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Tomorrow's Health Care Vote: A Cheat Sheet

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Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), Senator Max Baucus (D-MT)

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With Ben Nelson now in the "yes" column, there are now two known Democratic hold outs on tomorrow's health care vote: Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR).

Landrieu told reporters today that she'll likely make an announcement tomorrow morning. Lincoln, on the other hand, has been unreachable, and it's unclear if, or when, she'll announce her intent publicly before the vote, which will come at 8 p.m. tomorrow night.

It's probably a safe guess that, if at the end of the day, there's something standing between Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and 60 votes on the motion to debate to his bill, he won't hold the vote. As unlikely as that is, here are the potential hangups.

  • A surprise "No" from Landrieu or Lincoln: Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) is threatening to filibuster the bill at a later date, but he's indicated that he'll vote "yes" tomorrow. Landrieu and Lincoln, on the other hand, are biding their time.
  • An unexpected absence: Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) has been in Montana for a couple days, attending to his mother, who is reportedly very ill. Separately, Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV) has been in bad health for quite a while, and, though he's been there when he's been needed, he has also missed a number of votes this year. If either, or both men can't make it to the Capitol tomorrow, it will likely cause a (potentially very long) delay.

Those are the updates we'll be bringing you tomorrow, along, of course, with the breakdown of the vote itself. If the clerk calls the role, the outcome won't be in doubt--but we may not know until quite late.

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11 comments

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November 20, 2009 6:15 PM   

After allowing Bacus to do a 4 corner stall for months, if Harry Reid does not deliver 60 votes tomorrow, he should be run out on a rail!

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November 21, 2009 8:43 PM    in reply to GTFOOH



Well . . .

60-39

Apparently Harry won't be clogging up the rail . . . Green in the block and time to highball ... as if you actually understand anything about railroad terminology.

~OGD~

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November 20, 2009 7:09 PM   

Sounds like the amateur hour to me. Sheesh!

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November 20, 2009 7:12 PM   

Actually, if there are two absences, doesn't that bring the supermajority down to 59? That would be 3/5 of 98, rounded up, right?

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November 20, 2009 7:25 PM    in reply to cassady

Not necessarily. Cloture votes often require a "constitutional" 3/5, which requires 60 votes regardless.

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November 20, 2009 9:33 PM    in reply to cassady

According to the Wikipedia page on Cloture, it used to be 2/3 of Senators "present and voting". But now it's 3/5 of Senators "chosen and sworn". So since 100 are currently sworn in, it has to be 60 no matter how many are present at the time of the vote.

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November 20, 2009 10:50 PM   

I've been trying to follow this crap for awhile now and so on the eve of the vote as to whether they'll even consider having a vote the GD'd Gopers tell moderates to "listen to their constituents"!!
Of all the hypocritical BS. If this goes down, it's all on the good for shit can't do a thing, pandering, corrupt Dems who couldn't find their own assholes if it weren't between their own ears. Real Americans suffer and die while the elitist ruling class corrupts the truth and buries decency.

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November 20, 2009 11:03 PM   

The great Senatorial procedural circle-jerk.

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November 21, 2009 10:22 AM    in reply to Jackster

jackster talking about circle-jerks. that's an omen. i predict reid will have his votes tomorrow (as if there was any doubt).

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November 21, 2009 1:17 PM   

If Baucus was the vote to kill it, I assure you there would be a fleet of private jets to shuttle him back to DC. The good guys do have one cleared for take off on the runway right?

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November 21, 2009 2:59 PM   

Give Arkansas 100 million for their medicaid and maybe that will change her mind.

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