Senate GOP skeptical of chances to take down healthcare reform

[babylonsister]

Senate GOP skeptical of chances to take down healthcare reform
By J. Taylor Rushing - 03/22/10 06:00 AM ET


Senior Senate Republicans are skeptical of their chances to block major elements of a Democratic reconciliation package of healthcare reforms this week, avoiding the bold predictions of victory that have marked their statements for months.

A weeklong series of fits and starts is likely for the 153-page package that Democratic leaders will try to push through the upper chamber using reconciliation rules that will allow its passage with a simple majority of 51 votes. Republicans have threatened for months to make the process as grueling as possible, challenging the bill on virtually a line-by-line basis.

“We’re going to go sentence-by-sentence through however many pages there turns out to be, and enforce the rules of the Senate, which is our responsibility,” said Senate Republican Conference Chairman Lamar Alexander (Tenn.). “Every action we take will be a responsible action to enforce credible, significant amendments and points of order.”

But in deference to the House healthcare vote and the fact that Democrats control 59 Senate seats, gone is the bravado that marked many of the public statements by senior Republicans such as Alexander, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.), Minority Whip Jon Kyl (Ariz.) and others.

Instead, Republicans say they simply don’t know how successful they will be.

more...

http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/88199-senate-gop-skeptical-of-chances-to-take-down-healthcare

[HughMoran]

1. They could save a tiny bit of face by being gracious and letting this pass without much fuss

They have nothing to gain by making asses of themselves further.

[harun]

4. It would be to their advantage if they just got it over with. They should

just let the reconciliation bill pass fast. They won't though. McConnell will carp on with his lies of death panels and socialism plots. Continuing to look like a lying clown and obstructer.

[Cosmocat]

5. Or ...

simply just not being partisan jagoffs and instead of taking time dragging it out, work on some of the hundreds of other things they have backlogged ...

Douchebags, to a man and woman ...

[Jennicut]

2. They can't stop it and they know it. They don't know what to do now.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

3. They can't stop this thing we've started!!!

:headbang:

Or, perhaps more appropriately, to paraphrase James Bond 007 (from "The Living Daylights"): "Looks like (they) met their waterloo."

[Dappleganger]

6. IOW, the wind's been taken out of their sails

but they're still going to pretend they're still in the race.

[Bitwit1234]

7. Frist this monring said that there wouldn't be much of a chance

for them to have any of it over turned. That they should just accept it and go for changing what they could.