You know how when we're talking about rules reform, we're always wondering whether it might come back to bite Democrats? About whether it's something they'll eventually be sorry about?
Well, it's always worth considering, of course. But then again, it's always something that can be changed back, too:
...Just for fun, let's consider a way to get to an outcome where the tax cuts on the first $250,000 in earned income are extended, while the cuts on income above that level expire.
Why not, right?
OK, first thing you need to know about this is that it's the longest of long...
Brian Beutler's TPMDC piece this morning compels me to remind you of something:
Are Democrats bickering again over whether the Senate or the House should make the first move on a major agenda item.
Yes they are. Multiple House Democratic leaders tonight were adamant that they'll put...
That's what Dean Baker says about Conrad's budget blueprint.
Conrad's plan would reduce the projected 2015 deficit by approximately 1.6 percentage points of GDP more than President Obama's budget. Since most projections still show the economy to be well below full employment levels of output by this year, the cuts in spending...
So, you might be asking yourself, what does the latest government takeover of a federal program mean for me? (Seriously, have you read that quote from Lamar Alexander? “The Democratic majority decided, well look, while we’re at it, let’s have another Washington takeover. Let’s take over the federal student loan program.” Seriously, he was...
And we're done. 220-207.
It was tight there for a while, and you could hear Members on the floor shouting "one more!" every time a late voter came in.
Alan Grayson, funnily enough, was the last to vote. Guess he couldn't believe they were actually voting, what with Tweety having told him it...
The last stage of the main push for health insurance reform is underway. The House is voting on a tiny bundle of amendments to the reconciliation bill passed on Sunday in the House and earlier today in the Senate.
Republican points of order forced minor changes in the student loan portion of the bill,...
Even as the world watched the United States Senate pass the reconciliation bill Chris Matthews said wouldn't and couldn't ever happen, Matthews is back to reassess his prediction. His startling conclusion: I was right and Grayson is still wrong!
The LA Times' James Rainey has the story:
...
With Vice President Joe Biden presiding (because this is a BFD vote), the Senate passed the reconciliation bill fixes to health insurance reform, with Dems Lincoln, Nelson, and Pryor voting no.
There are two minor fixes in the bill, regarding the Pell Grant program that did not meet Byrd Rule requirements, meaning that it...
Well, there. That wasn't so bad, now was it?
The Senate stayed late, late, late to plow through amendments and points of order against the reconciliation bill, and now seems poised to pass it today with only very minor and technical changes made to the bill -- and those only to the student loan...
As debate on the reconciliation "fix" bill winds down and Senate Democrats have been unifying around a strategy of defeating all amendments (including a public option amendment, which is why we won't see it offered) so that the bill remains intact, I've been wondering whether that strategy could or should change...
Senate Democrats need to take a lesson from their Louisiana brethren:
Today, the Louisiana Democratic Party suggested that Senator Tom Coburn expand his proposed amendment to the health care reconciliation bill prohibiting coverage of erectile dysfunction medications to child molesters, rapists and sex offenders to include those who admit or are convicted of...
