Good News Here! Reid open to fast-tracking health overhaul

[jefferson_dem]

Reid open to fast-tracking health overhaul
By ERICA WERNER – 1 hour ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — Majority Leader Harry Reid indicated Wednesday he's willing to move sweeping health care legislation through the Senate with a procedural maneuver that would block a GOP filibuster.

The prospect of the controversial tactic has already ignited Republicans' ire, and key Senate Democratic chairmen have said they don't want to do it.

Reid, D-Nev., took a different position on a conference call with reporters.

"I think it's something we need to consider," Reid said.

At issue is a so-called reconciliation bill, which could pass with a simple majority of 51 votes and without Democrats fearing a GOP filibuster. Democrats would struggle to gather 60 votes needed to break a filibuster for something as complex as a plan to meet President Barack Obama's goal of overhauling the nation's health care system to cover 48 million uninsured Americans.

Revising health care in a reconciliation bill is known as fast-tracking, and has been viewed favorably by House Democrats. The House Budget Committee included the bill in its annual budget resolution released Wednesday. Reconciliation is not favored by Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad, D-N.D., and was not part of his committee's plan.

White House officials reiterated Wednesday that it's not their preferred method but they don't want to take it off the table.

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http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j6qxTJAYuZMcfALy80h_5RT41-OwD975C1G00

[dflprincess]

1. I won't call it good news until I hear the insurance companies

screaming about how awful the bill is. Until that happens, I'll remain fearful that all the "reform" we're going to get is a bill that protects the for profit insurers and does nothing to actually help us get access to health care.

[jefferson_dem]

3. True that.

We'll see where things go. For now, I'm thrilled to see even a small signal that wimpy Reid might actually consider leveraging the Dem's majority power a bit.

[brentspeak]

4. Precisely

Harry Reid liking the bill is by itself an ominous sign.

[fascisthunter]

2. and I Won't Think It's Good News Until I Know What is Being Fast-Tracked

[rateyes]

5. Sad thing is, if Reid says he'll fast-track it,

he won't fast-track it. He never does what he says he will do.

[Metta]

6. Reid has tiny balls and talk is cheap.

He's postured before.

[depakid]

7. Reid's up for re-election, this is very popular

and if he fails to ride herd on the obstructionist Republicrats- he looks weak and ineffective to Nevadans when he can least afford to.

[OlbermannsHead]

8. Good

Hope he's ready to fight for it

[stillcool]

9. It's now or never for Harry...

if he fucks this up, he's going down as the worst Majority Leader of all time.

[Jennicut]

10. Put up or shut up Harry. The time is NOW.

[DailyGrind51]

11. Here is a WSJ link to more info about the legislative tactic!

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123750672953890227.html

"For Congress to pass such a monumental program using a special maneuver would be unusual. But the tactic -- allowing legislation to pass the Senate with 51 votes rather than the 60 need to overcome a possible filibuster -- has been used by Republican and Democratic administrations to secure major initiatives, from Bill Clinton's tax increases in 1993 to George W. Bush's tax cuts in 2001 and 2003..."