Comments on: The Arrogance of Power http://blog.dailynexus.com/shallow/politicsetal/the-arrogance-of-power/ The official blog of UC Santa Barbara's newspaper, the Daily Nexus. Sun, 18 Dec 2011 02:33:42 +0000 hourly 1 By: Jeff Nettleton http://blog.dailynexus.com/shallow/politicsetal/the-arrogance-of-power/comment-page-1/#comment-7493 Jeff Nettleton Mon, 15 Mar 2010 02:38:11 +0000 http://blog.dailynexus.com/?p=1792#comment-7493 Here is a great infographic that lists the instances in which the usage of reconciliation led to the passage of a bill. Note who has used it more, and how much two of those reconciliation uses, the Bush II tax cuts cost. http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2010/03/07/opinion/07opedchart_graphic.html The Republicans don't have a leg to stand on here. It has become quite evident that they are desperately trying to avoid any progress, unfortunately for the American people, because of their stubborn dedication to serving those who already have so much. Here is a great infographic that lists the instances in which the usage of reconciliation led to the passage of a bill. Note who has used it more, and how much two of those reconciliation uses, the Bush II tax cuts cost.

http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2010/03/07/opinion/07opedchart_graphic.html

The Republicans don’t have a leg to stand on here. It has become quite evident that they are desperately trying to avoid any progress, unfortunately for the American people, because of their stubborn dedication to serving those who already have so much.

]]> By: Brian http://blog.dailynexus.com/shallow/politicsetal/the-arrogance-of-power/comment-page-1/#comment-7492 Brian Sat, 13 Mar 2010 22:28:50 +0000 http://blog.dailynexus.com/?p=1792#comment-7492 Dude, watch some CSPAN, they have been covering this. Reconciliation is an existing rule and is used often, notably for the medicare prescription benefit. The "Nuclear option" in the Senate is passing a new rule with a simple majority which would un-do the super-majority tradition of the Senate. The best time to do it would be at the start of a Senate, otherwise it could be filibustered. Dude, watch some CSPAN, they have been covering this. Reconciliation is an existing rule and is used often, notably for the medicare prescription benefit.

The “Nuclear option” in the Senate is passing a new rule with a simple majority which would un-do the super-majority tradition of the Senate. The best time to do it would be at the start of a Senate, otherwise it could be filibustered.

]]> By: Jeff Nettleton http://blog.dailynexus.com/shallow/politicsetal/the-arrogance-of-power/comment-page-1/#comment-7491 Jeff Nettleton Sat, 13 Mar 2010 07:47:05 +0000 http://blog.dailynexus.com/?p=1792#comment-7491 The Democrats still poll higher than the Republicans. Health care is going to pass next week or the week after, and once the incessant lying and misdirection spouted by the Republicans and their talking-point spewing pundits filters off the airwaves, and people begin seeing the effects of its provisions, the rain clouds everyone insists are hanging over the Democratic Party's electoral prospects will begin lifting. The student loan package getting tacked onto the reconciliation package will also restore some party confidence, not to mention the fact that eight months remain until the midterms, a reasonable amount of time to pass one or two more pieces of medium to large sized bills. Additionally, even if the Tea Party had five million followers, which I highly doubt, what percent of the voting electorate is that? Three percent? Two percent? Come on. The Democrats still poll higher than the Republicans. Health care is going to pass next week or the week after, and once the incessant lying and misdirection spouted by the Republicans and their talking-point spewing pundits filters off the airwaves, and people begin seeing the effects of its provisions, the rain clouds everyone insists are hanging over the Democratic Party’s electoral prospects will begin lifting. The student loan package getting tacked onto the reconciliation package will also restore some party confidence, not to mention the fact that eight months remain until the midterms, a reasonable amount of time to pass one or two more pieces of medium to large sized bills.

Additionally, even if the Tea Party had five million followers, which I highly doubt, what percent of the voting electorate is that? Three percent? Two percent? Come on.

]]> By: Peter http://blog.dailynexus.com/shallow/politicsetal/the-arrogance-of-power/comment-page-1/#comment-7490 Peter Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:07:17 +0000 http://blog.dailynexus.com/?p=1792#comment-7490 Oh, and while I found your post naïve at best, I would like to thank you for not being a _complete_ GOP lickspittle. I wish I could say the same of regular Nexus neocon columnist Begakis. Oh, and while I found your post naïve at best, I would like to thank you for not being a _complete_ GOP lickspittle. I wish I could say the same of regular Nexus neocon columnist Begakis.

