The Nuclear Kool-Aid Reconciliation Test

Expect non-stop media bombardment over the next few weeks featuring all sorts of grossly incorrect usage of House and Senate legislative terms.

Will these definitional mashups be intentional or unintentional? Meh. What’s the difference, unless it’s FOXNews.

So get ready for it. Be prepared. Amaze your friends and family with your devastating grasp of parliamentary arcana!

Go visit the House and Senate websites. Review current House Rules. See for yourself how the Senate defines pesky terms like filibuster and reconciliation. For even more info, check out the Senate’s Virtual Desk Reference.

And for those of you who crave a little bit more context, google recent reports by the Congressional Research Service. This one’s my current favorite: “Entrenchment” of Senate Procedure and the “Nuclear Option” for Change: Possible Proceedings and Their Implications.

This democracy stuff is hard work.