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The Spectacle Blog
Robert Borosage, co-director of Campaign for America’s Future, a liberal group that’s been active in the health care fight, said in a Thursday phone interview that Democrats should explore using reconciliation to pass a health care bill with 51 votes in the Senate.
The procedure had been set aside by Democrats because the rules governing its use limit what could be passed to measures that affect the federal budget, and it could mean ending up with a bill that has huge gaps.
But in the wake of Scott Brown’s election, the dynamics have changed.
“Right now, I’d take a very hard look at reconciliation in the Senate and how comprehensive of a bill you could get through the reconciliation process,” Borosage told me. “If you could get a significant portion of this bill through in a way that doesn’t leave staggering holes, then I would try to do that through reconciliation.”
He said that insurance regulatory reforms that could not be passed through reconciliation – such as forcing insurers to offer coverage to those with preexisting conditions – could be included in a separate bill.
“That’s a popular measure, you could do that separately, and if Republicans try to stop that, that would be a nice fight,” he said.
Rep. Raul Grijalva, co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, also suggested a similar strategy this afternoon.
Earlier today, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said there weren’t enough votes to execute another idea that had been floated – for the House to simply pass the Senate bill as is. Borosage was also dismissive of that option, taking particular issue with the “Cadillac tax” on benefit rich health care plans that would affect union benefits.
“I think Pelosi is a much better vote counter in the House than anybody else is, and the original bill had problems on both sides of the aisle,” he said. “Sustaining a majority for a Senate bill that is much worse seems to be pretty unlikely and I think a lot of progressives would find it very difficult to vote for the Senate bill.”
Yesterday, Borosage wrote on the Huffington Post that the conventional wisdom was wrong about the Brown victory. Instead of moving to the center, he argued, Obama should move to the left.
“It’s pretty clear that people in Massachusetts, like people around the country, are scared about their jobs and they’re furious about the banks,” he told me. “At this point, they see an administration that’s borrowing lots of money, bailing out the banks, and not doing much about jobs.”
Borosage applauded the plan Obama announced today to impose stricter regulations on banks, and he said Obama should follow up with another jobs program.
He said that Obama made a mistake during his first year by trying too hard to work with Republicans.
“The health care debate, having spent months in the futile pursuit of Republican bipartisanship, became a grotesquery,” he said, suggesting that by the end, when Obama was negotiating with labor leaders over the “Cadillac tax,” he looked like management seeking concessions from unions.
Pete| 1.21.10 @ 6:34PM
"having spent months in the futile pursuit of Republican bipartisanship"
Are they serious?
Truth| 1.25.10 @ 12:13AM
Most people don't know anything about health care reform. Look in the mirror. This bill had many huge "give ups".....buy in to Medicare at 50 and public options to name two. Anybody ever read Senator Enzi's “10 Steps to Transform Health Care in America Act” failed bill a couple of years ago? Read it and tell me if the Republicans, right now, are playing in good faith? It redefines hypocrisy, except maybe for Joe Lieberman! Politics as usual! Much of Enzi’s bill had much of the components in the current health bill. I hope the Majority RAM this bill straight down the arrogant filibuster ass’s through reconciliation. Then, we'll see how happy the Republicans are knowing they could of had at least some of what they wanted like tort reform and portability which by the way is what most people want. So, it’s pretty funny thinking a Republican ( I guess) from Mass. who makes up the meager 41st vote is going to kill the health care bill. Are you kidding me……it’s actually going to be worse now. Does anybody think the Majority is really going to lay down and just let the health bill die? If Enzi and others were smart they should start talking! All 41 is, is a very small number when you talk about electorates. If anybody out there thinks health care reform is not needed and is not tied to the economy and jobs, then just bury your head in the sand another two feet.
Siegfried X| 1.21.10 @ 6:37PM
Some lawmakers said it will take time for congressional Democrats, who huddled repeatedly Thursday, to realize how limited their options are. "People are at various levels of the seven stages of grief," said Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y.
JP| 1.21.10 @ 6:38PM
"Borosage applauded the plan Obama announced today to impose stricter regulations on banks, and he said Obama should follow up with another jobs program.
He said that Obama made a mistake during his first year by trying too hard to work with Republicans."
Is this man on drugs? The Left now believe thier own talking points. This President and his party shut the door on the GOP (and the Press), and attempted to bully a monstrosity through Congress. They didn't need one single GOP vote to get ObamaCare through. If they wish to extend this farce into the Summer, let them. It will be interesting to see how many Blue Dogs and vulnerable Dems jump ship. And make no mistake, the Left will not accept anything less Federal control of health care. It appears that they are prepared to walk the plank.
Obama is Carter| 1.21.10 @ 6:42PM
It is absolutely hilarious that the conventional "wisdom" (one has to be careful using that word when referring to absolute idiots)on the left is that Obama tried too hard to be bipartisan. It is almost as hilarious as the notion that the voters of Massachusetts wanted Obama to move to the left, so they elected the more conservative of the two candidates.
