Uh Oh... 'Obama to Offer Health Bill to Ease Impasse as Bipartisan Meeting Approaches - NYT

Obama to Offer Health Bill to Ease Impasse as Bipartisan Meeting Approaches
By DAVID M. HERSZENHORN and ROBERT PEAR
Published: February 18, 2010

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WASHINGTON — President Obama will put forward comprehensive health care legislation intended to bridge differences between Senate and House Democrats ahead of a summit meeting with Republicans next week, senior administration officials and Congressional aides said Thursday.

Democratic officials said the president’s proposal was being written so that it could be attached to a budget bill as a way of averting a Republican filibuster in the Senate. The procedure, known as budget reconciliation, would let Democrats advance the bill with a simple majority rather than a 60-vote supermajority.

Congressional Democrats, however, have not yet seen the proposal or signed on.

The House and the Senate each adopted a version of sweeping health care legislation late last year. But efforts to combine the measures stalled after a Republican, Scott Brown, won a special Senate election in Massachusetts on Jan. 19, effectively stripping the Democrats of the 60th vote they needed to overcome Republican filibusters.

“It will be a reconciliation bill,” one Democratic aide said. “If Republicans don’t come with any substantial offers, this is what we would do.”

<snip>

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/19/health/policy/19health.html?emc=eta1&pagewanted=print

:wow:

:kick:

Wait for the Repukes to start shouting, stamping their dainty feet, and threatening to hold their breath until their faces turn blue.

Anyone know what happens if the GOP just does that?

needs to answer more to the Corporations than the people, I am doubting it.

would other versions be possible?

for inadequate and prohibitively expensive "coverage" definitely possible - in fact, overwhelmingly likely.

Unless they open up Medicare...

But then, that would be a type of public option too...

:shrug: