Question about senate procedures
I just was watching the late re-run of Countdown on MSNBC and I saw Keith interview Lawrence O'Donnell. Lawrence stated that Joe Lieberman has said that he cannot even support the version of health care reform voted out of the Senate Finance committee. Traitor Joe strikes again.
Anyway, that's not the point of this diary. Joe coming out in opposition to reform makes it more likely that reconcilliation will have to be used IMO. Senator Olympia Snowe's vote is not enough if Lieberman/Nelson/Lincoln et al vote for the republican fillibuster. The only way to pass reform it is becoming clear to me will be through reconcillation, which incidentally is good for the public option. It doesn't look like it today but a careful read of the so-called Centrist dems indicates they will join the republican fillibuster. JL has already said so.
That wouldn't make me terribly sad except I have a procedural question that I would really like an answer to: Reconcilliation requires only 51 votes. However, before a bill comes to the floor, any bill, Senate Majority Leader Reid or his appointee needs to present a motion such as this: "I move that the senate proceed to S-103, Health Care Reform for America Act." These motions usually require 60 votes to pass. How do we get to consider reconciliation where we will use 50 or 51 votes to pass a bill if we need 60 votes for the motion to proceed? In other words, a bill can't even be debated without 60 votes!
Can someone more versed in parliamentary matters than I explain how reconciliation passes the motion to proceed in the senate? I am very interested to know.
Thanks!