Democrats To Pass Nationalized Health Care Through A By-Pass Of The Senate Filibuster
For a while now the Obama administration has been making noises about using the budget reconciliation process to pass major legislation through the Senate without exposing it to a filibuster. Specifically, his cap and trade tax and his plans for nationalized health care have been policies targeted for this tactic. A few weeks ago Republicans forced a Senate vote that stopped cap and trade from being passed in this manner, but it looks like Obama is still going to try and pass nationalized health care without the full 60 votes usually required to pass anything through the Senate.
Thus Obama – who promised unity and bipartisanship upon being elected – is ensuring that one of the most sweeping and controversial policies of his administration can be passed on a strict party-line vote of Democrats.
WASHINGTON — At the prodding of the White House, Democratic Congressional leaders have agreed to pursue a plan that would protect major health care legislation from Republican opposition by shielding it from last-minute Senate filibusters.
The aggressive approach reflects the big political claim that President Obama is staking on health care, and with it his willingness to face Republican wrath in order to guarantee that the Democrats, with their substantial majority in the Senate, could not be thwarted by minority tactics.
While some Democratic senators were reluctant to embrace the arrangement, Mr. Obama made clear at a White House session on Thursday afternoon that he favored it, people with knowledge of the session said.
The problem I have with this is that the budget reconciliation process was intended to pass…budgets. Not big, sweeping nationalized health care plans. Also, legislation going through the Senate requires sixty votes for a reason.
Shouldn’t policies that would drastically change the way we live our lives – that would expand and deepen the involvement of government in our daily lives – be subjected to the full debate and deliberation of our legislative branch before being made law?
Obama, far from being the bi-partisan uniter he likes to pose as, is ram-rodding his liberal agenda through Congress with little or no respect for the debate that usually surrounds such policy. Remember when Democrats were the minority party and screaming about the importance of the minority party’s participation? My how the things have changed.
Just another “say one thing and do another” moment for President Hope ‘N Change.
On a related note, North Dakota citizens should recognize that this wouldn’t be happening without assistance from Senator Kent Conrad who chairs the Senate Budget Committee.
No matter where you’re from, click here to contact your elected representatives in Congress and tell them that policies like nationalized health care deserve the full debate and scrutiny of the Senate.
