If The House Passes The Senate Bill First, Will There Be A Reconciliation Fix?

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Other Politics
Posted on Thu Mar 04, 2010 at 11:18:39 AM EST
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Republican Senator Judd Gregg adds another reason why the reconciliation fix must be passed concurrently with the House passage of the Senate Stand Alone health bill. Here is a new GOP talking point, one that actually has merit:

The White House may renege on passing fixes to the Senate's healthcare bill once the House has passed it, Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) claimed Thursday. [. . .] "They're using reconciliation to pass the great big bill," Gregg said during an appearance on CNBC. "Once they pass the great big bill, I wouldn't be surprised if the White House didn't care if reconciliation passed. I mean, why would they?" [. . .] "In my opinion, reconciliation is an exercise for buying votes, which, once they have the votes they really don't need it," he said.

(Emphasis supplied.)I would not trust the Senate Dems on ANYTHING. If I were the House, I would insist on simultaneous passage.

Speaking for me only

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If The House Passes The Senate Bill First, Will There Be A Reconciliation Fix? | 20 comments (20 topical)

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Agree. And yesterday on NPR some (none / 0) (#1)
by oculus on Thu Mar 04, 2010 at 11:21:54 AM EST

GOP Senator was saying 1/7th of U.S. economy shouldn't be decided via reconciliation. Wonder what percentage of U.S. economy the Bush tax cuts constituted?

1.5T (none / 0) (#3)
by andgarden on Thu Mar 04, 2010 at 11:33:26 AM EST

as opposed to less than a trillion now.


Remember, that (none / 0) (#10)
by coast on Thu Mar 04, 2010 at 11:58:13 AM EST

"less than a trillion" figure (if you believe the math) is for the first ten years. These benefits are not going to sunset like the Bush tax cuts will, so the true cost is a great deal higher.


Well yes (none / 0) (#17)
by Socraticsilence on Thu Mar 04, 2010 at 01:52:32 PM EST

but if you extend things out infinitely then the costs of any non-sunsetting program or tax cut are immense.


: Point was that the two aren't (none / 0) (#19)
by coast on Thu Mar 04, 2010 at 03:00:59 PM EST

comparable.

republicans are starting (none / 0) (#2)
by Capt Howdy on Thu Mar 04, 2010 at 11:29:37 AM EST

the smear of the parliamentarian. there is nothing they wont say. no lie to blatant or to transparent.

I think Greggs comments are absurd. he only said it so it could be reprinted IMO.

Why are they absurd? (none / 0) (#4)
by Big Tent Democrat on Thu Mar 04, 2010 at 11:41:05 AM EST

Absurd is anyone who trust the Senate Dems to pass reconciliation.


that may be true (none / 0) (#6)
by Capt Howdy on Thu Mar 04, 2010 at 11:47:30 AM EST

but Gregg is not speaking from any real knowledge.
he is just stirring it up.

more smoke.


That is a different point (none / 0) (#7)
by Big Tent Democrat on Thu Mar 04, 2010 at 11:48:26 AM EST

Sure, he is stirring things up.

But this time he has a point. As you just admitted.


well (none / 0) (#8)
by Capt Howdy on Thu Mar 04, 2010 at 11:50:36 AM EST

he may have a point. but I predict they will pass the fixes. if for no other reason out of pure self preservation.


Huh? (5.00 / 2) (#9)
by Big Tent Democrat on Thu Mar 04, 2010 at 11:54:29 AM EST

Pure self preservation? What's in it for the Dem Senators?

They never want to discuss health care again.

You're not making much sense to me.


IMO (none / 0) (#11)
by Capt Howdy on Thu Mar 04, 2010 at 12:03:18 PM EST

if they dont do this right they will suffer in the fall. Blanch already has a primary opponent. I think they also realize that.

time will tell. I am willing to wait and see.
not much point in arguing about it now.


: I say not much point (none / 0) (#12)
by Capt Howdy on Thu Mar 04, 2010 at 12:04:47 PM EST

because again IMO the skids are greased and its going to happen. whatever "it" is.
any real chance at influencing the outcome is ending quickly if not already gone.

Exactly! (none / 0) (#5)
by cenobite on Thu Mar 04, 2010 at 11:42:32 AM EST

When I saw this at OpenLeft:

The Senate convinces the House they have the votes to pass a reconciliation "fix" to the Senate health bill

The House then passes the Senate health bill

President Obama then signs the Senate health bill into law

The House then passes a reconciliation bill to fix the Senate health bill

The Senate then passes that reconciliation bill

President Obama signs reconciliation bill into law in about a month.

My thought was "you can't possibly be serious." If they get to step 3, it's over.

Tell me you wouldn't (none / 0) (#18)
by Socraticsilence on Thu Mar 04, 2010 at 01:53:52 PM EST

cheer on the President et al lying to Stupak "Sure we'll restrict abortion funding more, we'll hop right on that Bart."


: Sure I would (none / 0) (#20)
by jbindc on Thu Mar 04, 2010 at 04:54:20 PM EST

There's just no chance in he11 that it would happen.

Sign of the way things stand today? (none / 0) (#13)
by MO Blue on Thu Mar 04, 2010 at 12:09:30 PM EST

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Thursday the White House hopes to see the House approve the healthcare bill by March 18, the first day of the NCAA college basketball tournament and just before President Barack Obama leaves the country on an international trip.
Greg Sargent is reporting that Speaker Pelosi's office is refusing to endorse this timetable. link

On whether or not the Senate will pass the "fixes" if the House passes the Senate bill first.

To date, there are not 51 Senators willing to sign a letter of commitment to pass a reconciliation bill and so far Open Left has only has only 45 Senators willing to make a public commitment to support using reconciliation to finish health reform? link

So I would say that if the House passes the Senate bill first that is what will become law.

: He's setting dates with consideration (5.00 / 1) (#16)
by nycstray on Thu Mar 04, 2010 at 12:25:50 PM EST

to the NCAA sched?

: I would be willing to bet (none / 0) (#15)
by coast on Thu Mar 04, 2010 at 12:25:30 PM EST

that a handfull of the 45 are only saying it because they don't think the house will pass the bill.

I doubt Pelosi will buy a pig in a poke. (none / 0) (#14)
by oldpro on Thu Mar 04, 2010 at 12:24:01 PM EST