What is your Zip Code
Are you currently insured?
Yes No
How many people are being insured?

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Reconciliation, President Obama and Health Care Reform

By Ethan Kalvin

There is speculation that the national health care reform legislation may be run through the Senate with a technique by the name of reconciliation. This is a regulation where bills impacting the federal budget can be passed with a majority of only 51 votes. This in effect keeps the minority party from being able to filibuster.

This would permit the Senate Democrats to have an opportunity to pass whatever kind of health reform they orchestrated and the Republicans would have no recourse. The New York Times reported this weekend that President Obama was endorsing the use of reconcilitation if the need was there.

Reconciliation is President Obama's backup plan, as he has stated that health care reform would be passed this year. He has plenty of votes in the House of Representatives and by using reconciliation in the Senate, the bill would be passed.

There is outrage amongst the Senate Republicans, as they assert that the Democrates want to avoid the proper debate on the health care reform, and want to push the Republicans out of the way. However, some Democrats such as Senator Max Baucus, want a consensus on the health care reform. We need a bill that can pass with more than 60 votes, if something is jammed down someones's throat, it's not sustainable, said Senator Bauscus.

The Senator from Montana is speaking what a lot of people are thinking. The need to include everyone's ideas and issues is a reasonable request. Since the announcement of Senator Arlen Specter moving from Republican to Democrat, it might have those 60 votes, enough to keep a filibuster from happening. Of course, this assumes Democrat Al Franken will win the fight with Norm Coleman in Minnesota.

About the Author:

No comments:

Post a Comment