Post by brassmonkey on Jan 22, 2010 21:50:18 GMT -5
According to Chris Matthews, the only two things you can do through reconciliation are 1. Change fiscal numbers (raise taxes), and, 2. Cut program spending. No program such as the health care bill has every been created by reconciliation, because you cannot do it. YAY!!!! This is a good thing to know, because reconciliation takes only 51 votes, not the 60 needed for a filibuster-proof majority.
Reconciliation is only used for raising taxes or cutting spending in order to RECONCILE actually government spending and tax policy with previous legislation that you've passed.. For instance, if you pass a bill to build a border fence along the Texas/Mexico border and fund it with $1 million and it turns out that it will require $2 million.. You need to increase taxes to cover those expenses to reconcile with the actual costs of the project.
Reconciliation is only used for raising taxes or cutting spending in order to RECONCILE actually government spending and tax policy with previous legislation that you've passed.. For instance, if you pass a bill to build a border fence along the Texas/Mexico border and fund it with $1 million and it turns out that it will require $2 million.. You need to increase taxes to cover those expenses to reconcile with the actual costs of the project.
