Not as good as the 80, but again note that even if the 7 democrats who signed the "agreement" went back to their previous cloture votes, enough other democrats, having been freed from their party loyalty oath, voted that we would have broken cloture.
So for all three of these nominees, there were enough democrats to end cloture, if the leadership hadn't held them in strict party-line vote. Conversely, the republicans released from their party-line vote still voted the same way, showing that we stood on principle against the filibuster, while the democrats were FORCED to go against their princple and vote FOR filibuster.
The democrats are still being held to party-line votes on the nominees themselves, and only a couple are leaving the reservation, mostly the same ones that actually left the reservation previously on cloture votes.
Oh, I understand how to count and analyze.
I specifically addressed the idea this was the result of phone calls said with a tone of progress heretofore unseen had taken place.
:)
I shouldn't have said it's "not good". I meant not surprising or an increase over previous cloture votes.
I concur with a couple other posters who think the dems are flexing to deny cloture on some nominees not specifically agreed to in the deal, so that's why I kicked off my comments you objected to in the manner I did.
And then the option will be on the table.
Last Nite was playing Sid Meier's PIRATES game. In one of the settlements a bartender ask my Player, "Wheres your Parrot". I said to my self in the senate. On the floor is a debate. Polly want a cracker. Parrots "NO NO!" Polly wants a filibuster YAK YAK YAK YAK see the charts. The parrots say the same thing over and over by the same parrots all the time. You would think with 100 senators you would see different faces. But no it is the same faces. To shut up a parrot, cover the cage with a towel. Can do the same with the MUTE button for the senate. Maybe some day the senators will wake up and see that C-SPAN is showing the senators spots and the voters will remember all of the wasted time and money. I just wish that they would originate not imitate