Timex
1570
Actually, it looks like they werenāt actually voting for the law. They were voting on whether it meet budgetary requirements.
Clay
1571
Anything brought up under reconciliation has to strictly meet the definition of a budgetary adjustment to qualify for consideration under parliamentary rules.
They knew it would fail. It was basically a vote of confidence in the Senateās Parliamentarian.
Clay
1572
The problem with all of this, however, is that it depends on Mitch McConnellās willingness to adhere to prior Senate protocols.
In other words, this all may come down to this question:
Nuke the filibuster vs pass an Obamacare repeal/replacement.
Iām not sure Iāve got much confidence that Mitch will preserve the filibuster if it means losing his ACA repeal.
Clay
1574
Well if this article is any indication, ā¦ oh, wait, they mean actual turtles.
Alstein
1575
The Republicans donāt want to nuke the filibuster, for the simple reason that if the Dems win, they can change America completely with 51 votes with the speed of the NC State Legilsature, and would.
If the nuclear option was used in 2009, we would have had single-payer. It should have been used in 2009.
Jazar
1576
The most frightening thing is that this process is completely ruining the way laws are made going forward. Bills created in secret, voted on by simple majority. Massive structural changes that affect a huge swath of our economy can go back and forth each election term based on the whim of who is in power that day.
So pathetic. :(
Timex
1577
Just to keep folksā eye on the ball, this is an infinitely bigger deal than Trumpās bullshit regarding transgender people. Theyāre debating in the senate right now.
Yeah, Trans ban feels like a smoke screen to me.
Timex
1579
Durbin is on the floor, pointing out how itās absurd it is that they are debating stuff and literally do not even have text for a bill they are voting on.
Honestly, I donāt fully grasp what is even happening. Theyāre debating amendments to what? The BCRA? Cause it seems like thatās not even the text theyāre talking about now.
Timex
1580
Ok, so the straight repeal has failed. Good.
Hey who let McCain off his leash? Iām not cleaning up after him, Iāll tell you that.
Again, this is all pre-ordained puppet theater. This isnāt McCain off his leash. This is McCain play-acting in a vote was pre-ordained as something that wasnāt passing.
So are we assuming at this point that McConnell is nuking the filibuster if necessary to pass something?
CraigM
1584
At this point Iād assume that McConnel would defecate on his mothers grave to pass something.
I bet he doesnāt, because he doesnāt believe in it and he doesnāt have the votes.
I tend to doubt that, myself. I donāt doubt for a second that Trump is pushing for that because I imagine his long term view is analogous to a terrierās. But McConnell I am not so sure. He doesnāt strike me as stupid or shortsighted. But these are interesting times indeed, so who knows.
Yeah, thatās basically what I was trying to say. But Iāve been wrong about a lot in D.C. lately and I should probably know better than try to second guess those characters.
