Or, should I say, wimp of the day?
Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, said on Sunday that he would not support using budget rules that require a simple majority to pass major changes to healthcare and energy policy.
“It is not included in the budget I will put to my colleagues,” Conrad said on “This Week” on Sunday. “It just doesn’t work very well.”
The White House is open to using so-called budget reconciliation measures to pass major elements of the president’s budget if the debate becomes bogged down in the Senate. Reconciliation measures cannot be filibustered.
“I think it has to stay on the table,” said Jared Bernstein, economic adviser to Vice President Joe Biden.
My answer to Conrad is that it is his responsibility to pass Obama’s health care plan and energy policies and if he can get that done without using the budget reconciliation process then good for him. But I don’t think he’s a magician and I’m not a fool. Ram home the agenda, get it done, and go talk to the voters about all you’ve accomplished.
