Posted on 01/19/2010 12:43:24 PM PST by ColdOne
A top Senate Democrat for the first time Tuesday acknowledged that the party is prepared to deal with health care reform by using a controversial legislative tactic known as the "nuclear option" if Republican Scott Brown wins the Massachusetts Senate election.
Calling the state's special election "an uphill battle to put it mildly," Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said "there are options to still pursue health care" should Democrat Martha Coakley lose to Brown.
Congressional Democrats have been discussing several options, since a Brown win would break the party's 60-vote, filibuster-proof majority at a critical time for health care reform. Durbin, the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate, described a combination of tactics to get what his party wants out of health care reform.
First, he said the House could simply approve the Senate bill, sending it straight to President Obama's desk.
Then, Durbin said, the Senate could make changes to the bill by using the nuclear option, known formally as "reconciliation," a tactic that would allow Democrats to adjust parts of health care reform with
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Do they not realize the change that’s coming? They overplayed their hand. Its over for the DemocRATS.
If they shove healthcare in anyway I believe the revolt will be so bad they wouldnt know what hit them.
if they do it, mccain will be the laughing stock because when gop had the power they didn’t do it.
Agreed
The real problem the Democrats will face now is time. Every day they don’t get health care legislation out, is a day closer to the November elections.
Make our day, Obama-holes.
The fact that a creature like Durbin could be the #2 in the Senate points out how pathetic the RAT Party is.
Yep.
For what it is worth, "reconciliation" is not the nuclear option. They are two entirely different parliamentarian procedures.
Reconciliation is specifically spelled out in the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. It is limited to bills that deal only with certain budget considerations. It is unlikely, because of the sweeping nature of this health care bill, that the Senate parliamentarians would allow budget reconciliation to be used on this bill.
However, that wouldn't theoretically keep the Dems from actually doing away with, even if only temporarily, the filibuster. This can be done using parliamentarian maneuvers and it is what is known as "the nuclear option". If they did this, it would change the complexion of the Senate for a generation, if not longer. The acrimony and hostility in the Senate, would quickly mirror what you have in the House, which is precisely NOT what the Founding Fathers envisioned.
I think that such a maneuver would be political suicide for the Dems, and I suspect that there are enough Dem Senators who would realize it. I'm not sure that they could actually get 51 votes using the nuclear option.
Why is it they have ‘nuclear option’ on health care, and a ‘medical diagnosis’ option on terrorism?
The iron-fist of the Democrats once again demonstrates its utter contempt for the consent of the governed.
It was unlikely that the Bill would have passed the House even if Brown didn't win, and after Brown wins, it is going to be virtually impossible.
Why is it that the “nuclear” option meant something completely different during Bush’s years?
As I recall, the so-called “nuclear option” was moving forward with a cloture vote, something the democrats did without hesitation to get us where we are today.
Note to Michael Steele and any ranking republican:
If you ever gain the advantage again, NEVER AGAIN be afraid to play hardball with this pukes. They already have the media in the tank for them, you don’t and won’t ever get their help. Fight, damn it!
haha!
Now just what do you think would happen. A couple seat changes next yr & we have this albatross bill passed. This bill MUST be defeated even if it means an all out revoltuion - taking it to the streets. This is a bill that "Turbin" Durbin-likes will determine whether you live or die in some instances. That is WAR.
McCain has been a laughing stock for quite a while now. He ran as a Democrat Lite which gave the rest of really no choice at all.
With a little luck, he'll lose his primary election.
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