With reconciliation.

I think.

they passed a budget resolution earlier this fiscal year (which started october 1). that resolution allowed for $1.5 trillion for a tax cut bill.

as long as this tax cut bill doesn't cost more than $1.5 trillion over the next 10 years and zero per year after that, then it can pass with only 51 votes (actually 50 + pence).

there are a few more restrictions, e.g., the whole bill has to be just about the budget. they can't sneak in a provision changing criminal laws, e.g. also there can be only 3 reconciliation bills per year (actually per budget resolution) -- one on spending, one on revenue, and one on the debt limit.


so the loophole is that they can add as much as they want to the deficit, they just have to pass a ridiculous budget resolution (which also requires only 51 votes) beforehand. in this case they "only" allowed themselves $1.5 trillion, but they could have made it $15 trillion or $150 trillion.

What we’re seeing is an incredible violation of the Senate’s rules. By making the bill a shifting target and the OMB not having a bill to rule on the Republicans are dancing around the rule that prohibits using reconciliation rules. That the Democrats (Schumer) aren’t screaming bloody murder about this tells me that while they won’t vote yes they are letting this proceed.

This whole process violates every norm of the legislative process. Bills like this have never been shoved through like this.

Yet the virtual silence from the Democratic leadership is deafening. Think for a moment what the Republicans would be doing if the Democrats were trying something like this. They’re still claiming that the ACA was hammered through just like this when it was pushed through via a normal process.

The game is rigged indeed.