[ilgipper]

What lie? With exception of Snowe the Republicans pulled together and were responsible for defeating the bill. The vote was close though so we have our work cut out for us.

There are 51 democrats, 2 democrat independents and 47 republicans. The democrats can pass it if they waned to push their majority. This was a bipartisan defeat. Kudos to the GOP for voting correctly, but this headline and story is just electon propaganda.

[conservaKate]

Not sure I understand your comment. It takes 60 votes to pass any legislation in the Senate if there is not agreement on allowing the vote. There were 51...a majority who voted yes...but you need 60....to move forward.

It was not bipartisan. I don’t count one person as a bipartisan effort.

[plain talk]

well whatever. The headline is correct in that Republicans as a bloc killed this bill with only one defection. The democrats sure as heck did not kill it. The Republicans killed it and got it done.

[NELSON111]

You are obviously not familiar with the rules of the senate...which is why the GOP can kill a bill with just 41 votes...or 45...

It's also a way of being able to charge you opponent of being for something and while at the same time he says he was against it. The vote FOR cloture and then vote against the bill.

So...you need 60 votes to end the filibuster...and the dems could only muster 51. Of course...I have always been of the opinion they ought to REALLy make them filibuster. This "psuedo"-filibuster stuff they do now is silly.