RECONCILIATION and the Public Option???

[snot]

I've received e-mail from numerous progressive organizations asking me to ask my rep. to sign on to the Polis-Pingree letter calling for the public option to be restored through reconcilation.

My rep is a good one and has favored the public option. However, I just had a conversation with an individual in her office who refused to give me his name, asserting that it's impossible to restore the public option through reconciliation because that process can be used only to make budgetary adjustments, and creating a public option would require setting up a whole new governmental agency.

For what it's worth, Wikipedia seems to support this view, although it does state that "in 1996 the Senate's Republican majority adopted a precedent to apply reconciliation to any legislation affecting the budget, even legislation that would increase the deficit.<3>" -- referring to ^ Dauster, Bill. “The Day the Senate Died: Budget Measure Weakens Minority.” Roll Call, 30 May 1996, 5, reprinted in Congressional Record (12 June 1996), vol. 142, S6135-36.

Any experts here able to weigh in?

[kirby]

1. This is what Baucus/Conrad has said since day one...

Now whether expanding the existing Medicare program to all people could be considered budget related since it is not a new program is another question. But that is not on the table.

[CTyankee]

2. But what about the Medicare expansion idea? It requires no new governmental agency.

I wonder if that is possible thru reconciliation or if it has other facets that don't mesh with the reconciliation process...

[leveymg]

3. The decision as to what is a "budget item" is made by the President of the Senate (VP Biden).

The Senate Parliamentarian can object, but his role is merely advisory. It takes 60 Senators to override the decision of the VP.

Basically, if Biden's Instruction to Reconcile the Senate Bill identifies a line in the House Budget Bill that he says is a budget item, that's going to be included in the Reconciled Senate Bill. The GOP and Blue Dogs can object all they want, but if they don't have 60 votes, it's going to be in there. After that, it only takes 50 plus one to pass.

[thotzRthingz]

4. do NOT believe them... it is still a real possibility... INSIST that they

sign the letter (43 other HOUSE members have already done so), which REPs Polis+Pingree sent to REID, to pass the PUBLIC OPTION via reconciliation!

ref: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7593328

k&r