I hear Harry Reid can pass a public option without recon or 60-is this true or false?

[Politics_Guy25]

This idea is very intriguing. I read it on another blog but I'm not sure if it is possible. There apparently is a legislative manuever that Harry Reid could use to pass a strong public option and bill period without using reconciliation or needing 60 votes. Here it is:
1. The senate and the house both pass a bill without a public option or even a trigger.
2. The final conference report of the merged senate/house bills does not have a public option or a trigger EITHER.
3. The toothless bill goes to the senate first. Apparently, all cloture motions are invoked ahead of time. For example, a cloture motion would be voted on on Monday even though the bill would still be debated until say Thursday. So, the cloture motion is passed on Monday and nothing can stop debate from ending and a vote being held on Thursday at 5 pm say. THEN, at the last minute, like at 4:30 P.M. on Thursday, Harry Reid introduces an ammendment with a strong public option that requires just 50 votes. Having 52 votes at least and without the thread of a fillibuster as it is too late, the PO passes and the bill achieves final passage say 52-48.
4. The key is apparently tricking the Republidems into thinking the PO is dead until the LAST minute.
5. Then, Nancy Pelosi uses her majority on the rules committee to present to her floor exactly the same bill that the senate just passed. So, even though it's not the conference report that was signed, it still matches the bill the senate passed.
6. Bill goes to President Obama to sign. Americans everywhere rejoice while the republicans face electoral annihilation.

Was the poster who said that this is the way to get a strong public option blowing smoke? Does anyone know if this can happen this way?

[DrToast]

1. There was an article about this a while back

I think it was from The Hill. I don't know if it's true either. I haven't heard much about it since then.

[ej510]

2. Now the house has a repuke bill. It provides cover

for the Senate to weaken the public option to nothing and the slap an opt in trigger on it.

[BzaDem]

3. I believe this is true. However

I'm pretty sure Lieberman wouldn't vote for cloture in the first place without making a deal that this wouldn't happen. The others, I could see them being OK with this. They are mainly against the public option for electoral considerations, and this would make it so they never had to vote to allow or enable the option. But Lieberman (and Snowe) both oppose the public option on actual policy grounds, which makes me think that they will do whatever that is in their power to stop it.

[Politics_Guy25]

4. Honestly, LIE

Lieberman has stabbed us in the back so much with the Mccain endorsement, refusing to honor the primary results in 2006, etc. Just say "sure Joe, I wouldn't do that, you have my word." Then do it ANYWAY. It's not like he hasn't done that to us.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

5. As I understand it - yes and no.

The amendment can be considered post-cloture, but it has to be filed pre-cloture. In other words, the move has to be telegraphed significantly, which makes it rather difficult for Reid to pull a fast one on Lieberman.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

6. Here's a citation for what I say above

From Rule XXII:

Except by unanimous consent, no amendment shall be proposed after the vote to bring the
debate to a close, unless it had been submitted in writing to the Journal Clerk by 1 o’clock
p.m. on the day following the filing of the cloture motion if an amendment in the first degree,
and unless it had been so submitted at least one hour prior to the beginning of the cloture
vote if an amendment in the second degree.

[backscatter712]

7. Another idea is to go for the nuclear option.

The same nuclear option the Rethugs threatened us with when Bush nominated Alito for the Supremes.

[TheCoxwain]

8. There was a thread on it yesterday ..... cant do it for regular bills