Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Northern Marlin who wrote (16740)	11/19/2003 8:50:33 AM
From: LindyBill	Respond to of 793649

The Democrats quandary. Hold up bills and look obstructive, or sign them and allow Bush a "Rose Garden" ceremony. "The Hill." Welcome aboard, PJ! GOP bills put Dems in a bind By Geoff Earle Senate Democrats are in a quandary over how to deal with twin Republican-led initiatives to enact Medicare reform and a comprehensive energy bill this year. Many of the Senate’s 48 Democrats see both pieces of legislation as flawed. But, given the high political stakes involved, they have yet to make a concerted strategic decision on how to proceed. Still, it appears that the Democrats are not prepared to mount a filibuster when Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) calls up the energy package today; the House passed the measure last night. Republican negotiators who assembled the energy conference report over the last several months appear to have included enough sweeteners to mute Democratic opposition. There was far less clarity, however, on how Democrats would deal with Medicare prescription drug legislation that is headed to the Senate floor later this week. Senate Democrats decided to take more time to study the issue before determining whether to filibuster a $400 billion drug benefit one of President Bush’s top legislative priorities. The Democrats would need 41 votes to mount a successful campaign to stop the bill. It is unclear whether Democratic opposition is to the measure is sufficiently strong to block the bill. If Democrats decide they have the votes to mount a successful filibuster, it will be in part due to help from Republicans. A handful, including Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), have said they would vote with Democrats against cutting off debate on a bill they oppose in its present form. Several Democrats said they were loath to filibuster the energy bill, which includes subsidies for alternative energy sources such as wind power, ethanol, and traditional oil and gas industries. Summing up the difficulty faced by Democrats, Minority Leader Tom Daschle (S.D.) told reporters he had “grave concerns” about provision that would weaken environmental protections. But Daschle said that there were “good things” in the bill and he personally would not back a filibuster. Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), a Daschle ally, said he preferred that Democrats “take the gains we made” in the bill by supporting it. Dorgan said Democrats had not “made a judgment” on whether to filibuster either the energy bill or the Medicare bill. Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), the ranking Democrat on the Finance Committee, said he would vote for the energy bill even though he would not sign the conference report. Since conference reports cannot be amended, senators must vote either for or against the entire bill. Vice President Dick Cheney and Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham appealed yesterday to Senate Republicans to go along with the administration. But Sen. John Sununu (N.H.), citing the bill’s multiple subsidies, said he would “consider voting ‘no’ on cloture,” adding, “It’s a bad bill.” Sen. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) said opponents “don’t have the votes” to launch a successful filibuster. “Sen. Daschle is very small ‘d’ democratic,” said Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.). “He wants a thorough review of it.” Many Democrats who are looking to Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), who delivered a blistering floor speech against the Medicare conference report yesterday. Whether Democrats decide to mount a filibuster will depend in part on how many Republicans would consider joining them. “I’ve got a lot of questions,” said Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.). “Everybody does.” Conservative Sens. Don Nickles (R-Okla.) and James Inhofe (R-Okla.) were also considering whether to oppose the hndiwork of the conferees. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said the conference report failed to include a crucial provision to boost the pay of Alaska doctors, who are in short supply. “If you don’t have a doctor to prescribe them, it doesn’t make a difference if you have” drug coverage. thehill.com