Such thinking reminds me of the left's conventional wisdom (there I go again) concerning the 1994 election. The belief that failure to pass a health care bill is what led the Dems to lose in 1994 to a party that was committed to blocking that very same bill, and is the reason it didn't pass in the first place, is absolutely ludicrous. That they seem to be repeating the same mistakes they did 16 and 17 years ago is extremely encouraging and makes me think, with good candidate recruitment, that retaking the majority is not a long-shot after all.
Siegfried X| 1.21.10 @ 6:50PM
The Democratic definition of bipartisanship is getting one or two RINOs to vote for their bills, just enough to avoid filibuster. That's what this guy means by attempting to work with Republicans.
sagman888| 1.21.10 @ 7:04PM
"He said that Obama made a mistake during his first year by trying too hard to work with Republicans. "
You know what's scary? This guy actually seems to believe what he's saying.
Pingback| 1.21.10 @ 8:00PM
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MarkJ| 1.21.10 @ 8:40PM
Robert Borosage reminds me of a ship's captain who bellows, "Ramming speed!" to his crew....even as his vessel slides off the edge of Niagara Falls.
Jim Hlavac | 1.21.10 @ 11:42PM
It seems that the Left always sees every thing as a reason to move politically further left. For it is True Belief. If the sun rises, move to the left, if it sets, move left. If it rains, move left. Sunny? Move left. Does the bear go in the woods? Move left. Does the bear jump over the moon? Move left. Elect a Republican? Move left. Elect a Democrat? Move left. Elect Mickey Mouse? Move left. Does a fish swim in the sea? Move left. Does a fish get caught from a lake? Move left. Does a movie open tomorrow? Move left. Does the traffic light change? Move left --
they see everything, every sign, every portent, every word, as simply "Move left." Makes no difference, for they are delusional that the world wants a Marxist paradise, or not. So move left. It's a machine that no matter which button you push, no matter which things you put in -- the only response you'll ever get is Move Left. To the Leftists there is simply no other direction possible. It is inevitable, as they say, so Move Left! Pronto, slowly, against one's will -- all is to be Moved Left. Sad, but true.
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Mick Cerra| 1.22.10 @ 11:21AM
Health Care reform means just that. The Republicans want no part of it. They don't care how many Americans will die or suffer. It is clear that the Republicans are hell bent on opposing Obama no matter what ,so that he will fail.The Republicans will do anything for their own expedient ends. To the Republicans, it is more important to have power on their side than to create true health care system for the American people. Obama's administration should have taken the budget reconciliation route in April 2009. A majority of Americans want a public option, and once it is passed, better than a super majority will be satisfied with it. The teabaggers would rather sabotage the Obama Administration and bring everyone else down with them than allow a perceived "black" president to get credit for creating a health care system that is of, for, and by the vast majority of the American people.
The Democrats' only chance is to fight back via the reconciliation route while making private insurance rejection of those with preexisting conditions illegal in a separate bill. Now is the time not to move toward the middle, but draft a real health care bill like every other idustrialized country has. The teabaggers, birthers, bigots, and demogogues should be ashamed of America for not having a universal health care system. My country deserves the best. It deserves to have a true universal heath care system where $.96 on every dollar goes directly to health care instead of $.75 on every dollar-the rest going to the insurance and cartel of America. Unfettered capitalism and legalized greed are incompatible with the creation of a viable affordable health care system for all Americans.
Patriot| 1.22.10 @ 2:12PM
Does Keith Olbermann write your shtick, moron?
You calling the VAST MAJORITY of Americans teabaggers now? Yeah, that's gonna get you clowns elected.
Liberalism is a mental illness. lol
Mick Cerra| 8.12.10 @ 1:14AM
Either you did not comprehend what I stated in the above essay or you are trying to tell me that the douche baggers, excuse me tea baggers, excuse me I mean the myopic, willfully ignorant, sicko bigots, who fall prey to right wing demogoguery, represent the majority in America.!!! You are projecting your own mental illness on liberals, you fool!
Jeremy Engdahl-Johnson | 1.22.10 @ 12:50PM
Many different variables might push health plans into "Cadillac" territory, including geographic location, plan demographics, and other characteristics of the insured population. More at http://www.healthcaretownhall.com/?p=2044
brao| 1.23.10 @ 2:55AM
Obama's mistake has been not seeking support from moderate republicans for health care bill. This made all 60 democrat senators key for passing the bill, allowing some democrat senators take advantage of the situation and make and even get unreasonable demands put in senate bill - causing people to revolt.
If the house can cut those back room deals [ Neb, LA, etc] - in a open forum like cspan, there is chance the bill can be salvaged Via reconciliation process without offending too many people.
Tammy| 1.24.10 @ 2:32AM
Not anymore. RINOs are way too scared now.
It's too late.
Pingback| 1.24.10 @ 3:55AM
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