The top story on memeorandum right now is called, “Ruling Kills an Option for Moving Health Bill.” There are tons of posts about it. Here’s the first line:
The Senate Parliamentarian has ruled that President Barack Obama must sign Congress’ original health care reform bill before the Senate can act on a companion reconciliation package, senior GOP sources said Thursday.
HORROR! Oh no! What a shocker!
Go to memeorandum now. Check the news. See how many stories are talking about how this dims prospects for the passage of health care reform.
Now go back to a post I wrote on March 1:
I’m starting to despair that no one in the media has any idea what they are talking about. I get why Republicans are trying to portray the passage of health care reform as some betrayal of principles or the tyranny of the majority, but it’s not.
Using reconciliation is not “ramming it through”.
Look – the bill has already passed through the Senate. It got 60 votes. It’s done. Was that ramming it through?
Now, let’s say the House of Representatives passes the Senate bill, by a majority. Is that ramming it through?
And then, the President signs the bill – passed by both houses of Congress. Is that ramming it through?
No, it’s not. It’s how laws (that overcome filibusters) are supposed to pass. And then we would have health care reform. No reconciliation. No “ramming it through”.
Today is March 12. This is news to them? Really?
You pass the bill. The President signs it. Then you do reconciliation. This isn’t rocket science, people.
