Why wouldn't reconciliation have worked?

[Powdered Toast Man]

I'm not going to pretend to completely understand the process here, but it's a money thing... So what am I missing here? Why wouldn't reconciliation have worked to extend unemployment benefits?

Couldn't they have done that and let the tax cuts expire?

[FrenchieCat]

1. I believe there are only so many weeks that unemployment is normally available....

but due to the economy, many people need it for longer than has been prescribed by law,
and therefore, I believe that it has to actually pass as an out of the ordinary budgetary
move....so that is why it has had to be continueously extended for the last couple years.
The 13 months in the deal is the longest that I have seen it extended to date.
I think the Senate had been extending it every 3 or 4 months or so.....and most Republicans
didn't vote for it last time. Since then Unemployment extension issue has been demonized
by our media.....since they do whatever the GOP commands on the PR side.

Democrats in Congress was trying to get it for 7 months, and couldn't. Obama gets 13 months, and the Senate Democrats decided that they aren't gonna have his back....even though they couldn't pass shit themselves. But instead of them being looked upon as weak, and the Republicans being deemed
as the scrooges that they are, everyone and their mother decided to make the President
look weak instead....by backstabbing him and hating on his compromise.

[Vegetarianist]

2. Only can be used once a year

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2010/12/why_arent_the_democrats_using.html
(meant to reply to the OP, my bad.)

[Powdered Toast Man]

3. thank you. I appreciate the info. n/t

[hlthe2b]

4. Reconciliation can not be used for budget type bills

at least that is what I recall being discussed during the HCR debate.