[Political Junkie Too]

Exactly what specific procedural loophole did Cruz open for Reid by forcing a vote on the constitutionality of Obama's amnesty actions?

The procedural "maneuver" is the cloture vote. Reid needs 48 hours advance notice for calling a cloture vote. They are arguing, falsey, that Cruz gave Reid the time he otherwise would not have had to call for the cloture vote while whipping for the nominees.

The truth is that Reid controls the agenda and could have kept the Senate in session for as long as he needed for cloture. They are playing up the false sense of urgency of letting the Senate recess for Christmas as the reason that Reid was backed into a timing corner until Cruz mucked things up.

Also, the media and Democrats are helping McConnell to demonize Cruz.

-PJ

[dandiegirl]

McConnell’s phone lines need to be burning by us.