Sunday was !@#$%& awesome. Monday was fascinating. Tuesday was a Big Fucking Deal. And today, we are treated to Senate debate on the reconciliation bill passed by the House and our most excellent, ass kickin' Madame Speaker on that historic Sunday.
The really cool part about today, though, will be seeing what kind of arguments the GOP can possibly pull out in opposition to this bill. "Mr. President, I don't believe we should close the Medicare D doughnut hole." Or maybe they'll try to staunchly defend the Cornhusker kickback. That'll play well everywhere that isn't Nebraska. Not. Ooooh! I know! They could explain why small business owners really don't need the help to provide health care, perhaps? That should be an interesting theory. Maybe they'll just stick with diatribes about socialism.
The best part about today's proceedings, though, is that there really doesn't seem to be much the GOP caucus can do at all. Even Coburn reluctantly says as much:
"We're going to have a difficult time making changes to that reconciliation bill," conceded Coburn, a senator who has been known at times for his ability to use legislative procedure to stymie Democrats.
..."No," Coburn said during an appearance on CNBC when asked if the GOP would be able to stop many elements of the reconciliation bill. "We'll put a few holes in it, but basically it's going to come through here because they've done a good job crafting it."
Didja catch that? The reconciliation bill is too well written for the GOP to be able to mess it up. God, I love the smell of competent government in the morning! And after basking in the glow of Pelosi's kick-arse management of the House's affairs, I am all kinds of excited to watch this play out in the Senate.
Which you can do here here at C-SPAN, of course.
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;D
Shuttlepod #1 - kirbybruno
Shuttlepod #2 - papicek
Shuttlepod #3 - FleetAdmiralJ
Shuttlepod #4 - NDakotaDem
Shuttlepod #5 - sheba