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Gregg's Final Push to Prevent Millions from Health Care

by: Dean Barker

Tue Jan 26, 2010 at 19:53:05 PM EST
It appears that there is an emerging conventional wisdom that the only morally and politically viable way forward on health care reform - pass the Senate bill in the House, and make it better through Senate reconciliation - is in fact the only morally and politically viable way forward on health care reform.

But not if Judd Gregg can have anything to do with it:

The senior Republican on the Budget Committee, Senator Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, said Democrats would have trouble executing their strategy. "It would be a very hard lift," Mr. Gregg said. "We would make (the reconciliation process) an extraordinarily difficult exercise."
Gregg has prepared his entire political life for just such a fight - he even wrote the book on this particular kind of obstruction.

Does the majority party have what it takes to push past him? If they need help justifying reconciliation, I humbly offer... Judd Gregg, back when he was using it for Bush's agenda:

"The point, of course, is this: If you have 51 votes for your position, you win," Gregg told his Senate colleagues on the floor.

He added, "Reconciliation is a rule of the Senate (that) has been used before for purposes exactly like this on numerous occasions... Is there something wrong with majority rules? I don't think so."
Dean Barker :: Gregg's Final Push to Prevent Millions from Health Care
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Gregg's Final Push to Prevent Millions from Health Care | 4 comments
Nice job (0.00 / 0)
on Laura's show the other day, Dean.  Very articulate.

I embrace the political strategy of reconciliation - first, the bill is already passed and while the Senate is fixing this with majority vote, the President will need to sell it to the public.  Not with his usual wonkiness, either - he's going to have to break it down and explain how it makes our lives better.

If Repubs start playing shenanigans in the Senate, start calling them on obstructing further work on the economy.  

People are dying from lack of access to health care.  As is, the Senate bill expands coverage to 30 million more Americans.  I dislike the mandates and the excise tax, but am willing to risk those battles in reconciliation if it means saving lives now.

AWOL Judd is threatening a punishing defense? (0.00 / 0)
Let's just schedule the vote for his nap time.
Saw a decent analysis on the chances for (0.00 / 0)
reconciliation on Think Progress Wonk room.

According to a former parlimentarian, those defenses would be quickly ruled out of order.

http://wonkroom.thinkprogress....

Although Gregg's not the only road kill the Senate needs to avoid; Politico is reporting that Dodd and Lieberman are encouraging Obama to reach out to Republicans ONE MORE TIME.  

http://www.politico.com/livepu...

You just can't make this stuff up.  The Dems have a health care reform bill that reduces the deficit, expands health care to 30 million people, prohibits insurance companies from purging people for getting sick or capping useage or denying coverage for pre-existing conditions - and we're on the defensive?  Is it me?

[ Parent ]
Carrot = Tort Reform n/t (0.00 / 0)


www.KusterforCongress.com  
[ Parent ]
Gregg's Final Push to Prevent Millions from Health Care | 4 comments
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