How would you solve the Lieberman/Nelson/Blue Dog problem in the Senate to pass HCR?

[Pushed To The Left]

[saltpoint]

1. I'm contemplating death lasers from outer space currently.

Occasionally I lapse into favoring a more diplomatic approach, but the death lasers stay with me as an attractive option.

[and-justice-for-all]

7. Care to go half on a Death Star with me? nt

[saltpoint]

9. If my folks will agree to up my allowance, sure.

:hi:

[TheWraith]

2. Go with what we've got, then return for seconds with reconciliation.

It's really the most sensible solution. The "nuclear option" is dubious both in terms of rules (as typically known, it only refers to confirmations) and I hesitate to kill the filibuster as a tool when the possibility exists of us needing it again someday. And permanently changing Senate rules requires 67 votes anyway.

[lapfog_1]

6. The problem with that is

that the current bill from the Senate is horrible.

1. Mandates.
2. Insurance sold across state lines - now free from state regulators.
3. No cost controls. And if anyone thinks the current amendment to limit insurance to 15% of premiums directed to profits is cost control... HAAAA! It's not.
4. No drug importation, even from places that regulate drugs better than we do.

And I fear that if this passes, then that's it. There will be no will to take up ANY of the "progressive agenda" in reconciliation. It will be forgotten like yesterday's missing blond girl.

Why would anyone want to bring it up. Oh, some progressives like Bernie will try, but they'll never get it to a vote. The rest will say "See, we did Health Care Reform, so we can check that off the list!".

[Clio the Leo]

3. Prayer ....... lots and lots of prayer.......

..... to any God or goddess who will listen to me. :)

[Clio the Leo]

5. except someone already beat me to it....

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/12/religious-right-holds-prayercast-to-stop-health-care-bill.php?ref=fpblg

[LittleBlue]

4. I voted for option 1, but I don't see how it's possible at this point

I don't think reconciliation can make up for this huge deficiency. These bills look nothing alike; I cannot believe two bills that are so dissimilar can be reconciled to the House version without the stripped down Senate provisions.

[smalll]

8. Obvious. Force them to actually filibuster.

We're already committed (rightfully so) to days on end of legislative rigamarole in hopes of getting this bill through.

Why not make them get up there and talk until they can't talk no more?

Filibusters have been memorable and historic. But they always fail if the anti-filibuster side stands steadfast.

[Shrek]

11. It doesn't work that way any more

To get an idea of what the scene would look like on the Senate floor if Democrats tried to force Republicans to talk out a filibuster, turn on C-SPAN on any given Saturday. Hear the classical music? See the blue carpet behind the "Quorum Call" logo? That would be the resulting scene if Democrats forced a filibuster and the GOP chose not to play along.

As both Reid's memo and Dove explain, only one Republican would need to monitor the Senate floor. If the majority party tried to move to a vote, he could simply say, "I suggest the absence of a quorum."

The presiding officer would then be required to call the roll. When that finished, the Senator could again notice the absence of a quorum and start the process all over. At no point would the obstructing Republican be required to defend his position, read from the phone book or any of the other things people associate with the Hollywood version of a filibuster.

"You cannot force senators to talk during a filibuster," says Dove. "Delay in the Senate is not difficult and, frankly, the only way to end it is through cloture."

The Myth of the Filibuster

[treestar]

10. Bring back LBJ from the dead

I heard he could get anything he wanted from Congress.

We could make obama a dictator. Sort of like Hugo Chavez. Or Cheney. :sarcasm:

[Democrats_win]

12. Berlusconi them!