]]> By: Peter http://blog.dailynexus.com/shallow/politicsetal/the-arrogance-of-power/comment-page-1/#comment-7489 Peter Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:54:04 +0000 http://blog.dailynexus.com/?p=1792#comment-7489 This is a great blog post in that it really highlights the heart of the tea party movement: "the Tea Party is, at its core, an expression of the deep-seated distrust and dissatisfaction with the status quo in American politics". Uninterested in proposing solutions to problems, tea partiers are more focused on kvetching that the government is ineffective while promoting the "small government" policies that helped make it that way. They whine of crippling partisanship and politicking but then laud the GOP for their solidarity in opposition to healthcare reform (not to mention paygo). They complain that congress has forgotten the constitution (which requires only a simple majority vote in the senate), all the while referring to reconciliation as "the nuclear option" and treating the Filibuster as sacrosanct. Rather than understanding government, economics, healthcare, or even simply the constitution, the tea party regurgitates right-wing talking points without a modicum of critical thought. They are aimless populist rage directed by large corporate interests against their own self interest. The only good thing I can say about the tea party is that they are mercifully few in number, despite the massive media attention they receive from their corporate sponsors. Oh, and they do make for great entertainment. This is a great blog post in that it really highlights the heart of the tea party movement: “the Tea Party is, at its core, an expression of the deep-seated distrust and dissatisfaction with the status quo in American politics”. Uninterested in proposing solutions to problems, tea partiers are more focused on kvetching that the government is ineffective while promoting the “small government” policies that helped make it that way. They whine of crippling partisanship and politicking but then laud the GOP for their solidarity in opposition to healthcare reform (not to mention paygo). They complain that congress has forgotten the constitution (which requires only a simple majority vote in the senate), all the while referring to reconciliation as “the nuclear option” and treating the Filibuster as sacrosanct.

Rather than understanding government, economics, healthcare, or even simply the constitution, the tea party regurgitates right-wing talking points without a modicum of critical thought. They are aimless populist rage directed by large corporate interests against their own self interest. The only good thing I can say about the tea party is that they are mercifully few in number, despite the massive media attention they receive from their corporate sponsors. Oh, and they do make for great entertainment.

]]> By: Jeffrey http://blog.dailynexus.com/shallow/politicsetal/the-arrogance-of-power/comment-page-1/#comment-7488 Jeffrey Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:09:02 +0000 http://blog.dailynexus.com/?p=1792#comment-7488 How is reconciliation a "nuclear option" if the Republicans also used this technique dozens of times when they were in power (including when they passed Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy)? Where I'm from, when something goes nuclear everything's vaporized and toxic. That's certainly not the case here. Is an option only "nuclear" if you don't like it? Health care reform is not "unpopular" unless you only listen to the poll numbers being parroted on Fox News. Americans who are asked their opinion on the concept of health care reform say they dislike it by a thin margin, but when you ask them about each individual provision of what's actually being proposed, the vast majority of them are in favor. The fact of the matter is that health care reform bills have already been passed by both the House and the Senate. Reconciliation is the standard procedure whereby differing versions of a bill are brought into alignment. That's why it's called reconciliation. It's a very common part of parliamentary process in our system of government. I'd be awfully surprised if the average tea partier is actually "just as dissatisfied with the Republicans as with the Democrats," as you assert. There's really no evidence for this in any practical sense, although it may be a convenient talking point. At any rate, throwing support to third parties has historically proven to the one of the least effective tactics for institutional reform available in the American political system. How is reconciliation a “nuclear option” if the Republicans also used this technique dozens of times when they were in power (including when they passed Bush’s tax cuts for the wealthy)? Where I’m from, when something goes nuclear everything’s vaporized and toxic. That’s certainly not the case here.

Is an option only “nuclear” if you don’t like it?

Health care reform is not “unpopular” unless you only listen to the poll numbers being parroted on Fox News. Americans who are asked their opinion on the concept of health care reform say they dislike it by a thin margin, but when you ask them about each individual provision of what’s actually being proposed, the vast majority of them are in favor.

The fact of the matter is that health care reform bills have already been passed by both the House and the Senate. Reconciliation is the standard procedure whereby differing versions of a bill are brought into alignment. That’s why it’s called reconciliation. It’s a very common part of parliamentary process in our system of government.

I’d be awfully surprised if the average tea partier is actually “just as dissatisfied with the Republicans as with the Democrats,” as you assert. There’s really no evidence for this in any practical sense, although it may be a convenient talking point. At any rate, throwing support to third parties has historically proven to the one of the least effective tactics for institutional reform available in the American political system.

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