Harry Reid has announced, in strong and confident terms, his intention to pass a health care bill in the next 60 days, and to do it (most likely) through the use of the budget reconciliation process. This was always how I envisioned this happening until the Dems briefly reached the magic number of sixty votes in September. At that point, I thought they could pass the bill using regular order, albeit only by making some unsavory compromises. The Senate actually did accomplish that task, but lost the 60th vote before the House and Senate bills could be melded for final passage. So…
…we’re back at stage one. It sounds like Reid has 50 solid votes for using the reconciliation process. Whether he has 50 votes for the public option is another question. I kind of doubt it, but it would be truly idiotic to not take advantage of the reconciliation rules to pass a public option.
Now, I want to provide the caveat that this announcement is coming on the eve of the health care summit at Blair House. So, this is a way of telling the Republicans that straight up obstruction isn’t going to work. If they want to participate and allow a cloture vote, then maybe they can water the bill down a bit. Otherwise, the shithammer comes down.
If it weren’t for gutless Democrats like Kent Conrad bitching about using reconciliation, this strategy could have been utilized effectively last April.
