http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22425001/vp/32550316#32550316

After months of trying to get a bipartisan deal with the Republicans on health care reform, there is increasing momentum now on using the budget reconciliation process to ram a bill through the Senate using a parliamentary maneuver that cannot be filibustered. Once the House and Senate have passed (different) bills, a conference committee will come up with a single bill or possibly two bills. It is likely that aspects all Democrats agree on will be in a single bill that will follow the normal rules and on which cloture will be invoked. The controversial parts will likely go in a second bill that will be subject to a straight up-or-down vote, with 50 votes (plus Joe Biden) being enough to pass it. In this way, even if some conservative Democrats, such as Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) and Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) vote against it, it will still pass.

While Republicans will be enraged by this tactic, the Democrats are now circulating an unsigned memo explaining how reconciliation works and pointing that it has been used 19 times since the process was established in 1980, most recently six times during the Bush administration. In particular it was used in 2001 and 2003 to pass large tax cuts for the wealthy over Democratic objections. Some of the things Republican senators said then may come back to haunt them now. For example, Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH) said: “Is something wrong with ‘majority rules’? I don’t think so.”

Continued on http://www.electoral-vote.com

Now we are starting to get into it.
Also in the same article Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) starting her run for Texas governor. Just thought I’d point out again that a Texas senate seat will become vacant, with lots of angry Latinos voters this time around.
Once the health bill is passed they will also be very grateful to the Democrats.

Yes, “operational infrastructure within the U.S. system of govt.” is very different from our own where NOT toeing the Party line (except on conscience votes) is detrimental to a member’s security of tenure on Capital Hill, points well addressed by Katielou and our redoubtable Man In Canberra, David Gould, in comments following.

Ok then, let’s wait till the tabling of the fourth Health proposal (as you suggest) before re-engaging on debate on this vital Bill. Ain’t goin’ nowhere in this orange jumpsuit, that’s fer sure.

Katielou, your course at S.U. sounds just the ticket to glean some insights into the U.S. political process. Congrats on your commitment to a passion we all share. Had no idea about the fate of Senator Ted Kennedy’s seat should the Chappaquiddick Kid cark it.

And yes, Bazza has displayed enough inertia so far on the Health Bill to keep not a barrel, but an arsenal of powder dry, so let’s hope he goes off with a smoothly controlled bang when the time is right. An explosion we can believe in. And so say the citizens of Seppo City Central, of the heartland, the redwood forests and the Rocky Mountains.

Baz Baz Ka-Boom……step up to that plate!
Word on Ticster Street says you’re a Player.

—–
David Gould at 382.

Thanks for the lucid response, Jen agrees with you and I must agree with her, that is one of the best paragraphs you have posted in Ticsterdom. Thread authorship does heaps for your blog game.

A feature we’re yet to discuss on the Health Bill is the role of registered Independent voters in the U.S. electoral process. Maybe it’s those voters that Congressional RINOs and DINOs are trying to impress. Otoh, Corporate largesse seems to rain upon the Indy’s (Joey “The Rat” Lieberman), and Elephants and Donkeys alike.

“Our only political party has two right wings, one called Republican, the other Democratic……(so)……It makes no difference who you vote for – the two parties are really one party representing four percent of the people” .”

–Gore Vidal

And both prefer to play ball with the owners of America, while providing an occasional tokenistic nod to the punters in the bleachers.

“Mad as Hell” Doctors hit the road for Single Payer Health Plan

Every move we make along the way will be recorded on camera and then edited and uploaded to the internet that same day. This will allow our Mad As Hell Doctors Tour to leverage the edited video segments on social networking web sites such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, MySpace, et al. In this way, our effort becomes an unprecedented hybrid of reality television and political activism that offers people the opportunity to follow us, in real time, as our story unfolds. The message will be unmistakable: caravan with us to Washington and help make a public demonstration of support for Single Payer Health Care that will be heard around the world.

http://www.opednews.com/articles/-Mad-as-Hell-Doctors-hit-by-Pam-Miles-090824-377.html

Night all and think of that nice Mr Oates.

Both men are rumored to be possible replacements.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0609/23782.html#ixzz0PBgE2tUI