Speaker Nancy Pelosi indicated Wednesday that the House of Representatives would be unable to reach an agreement on a sweeping healthcare reform bill unless it were “fixed” by the Senate reconciliation process, which requires 51 votes rather than 60 for budgetary matters, before they were asked to vote on it, introducing new complications into an already twisted debate on the issue.

Senior Democratic Senator Aids have already weighed in to cast doubts on the viability of such a strategy, pointing out that under Pelosi’s suggestion they would be using the reconciliation procedure to pass amendments on a measure which had not yet become law, an act almost unheard of in federal circles.

Also of concern is the fact that in sending the bill back to the Senate for modification, Pelosi may have just placed the bill in an arena particularly vulnerable to GOP intervention: Republican Congressmen reported this week that if Senate Democrats agree to use reconciliation, a loophole in Senate rules allowing Senators the right to file unlimited amendments to the bill before the final vote will be employed.

By employing this, Republicans hope to create a sort of “pseudo-filibuster” by submitting a constant stream of amendments to delay a final vote, thus forcing a war of attrition in which moderate and “blue dog” Democratic Senators are forced to eye their constituents, who are becoming increasingly skeptical of the bill as the November elections approach. With this strategy currently employed in the Senate, it could be that the bill would have had a better chance had Pelosi continued to pursue a House compromise.

Mr. Arnold is pursuing a Masters at George Washington University in their campaign management school, and is interning for APP.