Assuming the abortion language can’t be fixed through reconciliation, the only reason the process is necessary is because the unions don’t want to pay higher taxes on their “Cadillac” health plans. It really is that simple. If the Senate bill had exempted collectively bargained plans from the Cadillac tax the way Democrats wanted it to, then I think — again, assuming they found a separate way to fix the abortion issue — House Democrats would have rubber-stamped the Senate bill, the president would have signed it, and reconciliation would not now be necessary. So if Leader Reid does pursue reconciliation, let’s not obscure the reasons in a blizzard of euphemistic talk about “fixes” and “tweaks”: It’s because the unions didn’t want to pay higher taxes, and the Democrats obeyed their command.