Posted on 07/06/2009 5:29:08 PM PDT by Libloather
60 votes not so super for Obama, Senate Democrats
By: LAURIE KELLMAN
The Associated Press
July 4, 2009
Congress returns for its midsummer session Monday with a Senate supermajority not super enough for President Barack Obama's top priorities to pass without Republican support.
The seating of Minnesota Sen. Al Franken will give Democrats the filibuster-proof 60-40 majority in the Senate, but only on paper.
Absences by two ailing senators mean the party can count only 58 votes, and then only if Majority Leader Harry Reid can herd two independents and the independent streaks of 55 others behind Obama's biggest initiatives: expanded health care coverage and cleaner but more expensive energy.
Republicans are well aware that the closer the Democrats get to 60, the more leverage GOP senators have as Congress struggles with those problems that have eluded solutions for decades.
"With their supermajority, the era of excuses and finger-pointing is now over," said GOP Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, who heads the National Senatorial Republican Committee.
It's a fragile supermajority because Sens. Robert Byrd of West Virginia and Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts are ill and have not voted in weeks. It's unclear when or whether they might return to the Capitol.
Ill senators have voted by gurney and wheelchair in the past. But Democrats and Republicans said they don't foresee any votes in the coming week that would be close enough to warrant a trip to the Senate by either Byrd or Kennedy.
Byrd, 91, returned home this past week from a six-week hospital stay after a series of infections. Kennedy, 77, is battling brain cancer.
It's also a truism that it's often easier to get 80 votes and more than it is to get 60.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfexaminer.com ...
why on earth are sick ppl still Senators?! shouldn’t they resign
I guess its better they linger on, rather than kick the bucket.
Government bow wows never leave Washington, even decades after their service. Robert McNamara died today in DC.
The Dems can almost always count on the cows from Maine, Snowe and Collins!
wi on rth r sk people stl sens?
Oh for crying out loud, there is no filibuster rule as long as Democrats are in power. The very minute that 41 votes prevent the Democrats from doing anything will be the same minute that the rule is suspended. Bank on it.
As long as these two pass the mirror test their votes will count.
They’ll break out the Depends and drool buckets and wheel them in on gurneys with IVs and monitors still attached when they need their vote.
guaranteed.
Probably not needed.
The Baraqqis will “bring the process into the 21st century” and allow them to vote with Blackberry or cell phone devices.
The MSM will tell America what a great idea it is.
They’ll resign upon death. That’s the big problem.
The Republicans have one last chance here so they had better
be listening.
Yeah, I forgot about those ppl.
There will be enough Republicans to make up the difference.
Word is that old sheets is about ready to go to that old klan rally in the sky, just about any time now. He was in the hospital for over a month. It is rumored that he has been sent home to die..
If they aren’t able to handle their own affairs, they shouldn’t be handling OURS!
Why hasn’t some doctor declared them incompetent? that would definitely keep Teddy from voting with BRAIN CANCER!
Dementia would probably be a good bet for Byrd...
New York State allowed a state rep/senator to come from her HOSPITAL BED to vote all votes at once when the rest of them had to spend all day waiting their turn each time. The woman was being diagnosed with TIA’s - mini strokes!
But she still voted and represented her people! (this was a BAD budget!)
Maybe longer. Some of the ones who “voted” to elect them hadn’t passed the mirror test in a number of years. ; )
The Maine sisters are a given;Reid will probably have to spend billions of stimulus money to bribe the recalcitrant senators from red states to go along with the rape of the economy.
This would mean that they would be putting the interests of their states above their own egos and they are having none of that.
Who woulda thunk that I would be hoping that Sheets and the drunk would linger on.
Kennedy won’t quit until he gets his healthcare bill passed so he can get off of Romneycare.
If something does happen to Byrd, W. VA will go GOP.
But if Byrd left the Senate, wouldn’t the governor of WV appoint a replacement till the next election? The governor is a Democrat.
True, but Byrd will be around unless he dies. 2010 is closer than one would think...we’ve already had almost seven (7) months of Obamanut. I’m looking at 2010.
Yes but we are talking dems here and I’m sure both have their eye on a capital rotunda funeral. *eyeroll*
I am sure that they are safe Nazicrat seats in waiting, but, if DumbO needs the votes, ZerOcide is in the wings.
Post of the day as far as I'm concerned.
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