According to Hot Air yesterday, Paul Ryan, a Republican Representative from Wisconsin and the ranking member on the House Budget Committee, has told National Review Online that the Democrats plan to use the budget-reconcilliation process to pass the healthcare bill. According to Mr. Ryan, they are meeting this weekend to sort out the details.
Using the reconcilliation process to pass a healthcare bill would mean that the Democrats would only need 51 votes to pass the legislation.
I'm just not sure I believe this. Every member of the House of Representatives is up for election every two years--that means they all have to run in 2010. I can't believe that the voters in moderate states would reelect people who took such drastic measures to pass a healthcare reform bill that is so unpopular with Americans. There also have to be some shell-shocked Senators running for reelection this year after what happened in Massachusetts.
I'm not sure why this story is being put out, but I really don't believe that the Democrats would be so determined to drive their political party off a cliff.
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