The American Spectator : The Spectacle Blog : Report: Parlimentarian Deals Blow to Democrats' Health Care Strategy

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Report: Parlimentarian Deals Blow to Democrats' Health Care Strategy

By Philip Klein on 3.11.10 @ 2:57PM

The Senate parliamentarian has delivered a blow to Democratic efforts to pass health care legislation by ruling that President Obama would have to sign the Senate health care bill into law before the Senate could modify it through reconciliation, according to a report by Roll Call, citing Republican sources.

While this wouldn't make it impossible for Democrats to pass a health care bill, if the report is accurate, it would make the route to passage more difficult, because House members would have to take a leap of faith in voting for a Senate bill that they don't like, based only on the assurances from the Senate that they would act to fix the bill once it gets signed.

View all comments (23) | Leave a comment

wbfrank| 3.11.10 @ 3:15PM

Ha! Why doesn't these Chicago Gangsters go back to where they are appreciated. This is the most corrupt administration and president in US history! There are the beginnings of congressional investigations already in the works. How about a naked Rham Emmanuel in the shower next to you?? Bad, bad mind picture!
Remember that Barry Obama has surrounded himself with people who are of like mind. Remember, there is an earthquake coming to Washington DC!

chris pedersen| 3.11.10 @ 8:31PM

A "CRIMINAL RACKETEERING ENTERPRISE"

CONTINUNING RICO CORRUPTION CLASSES HELD AT CHICAGO CITY HALL EVERY NIGHT! MAYOR RICHARD "The Irish Don" DALEY PRESIDING

bjones| 3.12.10 @ 1:42AM

Bad Bad picture, the earth quake should be expedited

Dixie Pixie| 3.11.10 @ 7:55PM

I have a simple question. Why is it required that the House pass the Senate ObamaCare Bill. Why is it not the Senate's problem to pass the House's Bill? Or would that throw a pack of confused weasels into the debate.

Correct me if I am wrong. I was under the impression both the Senate and House bills must be combined and resubmitted to both Houses of Congress. This means a reconciliation bill must be passed by BOTH Houses of Congress. So is it not an unnecessary requirement to pass the House bill in the Senate or the Senate bill in the House.

Why not let the Republicans force a requirement for a ObamaCare vote in both Houses of Congress. That way there will be double the chances to kill ObamaCare.

In short why not demand that Congress comply with their own rules?

Nick| 3.11.10 @ 8:36PM

Dixie Pixie,

I thought I knew what was going on, but I, too, am totally confused.

"Reconciliation", or "the Byrd Rule", is from the 1970's, to keep budgets from getting filibustered.

It's not the same as the reconciliation done by a joint House and Senate committee to "reconcile" differences in similar versions of the same bill.

It's all about parlimentary procedure, of which I am completely ignorant.

I have no idea why the House has to pass this, and the President sign it, BEFORE reconcilliation happens.

I guess we have to do some research, huh?
Even FOX has done a poor job explaining this.

Dixie Pixie| 3.11.10 @ 9:28PM

Nick

Paul Ryan ( R ) was just on Fox's Hannity Show giving a coherent explanation on the status of the ObamaCare Bill. The reason for all the Political shenanigans is Harry Reid can not get a ObamaCare Bill through the Senate period.

You and I were right on how a Bill moves through Congress. Paul Ryan confirmed it.
Also a bill must be a Law before it can be “reconciled” with a new bill reforming a current Law.

I still like the “Confused Weasels of the Senate Theory” as it fits the facts.

Nick| 3.11.10 @ 9:42PM

Dixie Pixie,

Thanks for the heads-up. I'll tape Hannity and check it out.

Roy| 3.12.10 @ 8:15AM

Yeah - they can't pass anything new in the Senate because Repubs will filibuster. They have 41 senators, of which arguably the furthest left, Scott Brown, explicitly ran against Obamacare.

So they have to dink around and avoid a new Senate debate.

Bob| 3.12.10 @ 9:04AM

1/5 Nick....

Doesn't know the Constitution....
Doesn't understand science....
Doesn't know anything about Biblical Aramaic....
Doesn't know enough to make any relevant comments.....

At least you admit you're completely ignorant... That's the first thing you've said I do believe...

Hmmm....

Nick| 3.12.10 @ 9:16AM

3/5 Bob,

You're projecting again. You can't understand plain English, let alone Aramaic.

I wrote that I'm completely ignorant of how the Byrd Rule works. One of the few things of which I'm COMPLETELY ignorant, by the way.

Also, I wasn't the one who brought theology into a scientific debate. You were The king of ignorance.

Melanie| 3.11.10 @ 11:23PM

Well, since the constitution states that ALL legislation is supposed to originate in the HOUSE, the Senate bill is really not constitutional in the first place!

Colo43| 3.12.10 @ 6:47AM

The earth Quake can't come soon enough

Escapee1| 3.12.10 @ 8:54AM

What??? You mean they can't vote on a non-existent bill, have the Prez to sign a non-existent bill and then fix the non-existent bill with another bill??? Oh crap...

Bob| 3.12.10 @ 9:14AM

Actually, it is Republicans who showed the Democrats how to do this....

http://www.politifact.com/trut.....-50-votes/

These cuts didn't help the economy and changed us from having a surplus to a huge deficit. They encouraged the gambling on Wall Street. This was not the act of fiscal conservatives.

And remember, it is the Senate President, Joe Biden, that rules on this, not the parliamentarian.

This bill will cost a lot and do nothing, but Republicans should be blamed for not providing a real alternative when they were in power -- we knew what the Democrats would do.

Let's have term limits and get some real, intelligent, fiscal conservatives like Paul Ryan and get this country going again. That means valuing fiscal conservatism more than religious fundamentalism. With the religious right now owning the Republican party, they may be virtually impossible.

Bay Area Patriot| 3.12.10 @ 2:32PM

That is the problem, even when the democraps are breaking the LAW, you blame republicans. It is the democraps that are pushing the bill. Put the blame where it belongs, on Obummer, he is the moron that will not let it go!

Nick| 3.12.10 @ 9:26AM

Pay no attention to 3/5 Bob's comments above.

He is known as 3/5 Bob, because until last June, he thought that blacks had 3/5 of a vote, under the original U.S. Constitution.

He also doesn't know the scientific fact of when human biological life begins because he is unsure of when "ensoulment" happens.

He also claimed he translated the Bible from the original Aramaic when he was a teenager.

He is a pseudo-intellectual and an anti-Christian bigot.

Don't waste your time arguing with him.

Bob| 3.12.10 @ 9:28AM

1/5 Nick....

Doesn't know the Constitution....
Doesn't understand science....
Doesn't know anything about Biblical Aramaic....
Doesn't know enough to make any relevant comments.....

Talk about wasting time?????

Hmmm....

Nick| 3.12.10 @ 9:39AM

OH NO!

3/5 Bob must have vapor-locked!

And now his rather bulbous head is constantly pressing the submit button.

theporch| 3.12.10 @ 10:22AM

Let's remember-- The obamacare needs to be passed so we can find out what is in it, per Pelosi!!!!

theporch| 3.12.10 @ 10:24AM

When reconciliation has been used in the past it always had over whelming support from both parties. It was done to expedite things relating to budget matters. Not a ram it down the public throats like the dems are trying to do without any repubs and without some dems supporting it.

theporch| 3.12.10 @ 10:35AM

A correction fo BOB It is the Parliamentarian who makes the determination if the reconciliation is appropriate or not. Biden can override the Parliamentarian if he chooses not abide by Parliamentarian rules.