Republican Senator John Barrasso from Wyoming had a very revealing conversation with Greta Van Susteren on Fox News Monday night.
In Barrasso’s opinion (one apparently shared by many Republican Congressmen), President Obama is counting on Nancy Pelosi’s ability to get the Senate version of the Health Care Bill passed in the House of Representatives. All the talk about “Reconciliation” is a total scam and just another smoke screen, but this time it isn’t the American Public who is supposed to get conned, it’s all the Democrats in the House.
The President wants the Senate Bill passed and then he will sign it. He doesn’t give a damn what happens after that...because nothing will change.
Once House Dems toe the Party line and pass the Senate Bill -- fully expecting the changes they actually want and have been promised by Pelosi through Reconciliation -- they’ll raise a glass and cheer as Obama signs the legislation and hastily beats feet out of town on his scheduled international escape. But Pelosi, Reid and Obama all know that Reconciliation is a very flawed process and by Rule of Order, thousands of Unrelated Amendments can be added by either party during discussions. That whole process can be virtually endless. The horrible part for the country is that the Bill will already have become law.
That’s 500 BILLION DOLLARS in new taxes, a 500 BILLION DOLLAR cut in Medicare and ALL the “Sweetheart” deals (like the Nebraska, Florida and Louisiana gifts) made in the past six months. Bend over everyone. Here it comes.
Look for every government building in the country to be renamed to a Disney character or every Interstate highway to be officially closed one day a week “for cleaning” or “redecorating”. If there is a crazy idea (and we all know there is NEVER a shortage of those in Washington), it can be introduced as an Amendment to the (now passed) Health Care Bill.
Wouldn’t it be interesting if the Republicans simply decided to offer an Amendment to dedicate every failed program in the United States to the Democratic Party through a similar renaming effort. The “Democratic United States Post Office”. The “Democratic Pot Hole Protection Program” (Pittsburgh would like that one!). The “Democratic -- We Love To Lie To You -- Climate Control Tax”. Well, you get the idea.
With a thousand nefarious and irrelevant Amendments, the Reconciliation process would collapse and House Democrats would be left holding an empty bag of Nancy’s promises.
Remember, Senators always consider themselves to be the superior beings in the food chain of Congress. After all, their term in office is six years, not the trivial two that the “lower house” gets. They’re just fine with the Bill they have passed and they have no obligation or desire to change a thing.
The BIG rubber stamp saying “SUCKER” is hiding in Harry Reid’s desk and he can’t wait to greet the House members at the door of the Reconciliation Room to pop a good one on everyone’s forehead.
Will the incredibly stupid House Democrats finally realize those 22” wheels passing over their bodies are from Obama’s Chicago Express coach? Yes, you are being thrown under the bus by your own party!
