Brian Beutler says that House Democrats are coalescing around the idea of passing the Senate healthcare bill, and quotes Clyburn, Schakowsky, Waxman, and Weiner in support:
However, though the idea has begun to resonate with House members in theory, they’re not willing to hang their hopes on the Senate, an institution they increasingly distrust. They want something concrete first, before they’ll move ahead with the Senate health care bill.
“The idea of doing the Senate bill and then doing the reconciliation on spec just to see what happens — I don’t think anyone really thinks that’s a good idea,” Weiner said. “I don’t know if the Senate literally has to move first, but at least they have to give us the high sign on what it is that they can do and can’t do. And we’re not getting much guidance from them, and we’re also not getting much guidance from the mothership about what the White House really wants, and what they’re prepared to push for, etc.”
If this is really the developing consensus, it’s a very good sign. The notion of “sidecar reconciliation,” where the Senate passes a set of modifications to its own bill and then lets the House vote on both the main bill and the modifications at the same time, has always struck me as problematic. Even under reconciliation rules I think this would take too long,1 and I’m convinced that healthcare reform really needs to be moved on fairly quickly. But if that path is too tortuous, then at a minimum the Senate leadership has to provide some credible assurances about what modifications it thinks it can pass later in the year. If a majority in the House is really willing to accept this, it’s a big move forward.
But can Harry Reid deliver? Conference negotiations were far enough along before the Masschusetts meltdown that it seems as if coming to an agreement shouldn’t be all that hard. Keep your fingers crossed. And call your senator to encourage them to get on board.
Oh — and it would be nice if Obama chimed in on this too. And if he does, it would be even nicer if the Democratic caucus in Congress were willing to treat him as the leader of the party and actually listen to him.
1Though I’m willing to be disabused of this notion by someone who really knows what he’s talking about.
