Dem's New Strategy to Ram It....

[kennethbroyles]

FYI.....
ROBERT LASZEWSKI. .. is tuned in.
Thursday, August 20, 2009

Splitting the Bills? The Democratic Leadership and the White House Staff Really Need a Vacation


The latest word is that the Democratic leadership and the White House see a "60% chance" they will split their health care bill into two parts—one a budget bill that would be eligible for the 51-vote Senate rule and the other the operational non-budget portions that will need 60 votes.

This is all intended to get around the Byrd Rule—which allows the use of reconciliation rules only for budget items. I explained that rule in a post yesterday.

This week just keeps getting more bizarre. After the Secretary of HHS backpedaled on the public option on Sunday and liberals went ballistic on Monday, on Tuesday the White House said they really weren't changing anything. Things took another big turn late Tuesday night with White House "sources" saying they were going to play hardball and go it alone by ramming Democratic health bills through with 51 Senate votes. But on Wednesday they were saying going it alone was not so much a threat as what would be left to them if the Republicans don't deal in good faith—that nothing has been decided.

Now, they are 60% sure they are going to spit the bills and ram it through—concluding there is little or no chance for a deal with Republicans.

You know, it's only Thursday—what are they going to leak tomorrow?

The split the bills idea has to be the most bizarre of all.

It would seem the assumption is that they can load the most controversial parts of their health care bills into one unpopular bill—the President's health care approval rating is down to 41% per the NBC poll yesterday. Presuming they can get the public option into the budget portion—a big if—they would then get their most committed House and Senate members to pass that. Then they would tell the Blue Dogs and moderate Senate Democrats they should have no hesitation to vote for the operational part two of the bill. If course, without their vote for part two the more controversial part one could not become operational.
I can see the Democratic leadership selling this to doubtful members: "So we'll do the tough vote and you moderates and Blue Dogs will only have to vote for part two and the fact that it makes the overall bill operational shouldn't be a concern to you. All those people back at the town halls won't have a clue you had anything to do with creating a public health plan option."

The Democratic leadership and the White House staff really need a vacation.
In my mind, this does nothing for the real challenge Democratic leaders and the White House face. That challenge isn't about legislative strategy in the House or the Senate. The real challenge is the fact that their health care approval rating is in the low 40s.

Posted by ROBERT LASZEWSKI at 9:44 AM

 

[Mac1958]

They're flailing. It's what politicians (both parties) do when they get a little desperate.

If Obama & Pelosi are so convinced that they know what's best, they need to push through a bill using reconciliation, just 51 votes. And be sure to load it up with as much bureaucracy as possible, since that's what's best. Who cares what those evil Republicans, Independents and Blue Dogs think? They just want to destroy the country anyway, right?

If they're so sure we're going to love this plan, why is he still in campaign mode? He has 51 votes right now.

Come on. Let's do it. Push it through. Then we'll see what happens.



...

 

[Mr. Bill]

I love it when "they" are asked whether they're going to give up their Cadillac health care and take the new plan!

 

[Norwayguy]

I love it when "they" are asked whether they're going to give up their Cadillac health care and take the new plan!

They always revert back to the President says if you have coverage now and like it you can keep except that companies may drop coverage or move to the public option because its cheaper.....It make me and all Americans as the boss of Federal workers want to ram their plan right up their collective benefits ...So you think this is so great then Congress should go on the public option 90 days after passage and the rest of the country as planned in 2013...Now that would be leadership matter of fact they should do that with all legislation....They conveniently exempt themselves from things all the time.

 

[Winter_123]

They always revert back to the President says if you have coverage now and like it you can keep

Fine. Let's listen to him say that when seniors start saying they want to stay with medicare advantage so don't want him working to eliminate or cut funding.

And by the way, he wants to take the medicare savings out of medicare and use it to fund illegal immigrants.

As I have stated many times, it is good he likes negotiating with the enemy because he will have plenty of experience with that after seniors are done with him. Dealing with N. Korea and Iran will seem like a cakewalk after the Bluehair Brigade works him over.

Change you can believe in.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

FYI.....
ROBERT LASZEWSKI. .. is tuned in.
Thursday, August 20, 2009

Splitting the Bills? The Democratic Leadership and the White House Staff Really Need a Vacation


The latest word is that the Democratic leadership and the White House see a "60% chance" they will split their health care bill into two parts—one a budget bill that would be eligible for the 51-vote Senate rule and the other the operational non-budget portions that will need 60 votes.

This is all intended to get around the Byrd Rule—which allows the use of reconciliation rules only for budget items. I explained that rule in a post yesterday.

This week just keeps getting more bizarre. After the Secretary of HHS backpedaled on the public option on Sunday and liberals went ballistic on Monday, on Tuesday the White House said they really weren't changing anything. Things took another big turn late Tuesday night with White House "sources" saying they were going to play hardball and go it alone by ramming Democratic health bills through with 51 Senate votes. But on Wednesday they were saying going it alone was not so much a threat as what would be left to them if the Republicans don't deal in good faith—that nothing has been decided.

