Rethugs in full retreat mode: Senate GOP backs off; healthcare ‘fixes’ could pass Thursday

[babylonsister]

Senate GOP backs off; healthcare ‘fixes’ could pass Thursday
By Alexander Bolton - 03/24/10 07:55 PM ET


Senate Republicans have backed away from a plan to offer hundreds of amendments to slow the passage of healthcare reform fixes under budget reconciliation.

This means the Senate will finish work on House-demanded changes to healthcare reform law sooner than expected.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) had hoped to finish the process by Friday or Saturday but now Thursday afternoon appears a possible end-point.

Special budget rules known as reconciliation limit floor debate in the Senate to 20 hours and enable the majority party to pass legislation with 51 votes.

But the rules do not limit the number of amendments that can be offered once debate has expired.

Senate Republicans had threatened to offer scores or even hundreds of amendments to keep the healthcare legislation from getting out of the chamber.

But GOP lawmakers have decided not to employ the dilatory tactic and instead call for votes on substantive amendments.

more...

http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/88989-senate-gop-backs-off-healthcare-fixes-could-pass-thursday

[FrenchieCat]

1. Must be the bad press,

cause that's the only thing that could get a GOP
to back off.

[babylonsister]

2. No, they realized they were committing suicide, lemmings off a

cliff. Someone reined them in, unfortunately. I was looking forward to the implosion.

[yellowcanine]

16. and the realization that they have lost control of the hooligans and they will pay for it at the

polls if they don't rein in the wackiness quickly.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. My dear babylonsister!

I am actually relieved to hear this.

They could really have screwed up the process if they'd followed through with their threats.

Now, we WILL get someplace!

Someplace good...

[tishaLA]

5. I wish they had done it longer. I want the American people to see

day after day of them stomping their feet and holding their breath. It makes them look as immature as their policies do.

[Cha]

4. Thanks..we'll be the of judge

"substantive amendments".

[justgamma]

6. They are going to have a lot of "talking" points

in November. They've offered a lot of amendments that normally would pass with flying colors. More substantial subsidies, not giving "whoopie" drugs to sex offenders, stuff like that, knowing that the Dems can't vote for any of them.

[Cha]

8. Pathetic to see vermin scramble.

[leftygolfer]

10. If they were that great, they'd have submitted them before the bill was finished

Screw them

[harun]

12. Oh they don't think they are great. They just know they look good. They would NEVER

actually pass any of these good good measures.

[harun]

11. It was interesting to watch Republicans offer substantive amendments, only time

I've seen it this year. Of course no one could pass them, but at least they proved they know what a substantive amendment looks like.

[getting old in mke]

7. Until tomorrow, at least

When Rush reminds them of what wusses they are, caving in like this...

[jeanpalmer]

9. There's not a whole lot of change in the reconciliation bill

Except for the unearned income tax on people making more than $200,000, there's not much change from the Senate bill. Once the Senate bill was passed, there wasn't much to fight over.

[Clio the Leo]

13. Is anyone else amazed at how quickly the tide has turned? NT

[SpartanDem]

14. The discipline shown the Dems today played a big role

the knuckle draggers see that they aren't going to break us.

[Orangepeel]

15. are they going to put all their efforts into one amendment that prohibits using federal funds

to pay for abortions for illegal immigrants?

[ellie]

17. Wait, isn't today Friday?

What day is today?

[tallahasseedem]

18. Well, well, well...

Too late 'pubs, you riled up our base and we will NOT forget come November.