I'm afraid that you are correct with this.
If I hear "it's DOA" just one more time....
They will go home for Thanksgiving recess? They come back when to finalize? Is it another vote or are you talking about reconcilliation?
The voice of reason. Thank you.
This is the last time that I am posting this FACTUAL information.
1. No Republican senator will vote for cloture tonight. There will be 40 solid NO votes so that no RAT will have any political cover. Everyone stop bitching about RINOS. We will not have a single GOP defection tonight.
2. Regrettably, it appears that no RAT will vote NO tonight, which will generate a strict party line vote — so that the RATS will completely own this monstrosity moving forward.
3. People keep asking about Lieberman. Lieberman announced weeks ago that he would vote YES on this cloture vote and NO on the next cloture vote if the final bill contained a public option. Keep up with us, please.
4. Debate will continue well into December. It will again take 60 votes to shut off debate. We are all cautiously optimistic that Reid will not be able to muster 60 votes to end debate. However, given that Christmas will be upon us, he might be able to thread the needle, make everyone happy and pass a bill. It is not likely but possible, so everyone must bash EVERY Democratic senator when they are home over Thanksgiving.
5. The reason why this procedural vote tonight matters is because to amend the bill during debate, it will take 60 votes. The Reid bill contains federal funding for abortion. Every pro-life RAT (Landrieu, Casey, Nelson) are showing their true colors because the pro-life forces know full well they will NEVER be able to muster 60 votes on the floor to reflect the Stupak prohibitions on abortion funding. Landrieu is now in a world of hurt with the Catholic Church in Louisiana, but regrettably she is not up for re-election until 2014 and is thus giving the Church and her constituents the finger.
6. Blanche Lincoln was left holding the bag and now she cannot possibly vote NO tonight. However, she is now toast for her re-election.
Tonight matters — but mostly procedurally.
The danger is if Reid can get a bill to conference. If that happens, then we are in real danger.