Comment Re:Obama Brought back Jobs and Growth (Score 1) 639
They couldn't get enough votes to break the filibuster, which is a parliamentary gimmick not found in the Constitution. Filibustering was abused by Republicans during the 111th session of Congress to the point of blatant, naked obstructionism. Obama ran on passing healthcare reform. The political capital he earned from his majority victory was used to propel this reform. None of this was a surprise. He even went so far as to adopt of Republican governors state-wide plan and included 100 Republican amendments to the bill. He debated them publicly. It might have been agonizing, slow-motion sausage making, but that's how bills get passed.
Republicans in the 111th session of Congress filibustered 123 times. Between 1917 and the early 60's you saw 1 filibuster per year on average. The recent Democratic minorities averaged 65 per session. This is an outrageous, extra-Constitutional abuse of the system by 41 Senate Republicans, from smaller population centers, who only want to see Obama fail and have stated so publicly. The fact of the matter is, Democrats had enough votes in both houses to pass the legislation. Deem and pass has been used before by both Republicans and Democrats. Stop parroting the nonsense that this bill was "pushed down our throats" or that a it was passed with a slight of hand. Each is total BS.