I must be missing something. Why would a Republican vote for this? What was their reasoning?
Maybe some of us are confused here. I think the Republicans maybe just voted for the bill, and that this rules change was done by Reid alone, or with the other Dims.
There are two actions under discussion; the rules change and the vote on the bill.
But I'm not certain yet just who did what to whom.
“Why would a Republican vote for this? What was their reasoning?”
According to DeMint, the effect of this rule is to prevent R’s offering amendments. Conservatives will offer difficult to vote on amendments for liberals—democrats and republicans alike. Liberal Republicans probably don’t want to have to vote on such amendments because they are looking at primaries and don’t want to reveal any more about themselves than they have to.
So Graham, Chambliss, Lugar and the Maine senators have a strong incentive not to have to vote on awkward amendments.