Intriguing cross-post re: HCR final Senate bill

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

The babylonsister post in GD of a firedoglake entry is worth cross-posting because posts disappear so fast in GD and it concerns a vital nuance

Rockefeller, Brown, Boxer to Push Reid on Including Public Option in Senate Bill Today

Key point:

"There's a big difference between having a public option in the bill before the fact or trying to get it in by amendment. It's likely that amendments to the bill will require a 60-vote threshold, therefore it would take 60 votes to get a public option into the bill if it's absent, or 60 to get one out of the bill if it's present. Nobody has said that there are those numbers of votes to do either of those actions, so, whether the bill comes to the Senate floor with a public option or not is a crucial decision. The four people in that room making that decision are Max Baucus of the Finance Committee, Tom Harkin of the HELP Committee, Harry Reid and someone from the White House. A lot of this will depend on the White House's inclination, and they certainly floated their support over the weekend. But Reid's public statements have been noncommittal."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6720058

[Cant trust em]

1. I love this parliamentary stuff.

I find the nitty gritty stuff of passing legisation to be really interesting.

[Clio the Leo]

2. Rachel is reporting......

.... that Reid is prepared to yank chairmanship positions from Dems who aid the GOP in filibustering the bill.

It's starting to look less and less like getting 60 votes is going to be a problem.

[DrToast]

3. Good. Although who does that threaten? Lieberman?

Who else?

[Clio the Leo]

4. And other leadership positions apparently.......

......... see.....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8689179