Now, they are 60% sure they are going to spit the bills and ram it through—concluding there is little or no chance for a deal with Republicans.

You know, it's only Thursday—what are they going to leak tomorrow?

The split the bills idea has to be the most bizarre of all.

It would seem the assumption is that they can load the most controversial parts of their health care bills into one unpopular bill—the President's health care approval rating is down to 41% per the NBC poll yesterday. Presuming they can get the public option into the budget portion—a big if—they would then get their most committed House and Senate members to pass that. Then they would tell the Blue Dogs and moderate Senate Democrats they should have no hesitation to vote for the operational part two of the bill. If course, without their vote for part two the more controversial part one could not become operational.
I can see the Democratic leadership selling this to doubtful members: "So we'll do the tough vote and you moderates and Blue Dogs will only have to vote for part two and the fact that it makes the overall bill operational shouldn't be a concern to you. All those people back at the town halls won't have a clue you had anything to do with creating a public health plan option."

The Democratic leadership and the White House staff really need a vacation.
In my mind, this does nothing for the real challenge Democratic leaders and the White House face. That challenge isn't about legislative strategy in the House or the Senate. The real challenge is the fact that their health care approval rating is in the low 40s.

Posted by ROBERT LASZEWSKI at 9:44 AM

I do think that they will end out splitting up the bill(s) but not along the lines of reconciliation/non-reconciliation items.

I think they will ultimately fall back to a bill that captures what people can agree upon and pass those elements. And then leave the other elements (such as public option) subject to a trigger such as non-performance by the carriers.

This will accomplish three goals. 1) it will allow some reform to pass such as guaranteed issue and maybe some subsidy/tax credit to go with it. 2) it will allow the dems to save face by not having to admit defeat on the public option but instead say it is still on the horizon, and 3) it allows the government to do what all socialist governments do well which is to never actually go away but to threaten a government takeover if you do not comply.

They can try the reconciliation thing but it would be a bloodbath. Eventually they will come around and at least consolidate their gains through a lesser bill (something Hillary was not willing to do). Remember, just last week, Bill Clinton advised that "sometimes you have to accept less than a full loaf."

Change you can believe in.

 

[Mr. Bill]

Oh gosh, why did that last line remind me of Monica Lewinsky?

 

[Norwayguy]

This will accomplish three goals. 1) it will allow some reform to pass such as guaranteed issue and maybe some subsidy/tax credit to go with it. 2) it will allow the dems to save face by not having to admit defeat on the public option but instead say it is still on the horizon, and 3) it allows the government to do what all socialist governments do well which is to never actually go away but to threaten a government takeover if you do not comply.

Whats scary is that I was watching a town hall meeting held by Barny Frank in MA and what scared me is he was saying that once the bill is passed the states will be able to make requests to run the program differently in their states....I guess what scares me is it reminds me of Welfare reform in 96 that Clinton signed limiting benefits to 5 years....Not so here is Maine benefits are for life...and I guess the thing about GI being passed is if its Nationwide Maine might actually get competition again, but if the states can muck with it as well I think things will get even worse.

 

[Winter_123]

Whats scary is that I was watching a town hall meeting held by Barny Frank in MA and what scared me is he was saying that once the bill is passed the states will be able to make requests to run the program differently in their states....I guess what scares me is it reminds me of Welfare reform in 96 that Clinton signed limiting benefits to 5 years....Not so here is Maine benefits are for life...and I guess the thing about GI being passed is if its Nationwide Maine might actually get competition again, but if the states can muck with it as well I think things will get even worse.

In the second Congressional district in Maine, the GOP asked democratic Congressman Mike Michaud to agree to a town hall meeting so that both sides could discuss/debate the issue as is going on around the country. Michaud said no. Okay fine. Guess I will just go back to watching the town hall meeting in other parts of the country. I blinked and my little experience with health reform and democracy came and went.

The first district is represented by Che Guevera's sister so I pretty much know where she stands.

Change you can believe in.

 

[Charpress]

I don't know. They spelled out the game plan but nobody seems to notice.

"It may take years" to get where they want to be. "We may have to do it incrementally" -and that is the way it is going to happen.

I don't see any long-term way to head this off. People will be worn down and will take some compromise in the same sense that Hitler and Stalin compromised over dividing Poland. Of course, Hitler knew it was just a little side trip before going down the highway to his real goal.

If any part of this goes through, the rest will follow. I have no doubt about the reality of that. Possibly, just possibly, an entirely new executive and legislative branch may be able to undo things. Doubtful. Also doubtful that enough won't pass to seal the eventual deal.

 

[Mr. Bill]

Now that Obama is projecting a $9 TRILLION deficit (Obama to raise 10-year deficit to $9 trillion | U.S. | Reuters) it is simply becoming less and less likely that he will be able to pass anything except gas.

The foreign debt owners (#1 - Chinese) will tell him where to shove the additional spending, and it won't be up their arses!