So if the "gang of 14" went that far, why on earth to you believe they would have supported the constitutional option?
McCaine and the Dems were working sub rosa. Evidently many of that 14 had lied through their teeth to Frist. LIEberman was supposedly on board and there was at least 1 more Dem, who would have voted WITH Frist and the GOPers.
That's my point. Neither you nor anyone else knew for sure how many votes Frist had in his pocket. It would have been a roll of the dice in any case.
There is NO "proof" at all that any nominee, had the nuclear option been put into motion, won the vote. I never claimed that, unlike YOU, who has claimed that ALL THREE ON THE TABLE NOMINEES will win. Where is YOUR proof for saying that? It most assuredly is NOT in the compromise.
It is no less certain than if the "nuclear option" had been called for. I am merely working off the same betting odds you are. If Owen's up or down vote fails, why do you think it would have passed after invoking the nuclear option? You seem to demand "PROOF" from me, but can only provide conjecture yourself.
There is absolutely NO assurance, whatsoever, from any of the 14, that they will separately or together, follow, to the letter, what the compromise states. And since it appears that you not only trust the gang of 7, but believe deep in the recesses of your heart, that they will call for the nuclear option, if and when a single Dem counters the "agreement", then, I pity you.
Trust me, my life will continue quite well without your pity. In any case, I have no idea what the 7 Republicans will do if and when the filibustering continues. I only know that they will be under far more pressure after the compromise to do something than they appear to have been under the past two years. And nothing prevents Frist from calling for a vote at any time, any more than previously.
The wind has been completely taken away from Frist's sails. He might call for the nuclear option, with cause; however, getting it passed now, is far from a certainty.It probably will fail. And THAT hands the Dems and the craven GOP gang of 7 another VICTORY.
So in your logic, the 7 Republicans are now better positioned to fight Frist than before? Before there was no standard by which to set up for a constitutional vote, but now there is. But as you say, your grasp of reality is perfect....
As to "bloviating", I don't, you do, and FYI... I AM NOT A "SIR".
My apologies for using a mark of respect toward you. It was obviously undeserved.
I was taught vote counting by the best, I don't wear rose colored glasses, and my grasp of reality is far better than yours
Your vote counting may be great; your communicative skills go begging, however. You seem to feel it necessary to attack a complete stranger simply because you disagree with him. Your time spent learning how to count votes could have better been spent in learning basic civility.
When someone here tells you that they aren't a "SIR", it's to alert you that they are not a male; not that they don't deserve such a title/politeness. CALL ME MADAME !