Can Paul Ryan damage Medicare without 60 votes in Senate? I know ACA is in deep danger.

[MyNameIsKhan]

[rzemanfl]

1. If he wants to see more angry old people voting

for Democrats I suppose he can try. Isn't the story that it was angry old white people who got Trump elected?

[MyNameIsKhan]

2. I donot know friend... he is all hyped up...

[rzemanfl]

3. These people have no idea how to govern.

We need to do everything we can to make the country ungovernable without resorting to violence.

[meow2u3]

4. I tried to warn my neighbors not to vote for tRump

but only one of them listened.

I live in a 55+ moderate income apartment building and most of my neighbors, including the Democrats, fell for the well poisoning campaign against HRC, so they either sat it out or betrayed their own and voted for the Orange Satan.

[MyNameIsKhan]

10. Well he targeted what was concern everywhere jobs being outsourced... and reality is they are

not coming back, we need to create new jobs in clean energy and other untapped areas.

[meow2u3]

13. That's what HRC tried to tell rural voters

But they fell for the too-good-to-be-true line of shit that their jobs would magically reappear.

[MyNameIsKhan]

17. That is most unfortunate.. that our message did not rhyme with his voters, they need to see that in

action, then will understand.

[andym]

5. Through "reconcilation"

a lot of damage could be done, that can't be stopped in the Senate.

[demgrrrll]

6. Explain how they will kill Medicare via reconciliation?

[MyNameIsKhan]

8. I would imagine as reconciliation is for bugetary matters, any new financial funding can be stopped

unless it is fully paid for by medicare taxes. This can spiral out into who knows what... but my knowledge is very limited in this area.

[andym]

9. They can create any legislation to reduce spending

if they are crafty for example they could try to make a bill privatizing Medicare that on paper seems to saves money and then use reconciliation which requires 51 votes in the Senate. I'm not sure they have the stomach for it. We will see.

[MyNameIsKhan]

11. SO are you saying any legislation around budget can be passed with 51 votes... wow... we are screwed

[andym]

18. Yes, but it is somewhat limited in scope

can't change Social Security and must be used to directly reduce the budget

http://www.cbpp.org/research/federal-budget/introduction-to-budget-reconciliation
"The Congressional Budget Act permits using reconciliation for legislation that changes spending, revenues, and the federal debt limit. On the spending side, reconciliation can be used to address “mandatory” or entitlement spending — that is, programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, federal civilian and military retirement, SNAP (formerly known as food stamps), and farm programs — but not Social Security. Mandatory spending is determined by rules set in ongoing authorizing laws, so changing spending usually requires amending those laws. Reconciliation has not been used to change “discretionary” spending, which is spending controlled through the annual appropriations process.

Since the mid-1980s, Senate rules have prohibited including provisions in reconciliation legislation that do not change the level of spending or revenues or the debt limit"

[MyNameIsKhan]

19. Ok mandatory spending makes the point here, so if Medicare goes insolvent in next 4 years...

and R's will have majority in senate and house, we are doomed. The chance for that to happen is low... Medicare and SS were well thoughout ...

Unless we can attract 3 R senators who despise Don, they can severely damage ACA... this will effect me personally... I have 2 people at home on ACA. Being in CA gives me some hope that our legistrature will keep us insulated from orange man.

[andym]

20. California can copy most if not all of the ACA and implement it at the state level

the problem will be the funding for the subsidies-- which may require new taxes.

[MyNameIsKhan]

21. Yes you are right today we have 37 billion funding for Medicaid, Don wants to cap it... Further

Billions in funding for subsidies... easily going 50+ ... you got to get this from somewhere, which will come from state taxes ...

What worries me CA maybe paying Billions on Federal taxes and getting 22c per $ back... and no say who becomes president...

[MyNameIsKhan]

7. I am quite worried, how much damage to social programs will happen and SCOTUS is also on the right.

I am just hoping people around Trump are going to give him good advise... Only hope is his daughter, she is probably most reasonable in the clan.

[Demsrule86]

23. good advice...hahah

Nothing good will come out of a Trump presidency.

[left-of-center2012]

12. The GOP can change the rules

Votes required 60 so the GOP could stop Obama.
But the Majority Leader can change that at the beginning of the new Senate so votes to support Trump can pass with a simple majority of 51.

The rules are set at the beginning of each 'new' Senate.
There's a technical name for it, but I forget what it's called.

[MyNameIsKhan]

15. But that applies to budget related legislations right ? or anything

[LonePirate]

14. 60 votes? You honestly expect Turtle & Company to keep the filibuster?

We have a better chance of finding a small number of not-as-crazy Repubs to join all Dems except Manchin to reach 51 votes to derail any ACA repeal.

[MyNameIsKhan]

16. I would imagine McCain (probably going to retire) , Graham, Murkowski can be candidates 51

[Demsrule86]

22. Yes he can

There are two ways...put it in a budget bill and break the filibuster.