Rachel Maddow is fast becoming one of the most complete journalists on television bar none. Unlike most “journalists” that continue to be lazy, allowing politicians to spin without any challenge to any misinformation they make expound, she does her homework.
The video below is a must see. Not only is it a must see but you must pass it along.
The GOP is attempting to equate reconciliation with the nuclear option that Republican Majority Leader Bill Frist attempted. It must be noted, it is the Republicans that have been constantly ramming things through with reconciliation and have been the only ones to attempt a nuclear option.
As shown in Rachel’s well researched piece, Republican Senators and Republican Congress people have supported reconciliation vociferously in the past. Some notable quotes:
Eric Cantor direct quote in 2005
“Reconciliation is a process I hope we can engage in every year”
Senator Judd Gregg
“We are using the rules of the Senate here. That’s what this is Senator. Reconciliation is a rule of the Senate … All this rule of the senate does is allow a majority of the Senate to take a position and pass a piece of legislation; support that position. Is there something wrong with majority rules? I don’t think so.”
Senator Kyl stated without any pushback
“it(reconciliation) was never designed for a large comprehensive peace of legislation like health care”
This is a lie as illustrated by Barbara Boxer where she stated that since 1980 reconciliation has been used 22 times. Out of those times the Republicans used it 16 times. It is in the Congressional record.
Harry Reid
My Republican Friends Are Lamenting Reconciliation. But I would recommend for them to go back and look at history. Realistically they should stop crying about reconciliation as if it has never been done before. It’s done almost every congress. And they are the ones that used it more than anyone else.
To be sure, as stated in the video, reconciliation was used to pass Bush’s two massive tax cuts in 2001 and 2003. NPR stated “…over the past three decades, the number of major health financing measures that were not passed via budget reconciliation can be counted on one hand. SCHIP(1997) and COBRA all passed by reconciliation.