Harry Reid Votes "NO" on Cloture to Bring up Dream Act and Don't Ask, Don't Tell - Video

Freedom's Lighthouse ^ | September 21, 2010 | Brian

[Federalist Patriot]

Here is video of Democrat Sens. Blanche Lincoln and Harry Reid voting “no” on the cloture vote to bring up the Defense Authorization Bill, which included amendments on getting rid of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” and proposing passage of the “Dream Act.”

Reid was pushing for adoption of the bill and the amendments, but if you watch the video, you will see Blanche Lincoln enter the screen at the top right. She indicates her vote “no” on bringing up the bill. She then walks around to Harry Reid and pats him on the back while saying something to him. Then, notice that Reid walks back to his desk, faces the clerk and votes “no” on the bill!!!! The video then shows Reid’s sanctimoniuous comments later in which he slams Republicans for opposing the bill – when he voted against it himself!!!!

This just shows what a crass, political animal Harry Reid is. He knows he will get credit among Hispanics for his public comments pushing the Dream Act, but at the end he votes against the bill so he is officially on record opposing it. He hopes to get support and votes from both sides by his actions.

[Freddd]

Why is everyone playing up the Harry Reid voted no? BEcause he did that, SO HE CAN BRING IT UP LATER!

Not because he’s was against it. Geesh people.

[Cboldt]

-- Look at the Senate Rules, Reid had to vote this way if he wanted to bring the motion back up. --

I know this set of Senate rules (motion to reconsider, cloture) like the back of my hand. You are right, if he wanted to bring THIS cloture vote back up, he has to move to reconsider. But he could have let this cloture motion fail, let debate go on for some unspecified amount of time (2 minutes, 2 days, 2 weeks), then filed ANOTHER cloture motion, on the motion to proceed to the consideration of the very same bill.

Frist did this "multiple cloture motions on the same underlying vote" many times with judicial nominees; and the GOP had a series of 8 cloture motions entered and failed, plus 2 or 3 entered and withdrawn, ALL on a motion to proceed to the consideration of a bill to fund investigation into Whitewater.

A failed cloture motion does not kill the underlying bill, it leaves it open for more debate.

[Federalist Patriot]

Interesting, Choldt. I didn’t know he had to vote “no,” which is why his doing so struck me as a crass political move, as it was for Blanche Lincoln to do so. Several seem to be sure he had to vote “no” to be able to bring it back up. But you seem to be sure that is not the case. Thanks for your input.

[Cboldt]

-- Several seem to be sure he had to vote "no" to be able to bring it back up. But you seem to be sure that is not the case. --

Cloture is unique in this regard, where, on failure, there are two equally useful paths to keep going. One path is to move to reconsider the failed cloture motion. Fine. The underlying issue, and the exact same cloture motion, are both alive. At some point, there can be a revote on the failed cloture motion.

In the alternative, just let the cloture motion fail. The underlying issue (in this case, a motion to proceed to the defense bill) is still alive. Failing cloture NEVER kills the underlying issue. At some point, the proponent files another cloture motion. Heck, Reid could do that (file a second cloture motion) even with the first cloture motion hanging out there "to be reconsidered."

Now, if the vote had been on say, passing an amendment or passing a bill, and the majority voted NO on passage, THEN a motion to reconsider has the effect of preserving the issue. There is not (supposed to be) an unlimited number of times to vote on an underlying substantive point. But cloture is in the nature of "shall we conclude debate and get to the vote?" and that question can be asked as many times as it takes.

I have no idea why Reid uses motion to reconsider on cloture. He has another procedural quirk when he "fills the amendment tree."

[Bitsy]

It’s a procedural thing. If Reid votes “No” on cloture, as majority leader, he can bring the bill back up again for another try.

Let’s hope his constituents make him an ordinary citizen before he can do this.

[chuckee]

Thank God for Scott Brown. Both of these bills would have passed had Brown not achieved his upset in Massachusetts.

[Gipper08]

for later

[fortheDeclaration]

Yes, he has frustrated us with some of his votes, but having him in the Senate has made the Democrat job much tougher.

[seemoAR]

Blanche Meyers Lambert Lincoln has been caught with her dainty hands in the cookie jar several times lately.