Obama may use 50-vote tactic on energy, healthcare

.
President Obama’s budget director said the White House would consider using a Senate procedural tactic so that only 50 votes would be required to pass major healthcare and energy policy bills.

Peter Orszag, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, said the administration would prefer not to use the budget 'reconciliation' process to push through its package.

"We have to keep everything on the table. We want to get these.... important things done this year."

Still, using budget reconciliation to pass policy proposals is controversial, even among some Democrats who believe doing so is contrary [I.e., breaks] Senate rules...

[Translation: 'We'll follow the rules if we get what we want - otherwise the ends justify the means, democracy is overrated.']

READ MORE