Sorry Rich, I don't have much hope for reconciliation. Allow me to explain why.

After laboring for months, Max Baucus has emerged from his little room and presented to the nation his 233 page crapper companion. Perhaps it was a labor of love, but I can’t help wondering whose love?

Curious as to the “sausage-making” process in an important bill like this one, I just HAD to see what was going on. I first, grudgingly admitted, I cannot be a fly on the wall. I just can’t! However, I am agile and, in the spirit of discovery, I was able to crawl through the ventilation system in the Capitol Building and was able to find my way to an anteroom of Max Baucus' office, wherein I observed the following:

It seems I chose a tense moment in the negotiations. As I peered through the grill, the scene was emotional. Maxie was propelling himself toward the door as fast as his knees could push him. “NO! WAIT! PLEASE! Forget the children! They’re out! No coverage for rug rats. Noooooo! Stop!”

Charles Grassley was standing, strangely tall, by the door, with sharp, decisive gestures and a staccato delivery of his grating, nasal voice that would bee surprising to anyone familiar with his public persona. “You’re not even CLOSE”, he sneered. “If you want Republican votes, you’ll have to do ever so much more for my friends”.

“You already HAVE my firstborn grandson!” Baucus whined. “What do you want? What will be enough?”

Grassley stood frozen for a moment, a statue of icy disdain. “Well” he drawled, like a cat with a baby rabbit under its paw. He held out his hand and the ever attentive Mike Enzi handed him a slender, red notebook. “Hmmmmm” he continued. “You ARE a Democrat, aren’t you Max?” he began in a seemingly friendly tone. “My, my! A Democrat, in Congress, yet you still have two testicles, DO YOU NOT?” he exploded.

Max Baucus paled more than I thought humanly possible. Somehow! Despite all the abject, craven imposturing, SOMEHOW, The Grassley KNEW! And he would inevitably, have his due. Conrad, who lost his years ago, allowed a brief, flicker of vindictive triumph escape his carefully composed features. No doubt the Botox helped him seemingly remain serene.

“What do you DO with them?” Queried a tearful and terrified Baucus?

Grassley continued relentlessly. “The tally shows there are still 47 Democratic balls in the Senate. I aim to have most of them before 2010”.

“Have you no mercy?” moaned Max. “At long last, sir, have you no mercy?”

The Grassley gave a short, ugly bark of amusement. “I’ll be Back!” he intoned menacingly. At least I won’t do with you, what Mitch McConnell did. Years ago, he had both of Harry Reid’s cast in metal and mounted in his foyer as a sculpture.”

Max gasped. “You mean that ugly little fountain near his front door?” I’ve seen it from the portico!”

“Yes” oozed the Grassley. "He had them cast in solid brass. The irony was lost on no one!” With that, he snapped his fingers with a crack like a rifle shot and brought Olympia out of her trance. In a regal procession, reeking of contempt, they left the stricken Democrats alone.

Deeply disillusioned, I began to work my back out of my observation perch. As I was leaving, I overheard Max and Kent, feverishly whispering. “Kent, we’ve GOT to cut more! We’re getting close! I can feel it!!” After a pause, I heard a thoughtful Conrad offer, “Maybe if we removed every verb…” “Brilliant!”, cried Max. “That just might do it.”

“DAMN!” Kent, call the Capitol Hill Police! “Jeff’s overdosed himself again”

I left with a heavy heart. So you see, Rich, there aren't enough balls left in the Senate for reconciliation. If only Hillary hadn't left! Her three would have been enough for a tie-breaker. I swear this is all true.

Do you have a better explanation?

They just think they're putting "Country First."

than their constituents

..."than Snowe's constituents". Sorry