More food for thought on the legislative perils of the Republicans chosen path:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byrd_Rule
"Reconciliation generally involves legislation that changes the budget deficit (or conceivably, the surplus). The "Byrd Rule" (
2 U.S.C. § 644, named after Democratic Senator
Robert Byrd) was adopted in 1985 and amended in 1990 to outline which provisions reconciliation can and cannot be used for. The Byrd Rule defines a provision to be "extraneous" (and therefore ineligible for reconciliation) in six cases:
- if it does not produce a change in outlays or revenues;
- if it produces an outlay increase or revenue decrease when the instructed committee is not in compliance with its instructions;
- if it is outside the jurisdiction of the committee that submitted the title or provision for inclusion in the reconciliation measure;
- if it produces a change in outlays or revenues which is merely incidental to the non-budgetary components of the provision;
- if it would increase the deficit for a fiscal year beyond those covered by the reconciliation measure, though the provisions in question may receive an exception if they in total in a Title of the measure net to a reduction in the deficit; and
- if it recommends changes in Social Security.
Any senator may raise a procedural objection to a provision believed to be extraneous, which will then be ruled on by the
Presiding Officer, customarily on the advice of the
Senate Parliamentarian. A vote of 60 senators is required to overturn the ruling. The Presiding Officer need not necessarily follow the advice of the Parliamentarian, and the Parliamentarian can be replaced by the
Senate Majority Leader.
[2] However, this has not been done since 1975.
[3]"
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Obamacare was passed as it was scored as reducing the deficit. Both in raising taxes and "bending down the cost curve" of Medicare and Medicaid spending long term.
With the promised OCare tax cuts/eliminations, the GOP will have carefully navigate the balance to find spending offsets to keep within reconciliation rules. This will likely be benefit and subsidy cuts which will immediately effect millions of people, red states that accepted Medicaid expansion (watch Kentucky) as well as the insurance industry.
Will be a shit storm.