March 18 (Bloomberg) -- President Barack Obama may try to push through Congress a health-care overhaul, energy proposals and tax increases by using a partisan tactic that would thwart Republican efforts to block the measures.
The administration and congressional Democrats are debating whether to use a parliamentary procedure called reconciliation to advance some of the biggest items on the president’s agenda. The move would allow Democrats to approve plans to raise taxes by $1 trillion, create a cap-and-trade system to rein in greenhouse-gas emissions, and overhaul health care without a single Republican vote.
Anonymous2009-03-19T12:04:33Z
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No mama it is not only unethical, but tramples upon the founding father's document called the Constitution
You bring a good argument with your information there, but It appears your picking and choosing facts here. Having read the linked article it actually appears your interpreting the opposite of what is really being brought to the table. There are no plans to raise taxes on people making less than $250,000/year. Which I agree is messed up but it is more justified than giving the wealthiest 5% a tax cut isn't it? Democrats in congress really do not reflect Barack Obama anymore though when you look at what they are doing. Nancy Pelosi openly goes against Bipartisanship as do many of the rest of the Democrats. There is an impossible situation in Washington with the childish actions of both Republicans and Democrats alike. I really dont understand why there isn't a law where there is 1 Republican and 1 Democrat from every state that would eliminate the problems in the Senate. And also have some guidance like that in the House as well.
I don't agree with this tactic being used by either side as it really thwarts the concept of representative leadership in general. Obama should be extremely careful in calling for this tactic to be used. Especially on issues which are seen as inflammatory by the general public. To make use of the tactic would once again demonstrate that he is not interested in bi-partisanship in the least. This administration is good at show but seriously lacking in actual substance. Note that another tax cheat was approved yesterday for a high cabinet position as Ron Kirk became the top trade adviser. So much for ethics.
If used to push through legislation where the minority doesn't offer any meaningful input, but merely seeks to block proposals, it would not only be ethical but necessary to reflect the will of the voters. It is certainly as ethical as when Bush used the procedure, or to counter the prolonged litigation to delay as long as possible the seating of Senator Franken.
"The procedure was created 40 years ago as a way of making it easier for lawmakers to cut the federal budget deficit. It has been increasingly used in recent years to protect bills from partisan attacks. Former President George W. Bush employed the practice to muscle tax cuts through the Senate."