office? I'm sure the latest round of right-wing outrage is coming and I want to be prepared with the facts to combat their rank hypocrisy.

Much obliged in advance.

I do not understand or share your optimism.

If there is no 'public option', I will consider anything passed as being just another corporate welfare program like Medicare Part D. Evan Bayh and his group of DLC/DINO/Rethug-Lite corporately owned self serving asshats are pledged to prevent a public option. How do the dumbocraps get 51 votes without them?

I predict 6 months of Rick Scott & ungodly amounts of health insurance and health care industry $$$ marketing confusion to the amerikan public and buying politicians. I predict that Obama will add selling out real health care reform to his renunciation of his oath of office to uphold the Constitution and the laws of our courntry.

Here is a link for the times the GOP used the RP under Bush.

They also used it to pass welfare reform in the 90's and Reagan used it several times in the 80's to get through his tax cuts and other wingnut bills.

Sadoldvet

As the article say's the dems already have the 51 votes needed for RP to pass a bill that is being written largely by Ted Kennedy. I don't think one could ask for a rosier scenario at this point.

"At that point, according to Cohn's report, the Democratic majority can vote on a bill that Republicans won't be able to filibuster."

Good. We deserve a bill only Democrats can filibuster.

Thanks, Mr. Stuck.

Was looking around and couldn't find the info. Didn't even think about checking Media Matters. Love those guys!

At first blush, I like this move with the deadline. The GOP can come to the table in good faith or they can suck it and the Dems will do it themselves. The GOP seems completely incapable of reason and 'good faith' is a foreign concept to them, so I expect that reconciliation will have to be used. Of course, as SadOldVet pointed out, we have some troublemakers in our own party that we will have to deal with and the amount of $$$ and propaganda BS that is going to be thrown out there to preserve the status quo by the healthcare industry and their media shills is going to be insane, but this is probably the closest this country has come in a long time to moving to real healthcare reform. We'll see how it all plays out.

People who want to hate healthcare reform or are trapped in the GOP reverb chamber will hate healthcare reform. Everyone else will love having healthcare.

Obama was criticized by people for extending the olive branch before and getting nowhere (I was one of those people). But he's just as popular and the public hated Congress, not the President. I think this is another well-calculated move.

I have yet to see anyone mention the elephant in the room: what evidence is there to suggest the Republicans will keep this deal and allow the Democrats to pass real health care reform? Because if it gets a simple majority vote--and how far we've fallen that a simple majority vote on legislation is considered an exceptional outcome--then it will pass. You will not find ten Democrats willing to vote against it in the Senate.

This is how this is going to play out: GOP resumes their campaign of FUD, disinformation and obstructionism. Dems roll out a reform package that is heavily watered down by nonsensical GOP changes and objections. Republicans dig in their heels and refuse to support "socialism". Dems say okay, if you won't play ball we'll go with Plan B and fast-track this. GOP refuses to give Dems a simple majority vote, complaining that the Dems didn't work in good faith and how this bill is so exceptionally bad that it goes beyond the limits of the original agreement.

I mean, really: given that the Senate Majority Leader is the feckless, spineless Reid, what mechanism exists to enforce this agreement? Past history does not suggest Reid will actually use the powers granted to his office.

why six months? because there is no doubt Franken will be seated by then making 50 votes more likely since Biden breaks the tie.

eric

Are Republicans reconciled to working on the bill to shape it and yet not voting for it and getting no credit for the final product? Unusual political strategy.

Imagine, the democrats using the same tactics the republicans used when they were in power. Ohhhhhh, the unfairness of it all. Health Care - the republicans heads will explode.

I mean, really: given that the Senate Majority Leader is the feckless, spineless Reid, what mechanism exists to enforce this agreement? Past history does not suggest Reid will actually use the powers granted to his office.

Harry Reid? I think Obama coaxed him into getting a spinal implant the first weekend after the inauguration. Thus far, the Republicans have managed only a few petty moments of obstruction. The Democratic agenda is rolling forward, slow but steady.

Got home and the answering machine has a robomsg encouraging me to take a POL from a HMO. Me thinks they really need to exploit which way the wind is blowing. Getting a little uncomfortable? Splendid.