Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, seeking to console liberal activists who were disappointed by the final version of the national health care law, assured them that there would eventually be a public option.And Reid knows just how he's going to get you there, Harry Reid Pledges Action to Change Filibuster Rules:"We're going to have a public option," Reid said. "It's just a question of when."
Liberals have chafed at Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s inability to move their high priority legislation, such as a public health insurance option and a bill to make it easier for workers to unionize, even though Democrats currently have a healthy 59-seat majority in the chamber....He may not get there, but he's trying.
The Nevada Democrat aligned the filibuster to the spitball, which was eventually banned from baseball because pitchers abused it.“We’re going to have to change it,” Reid pledged, adding that there’s “no plan yet” on how, exactly, Democrats would like to alter the rules. He also didn’t mention that it could be considerably difficult if they lose seats this November, as is expected. “We’re looking at ways to change what has been an abuse,” he said.
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Okay, so here's the question: why would he change the filibuster rules on the cusp of a Republican takeover of (quite possibly) both house and senate? If we don't get a supermajority in November (not likely anyway until 2012), wouldn't that just help Republicans defund and more quickly repeal the Obaminations that have been inflicted upon us?
ReplyDeleteReid says, "We're looking at ways to change what has been an abuse." Oy. I bet, I'll just bet that Harry Reid doesn't consider the Democrats' use of the filibuster to block President Bush's judicial nominees in the early 2000's to have been "an abuse."
ReplyDelete*****“We’re looking at ways to change what has been an abuse,” he said.*****
ReplyDeleteSo is Sharron Angle.
At the same time Donald "recess this" Berwick and Harry Reid are swooning over bureaucratic control of the healthcare system, Britain is taking baby steps to decentralized their National Health Service. And (shameless Rule 1 blogpimping in 3,2,1...) you can read all about it on my blog, LilacSunday.blogspot.com, where you will find a handy link to Cameron et al's white paper to Parliament on NHS reform.
ReplyDeleteDon't the dems need a supermajority to change the filibuster under the Senate Rules? Don't see much hope of that.
ReplyDelete