Senate likely has 60 votes for motion to proceed on health care bill

[babylonsister]

http://www.openleft.com/frontPage.do

Senate likely has 60 votes for motion to proceed on health care bill
by: Chris Bowers
Fri Nov 20, 2009 at 14:45


It now seems quite likely that the Senate has the 60 votes necessary to force cloture on the motion to proceed with the health care bill. The final three votes Senate majority leader Harry Reid needed were Ben Nelson, Blanche Lincoln, and Mary Landrieu, but all three now appear to be ready to vote "aye." Here is a rundown of all three:

1. Ben Nelson has stated that he will vote for cloture:

"This weekend, I will vote for the motion to proceed to bring that debate onto the Senate floor," Nelson says. "The Senate should start trying to fix a health care system that costs too much and delivers too little for Nebraskans."

Nelson indicates that this does not mean he is ready to support cloture to pass the bill, but he is willing to let debate go forward.

2. Earlier today, Senate #2 Dick Durbin stated that Blanche Lincoln has told Harry Reid she would vote yes. Durbin is now walking back that statement, but really, the gig is up for Lincoln.

Anyway, what was Lincoln going to do--oppose even letting the debate go forward and then ask Democrats to vote for her in 2010? Not bloody likely, especially with a prominent figure in Arkansas still considering a primary challenge. Lincoln is highly likely to be a yes.

3. The last remaining holdout, Mary Landrieu, appears to have secured $100 million in Medicare funding for Louisiana in exchange for her vote.

Right-wingers are in an uproar over this, but really--I am shocked, shocked to find that there is gambling going on in this casino! A member of Congress holding out on a key vote in order to secure funding for her home state or district!? I bet that has never happened before. This is really breaking new ground on Capitol Hill!

Further, while they don't seem to realize it, the right-wing uproar over Landrieu's deal actually makes it virtually impossible for her to vote against cloture now. Due to right-wing publicity, now everyone knows Landrieu is bringing $100 million home by holding out. As such, what is Landrieu going to do--issue a statement that preventing a floor debate on health care is more important than $100 million for Louisiana? Only 9% of Louisianans think she should block the debate. I bet a lot more than that want the $100 million, especially now that everyone has heard about the $100 million.

So, it looks like Democrats have the 60 needed to move forward on debate. The truth is that Reid probably secured the 60 votes before filing the cloture motion. It is a rare day when the leadership doesn't know the outcome of a vote before scheduling it.

The vote will take place tomorrow night, at 8 p.m. eastern, following an all-day debate. Notably, in exchange for the all-day debate, Senator Coburn has dropped his demand that the entire bill be read out loud, which means there will be less droning on C-SPAN2 during Monday and Tuesday of next week.

[bluestateguy]

1. ahem

[AllentownJake]

2. Of course they do, and they have enough for cloture

Unless there is a last minute move by Lieberman (which is always possible).

Do you think you schedule a vote for something if you don't think it is going to pass if you are the majority leader?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. I am cautiously optimistic...

[MiniMe]

4. Cloture for going to debate, not necessarily for the vote

Think this one was tough to get, the next cloture vote will be crazy

[Laf.La.Dem.]

5. SAD

Not one republican will vote to "debate":mad:

[babylonsister]

6. They got nuthin', and they know it. nt

[AlinPA]

7. Lieberman has stated that he would kill the bill. I look for him to kill it before a word of debate

is made.

[Imajika]

8. I think he will vote to allow debate to move forward...

Could be wrong, but I think Lieberman will keep his theatrics going by voting to allow debate, but later in December will vote against cloture to allow a vote on the bill.

[AlinPA]

9. He could please the republican party by killing the bill in senate now.