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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2009
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10

Don't Use Budget Process for Big Reform: GOP to Obama

Procedure would allow Democrats to pass agenda with 51 votes

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(Newser) – To circumvent a likely 60-vote minimum in the Senate for big-ticket bills like health reform, President Obama is considering pursuing proposals through a budgetary tactic known as reconciliation, where just 51 votes are needed and no filibustering is allowed. But Republicans are having none of it, Politico reports. Senate Republican Whip Jon Kyl warns that using the process would turn Obama’s agenda into a “purely partisan exercise.”

Moderate Democrats like Sen. Tom Carper are worried reconciliation would do “serious damage to our bipartisan effort.” But, the White House says, it’s just testing the waters. And the GOP wasn’t above using this tool under Bush. “It is interesting to see the views on reconciliation and how they’ve changed since, say, the Bush tax cuts in 2001,” says Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs.

White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, left, talks with Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont. at a dinner for congressional committee heads at the White House, March 4, 2009.
White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, left, talks with Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont. at a dinner for congressional committee heads at the White House, March 4, 2009.   (AP Photo)
President Barack Obama leaves after his address to a joint session of Congress, Feb. 24, 2009.
President Barack Obama leaves after his address to a joint session of Congress, Feb. 24, 2009.   (AP Photo)
Sen. Charles Schumer, D-NY, looks on as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid meets with reporters on Capitol Hill, Feb. 25, 2009.
Sen. Charles Schumer, D-NY, looks on as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid meets with reporters on Capitol Hill, Feb. 25, 2009.   (AP Photo)
Sen. Jon Kyl looks on as Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill, March 10, 2009.
Sen. Jon Kyl looks on as Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill, March 10, 2009.   (AP Photo)
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It’s a big gamble. Because if you do it with no bipartisan buy-in at all, you own the whole thing politically. And they all well remember what happened in 1994, when there was a big blowback.
- Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell

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10 comments
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Robert_Dada
Mar 24, 09 12:01 PM CDT
Moderate Democrats like Sen. Tom Carper are worried reconciliation would do “serious damage to our bipartisan effort.” - What the hell is he talking about. There is no bipartisan effort. That's why the administration is even considering this. Reply
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AnnieChrist
Mar 24, 09 12:32 PM CDT
When "Moderate Democrats like Sen. Tom Carper " come out of their coma, maybe someone can explain to them that the prefix "bi" means "two," and that right now there is only one party interested in bipartisanship. Or, maybe he considers the DINO's a second party, the people like him, Bayh, et. al. who represent themselves as democrats to avoid the consequences of calling themselves republicans. I fully expect to see a report in Newser one day of these DINO's lining up to fellate mcconnell and boehner on the capitol grounds. Just bending over for the republicans for the last eight years apparently hasn't been gratifying enough. Reply
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BackAgain
Mar 24, 09 1:02 PM CDT
Force it all down as fast as you can. So much for change. Reply
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SPH
Mar 24, 09 1:07 PM CDT
It is telling that the Republican leadership see no need for reform as the status quo has worked so well for them.... Reply
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IN RESPONSE:
Snowleopard
Mar 24, 09 1:29 PM CDT
true that.
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