Legal Commentary

Will Reconciliation Make A Comeback On The Health Bill?

By Big Tent Democrat

d-day writes:

You may think that House Democrats warning that the health care bill is in a lot of trouble reflects nothing more than posturing. Why is Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) saying in the above clip that the bill might go down on the first pass and then return to the House before it passes? Consider the math. [. . .] Maybe Nancy Pelosi can flip some of the no votes, especially with the more conservative Senate bill being the base, and the public option likely dead. [. . . But] there will not be more than a small handful of no-to-yes flips available. [. . .] But there’s a HUGE universe of yes-to-no flips that are at least possible. [. . .] Virtually everyone in the Democratic caucus has some problem or other with the bill.

The problem is that the Obama Administration and the Senate Dems acted with too much hubris. They have produced a bill that virtually no one likes and many detest. There is, as d-day notes, little political upside for anyone in this bill. The Ben Nelsons and Blanche Lincolns never wanted to vote for a health bill in any form. Accomodating them has created a situation where they may still be Nos and a whole bunch of progressives in the House may be nos. This is looking like a debacle. Reconciliation may be the only way to save it.

Speaking for me only

Full post as published by TalkLeft on January 13, 2010 (boomark / email).