Let's not forget: all these procedural maneuvers stem from the abuse of the filibuster.

[Unvanguard]

In a Congress where up-or-down majority votes were actually the deciding factor, we would need neither reconciliation nor "deem and pass": we could get a conference report from the House and Senate bills, and pass that the normal way. But because of the willingness of the Republican Senators to use every possible procedural maneuver to block health care reform, that is no longer an option.

The real story here is not Democratic efforts to ram the bill through; it is Republican efforts to obstruct the normal legislative process, and to ignore basic legislative norms like majority vote. The fact that the Democrats have used (perfectly legal) means available to them to get around this Republican obstruction only restores us (partially) to the point where we would be without that original gross and undemocratic abuse of procedure.

[Hekate]

1. KnR

[Warpy]

2. I wish I could recommend this several times

Everybody needs to keep reminding themselves and everyone around them of this one defining fact of the present Senate: the abuse of the filibuster.

I understand there are now 200+ bills passed by the House and awaiting action, stalled because some Republican is having a hissy fit and threatening to filibuster.

Harry Reid needs to get health care passed and then tell those old boys to get their asses down on the floor and start talking.

[deaniac21]

3. Let us not forget that the bill is a payoff to insurance companies

and big pharma.