As much as I would like to see some drastic alterations to Senate rules, it is not likely to happen. The reason I want change is because the cloture rules have always served the Republican lock step party and have never been of much use to the Democrats. Sam Alito is the poster child for my statement. The Democratic party could have and should have kept him off the court. The result of that failure is Citizen's United.
But that is in the past. If the Democrats manage to have 51 seats counting the independents they will lose EVER vote in the Senate because Ben Nelson and Joe the Ho LIEberman will vote with the Republicans every time. Max Baucus will also vote with the Republicans on any bill that would allow a Medicare Buy In or a Public Option, one of which is absolutely essential to control skyrocketing medical costs in this country.
There should be no reason to carry this diary any further. The lock step party, emboldened by their success in painting Barack Obama as the anti-Christ is sure to close ranks on any bill worth spit to the American people just as they have for the last 2 years. The problem now is that they no longer need the cloture rules to get what they want. The Democrats had better hope that the Republicans don't lead a charge to do away with the current rules.
The Democratic party in the House is going to be a much stronger party ideologically after the elections today although their numbers will be smaller. I can see a new vision in the House with Democrats voting as a block as opposed to Republicans. Unfortunately, Ben Nelson, Joe LIEberman, Max Baucus, and Mary Landrieu are still haunting the Senate. It might be possible to get support from Landrieu on A Medicare Buy In if the bill ever reaches the floor of the Senate. But the bill will never be taken up by a Republican House.
There are two priorities for the lame duck session:
- Medicare Buy In: This is supported by MORE THAN 60% of the people in the nation regardless of what else happens to the HCR laws between now and 2014.
- The end of tax cuts for the rich: This is also supported by 60% of the people if the middle class brackets and all the rest stay as is. Ending the tax cuts for the rich is politically magnificent.
These actions will be necessary because they will NEVER reach the floor of a Republican House of Representatives no matter what the Senate may or may not do. Any bill that decreases the deficit can be a reconciliation bill. While Medicare Buy in at cost + 3% will reduce the deficit by virtue of providing additional revenue to Medicare (that 3%), the effect on the budget may be debated by the liars. The end of the tax cuts for the rich and the deficit reducing effects are NOT debatable by anyone other than total lying pigs. There simply are no economists that would claim that the nation is in need of more financial power in the hands of the rich at this time in economic history. Not unless they want to lose their membership card to the economist's union.