The Senate has already sold the American people down the river by agreeing that if the healthcare bill has not passed by October 15, 2009, then it will be characterized as a reconciliation bill on that date.
There are 57 or 58 Democratic Senators.
If only a majority of votes cast are need to pass Obamacare, it's a done deal.
Either the Republicans play ball before 15 October 2009, or they become irrelevant.
Obama gets to raid the Medicare Trust Fund and take $400 billion.
Obama gets to have any kind of Healthcare bill he wants, which will include a public option, no doubt, and this means your insurance company will have to pay big fines for insuring you, and eventually will fold, leaving you no choice but to join the public option.
Unless I have this mistakenly, and please tell me if I do, it looks like the rabbit is already in the hat, just waiting to be pulled out.
Without the filibister, the Senate is toothless.
The Senate gave it away. So if there's no healthcare bill by October 15 2009, the filibuster is gone and reconciliation takes its place and a simple majority of votes cast carries the day.
Folks, we are getting steamrollered.
The fix is in, just like in oldtime Chicago.
What can be done?
The Senate needs to pass a superceding rule that cancels its agreement to go to reconciliation on October 15 2009. It needs to withdraw its agreement to that agreement. It needs to say, filibuster rules will apply throughout all of 2009, and until the new Congress and Senate are seated in 2011. Let them decide if they want to give away the filibuster, we are not doing it. We are withdrawing our agreement to do that because it contravenes our obligation to the American People. Our job is not to make the work of progressives in the White House easier. Our job is to be the world's greatest deliberative body. The filibuster rule is a very important part of making sure that ideas are not crammed down the throats of the People whether they want them or not. We won't have it. Not on our watch. What we agreed to before was done improvidently, and so now it is withdrawn. No action by the Senate is final till it occurs. The healthcare bill has not been characterized as a reconciliation bill and voted on that way by the Senate, and it will not be.
If it can't get 60 votes, we won't let it sneak through just because the Democrats run out the clock between now and 15 October 2009. If it's too important not to consider with care, which we intend most earnestly to do, then it's too important to sneak through on a parliamentary ploy, even if one or more of our members made an improvident agreement to the contrary.
Tea parties are good, but to win, this is what needs to be done, and soon.|||If that's what they want to do, fine, since under that particular provision, which is there mainly to pass a budget, Republicans will demand that every word of every bill be read aloud on the floor of congress before debate can be started on it. Now, how much do you think Obama, Pelosi, and Reid can get done if every single bill is read aloud before debate starts? This healthcare bill is a thousand pages. The stimulus bill was about as long.
Soooo, you go right ahead and ram that healthcare bill through with reconciliation and it will be the last bill that gets passed any time soon.|||I'm glad we have two fail safes. Thanks for the relief.
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|||Good. I am a RATIONAL conservative and I support health care reform.|||Why is it so hard to believe that you might be in the minority? It's what Democrats had to swallow for 8 years.|||well, not every democrat agrees with his plan, so...|||Omg
Democrats are lowering costs, and insuring more citizens
the Sky is falling
I like the lollipops the Republicans are feeding me right now
HAHAHAHAHA
See, I am addicted to kool aid. Just like you|||I could not read all that, i would fall asleep.
but who cares, it has to be better than the mess Bush made..|||I honestly dont know what I would do. I personally believeing in etting people deciding where they put their money especially into things like health care. In my mind this is just another way that Obama is putting us in the hole as far as national debt. But sadly he is our president and we must follow him and support him even if we dont believe in what he is doing. Atleast thats what I was always tought. all we can do is vote and pray for our country as a whole.|||The nuclear option is on the horizon. Health care for all Americans, it is about time.|||I will feel good if the bill passes. Then maybe everyone will see that the sky doesn't fall when everyone has an opportunity to get health care. We are the only democratic nation who does not ensure that everyone can get health care without going bankrupt.|||It's amazing to me how so many so-called intelligent representatives sitting up there are playing a childish game while people need healthcare. If the fed government can't put it thru then the individual states with the need will have to ask for stimulus packages to help their own state with regard to healthcare...This matter can't be ignored any longer.|||Since we need to find a way for everyone to be able to pay in something for HEALTH INSURANCE, and the HEALTH INSURANCE mafia wants only customers that don't cost them very much we've sort of hit a wall with private insurance. The GOP, committed to stooge for the private insurers aren't inclined to help. So, given that the democrats have a window to push this through I can't see why they won't. I still remember when the GOP stood up against Medicare and their arguments were exactly the same. "It's 'socialism'!" And 'the government' will be your doctor!" "Care will be rationed!" "It will cost money!" If the republicans any real reason for opposition that would be a different story, but let's be real.....the GOP works for the HEALTH INSURANCE industry in this case and not for the public. The irony here is that all republicans over 65, Congress critters and senators included are currently receiving Social Security payments and MEDICARE and not a single one of them wants to give either one up. Medicare for seniors works and Medicare for all who want to pay into it will work for non-seniors just as well. Opposition to this change in the way we do HEALTH INSURANCE in this country is long overdue. If money is an object, then let's take a few billion from our 800 billion dollar a year military/security budget...lord know we waste more money on over runs in that budget than the Chinese do on their entire military. Give that think!
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