As David W. updated in TIC this morning, the Senate Dems yielded back their time on the reconciliation bill, in order to speed the process up. Which means that we'll have several more hours of Republican frothing at the mouth on the floor, and then possibly as early as 5:00 p.m. the "vote-a-rama"--votes...
Reid Aims for Vote by Saturday
The Senate is a step closer to bringing the reconciliation package to the floor, after Parliamentarian Alan Frumin ruled against Republicans on their assertion that the excise tax provision impacted Social Security, and was in violation of the Budget Act. That was the primary challenge from the Republicans, but they promise "many more."
...FLASHBACK: Chris Matthews gets reconciliation ass-backward (but stays on TV)
This is the single most arrogant imposition of what turned out to be almost 100% incorrect Beltway Conventional Wisdom I have ever witnessed.
Anybody can make a mistake. Certainly any pundit who tries to predict the political future will make dozens on any given day.
But to sit there and harangue...
Dems may drop self-executing rule plans, can still pass reconciliation first
WaPo reports and many diarists have noted that House Democrats appear ready to drop plans to deem the Senate health insurance reform bill passed with a self-executing rule.
That won't make much of a difference at this point. Everybody knows what's at stake, and which votes mean what. Members have by this...
Stupak takes us into the weeds under the weeds of reconciliation
Lordy, Lordy, Lordy.
You're not gonna believe how low down in the weeds we're gonna have to get for this one.
We just learned from mcjoan that Bart Stupak is after a deal that would somehow jam a foot in the health insurance reform door for his...
What’s behind those CBO number? Process.
You've already heard the news:
- CUTS THE DEFICIT Cuts the deficit by $130 billion in the first ten years (2010 – 2019). Cuts the deficit by $1.2 trillion in the second ten years.
- REINS IN WASTEFUL MEDICARE COSTS AND EXTENDS THE SOLVENCY OF MEDICARE; CLOSES THE PRESCRIPTION DRUG DONUT HOLE...
Bipartisanship at last! GOP demands up-or-down vote on health care!
Here's something I bet you thought you'd never see!
According to GOP aides, the resolution would require the House to hold an up-or-down vote on the Senate healthcare bill.
What? Republicans demanding an up-or-down vote on healthcare? Huzzah!
But what could possibly be going on...
Republicans Continue Fight on Process
In the House, Republicans are going to do their damnedest to derail the health insurance reform bill by trying to force a vote on whether Pelosi can use a self-executing rule.
"If passed by the House, the resolution would prohibit Speaker Pelosi from implementing the ‘Slaughter Solution,’ the scheme by which Democratic...
In the Speaker’s Office
We're in the final push for the passage of the health insurance reform legislation, and Speaker Pelosi has convened a roundtable of bloggers to discuss the endgame.
The emphasis, to be sure, is on the substance of the bill. But at this stage, it's impossible to avoid a discussion of...
Public Option in the reconciliation bill? What?
Where the tips came from first, I have no idea. But without fanfare -- and you should perhaps take that as a clue -- the House Budget Committee has posted a 2,309 page bill (PDF) that purports to be the text of the upcoming reconciliation bill. And as early sneak-peekers...
HCR Over Next Week?
Obama didn't postpone his Asia trip just for optics, though the optics--and relations with a House that wasn't too pleased at another relatively arbitrary deadline--are important. The March 18 deadline was slated to be his early departure to take the kids to Indonesia on their spring break. The official business part of the trip...
Reid Slams McConnell on HCR
This is one helluva letter. Reid, to McConnell, in part:
“While Republicans were distorting the facts in the health care debate and inflicting delay after needless delay, millions of Americans have continued to suffer as they struggle to afford to stay healthy, stay out of bankruptcy and stay in their homes. Thousands...
