Keystone Pipeline vote tomorrow...

[kentuck]

Wanna take bets? How many Democrats will vote for it?

But does it really matter? Isn't it really up to the President? Won't the Republicans have enough votes to pass it on their own once they take over in January? And isn't this high on their Christmas list?

Seems like this is one issue that Democrats have to bargain with? What could the President get in return? A promise not to impeach? Pass an immigration bill? Approve all the judges now on hold?

But...

Maybe the Repubs do not want to share the credit with the Dems? Maybe they don't want to help Mary Landrieu in her run-off race next month?

It's all a political game unless the President agrees to sign it....unless they could over-ride his veto?

[ChisolmTrailDem]

1. Sure is dark in this cave. nt

[upaloopa]

2. Obama will sign it

Dollars to donuts

[SolutionisSolidarity]

11. No question. Why pass it just to have Obama veto it?

Though, for the life of me, I've never met a single issue voter whose issue is approving the Keystone pipeline. Abortion - yes. Gun control - yes. Israel - yes. Perhaps the real point is to once again demonstrate how bipartisan we are, which our no-information electorate only gives lip service to. I know this because the vast majority of apolitical people I talk to aren't even aware of the endless attempts at outreaching to the Republicans that Obama has done. To anyone watching, it has been an extremely painful process of Obama offering one unnecessary compromise after another to people who are openly disdainful not only of the right for Obama to be president, but of the right of Obama's supporters to even have a say in the election process. They spit on the left while our party panders to conservatives, and it doesn't even matter.

When we accuse the Republicans of obstruction, they just say we do it too, and most people believe it because they have no idea what's going on. Politics is a game with strange rules that most people don't know or care about. If Democrats want to win, they'd be better off just running on what they'd do for them, not vague promises of what good sports we are and how reasonable we are. I suppose it doesn't matter at this rate. I doubt the value of winning in the world that we are creating. Who wants to be king of the wasteland?

[Recursion]

13. They live in coastal Louisiana mostly

That's the guys who work on the refineries that will see their workload increase

[myrna minx]

3. I'm so sick of this party.

[mylye2222]

4. Hope he wont sign it.

Would be an outrage. Especially after todays agreement with China.

[Recursion]

14. Today's agreement with China was about reducing emissions

There's a lot of things wrong with the Keystone pipeline, but increasing emissions isn't one of them.

[polichick]

5. I'll bet more than ten "Dems" vote for it.

[kentuck]

6. I think we'll know how serious the President is going to be with his veto pen?

But if Landrieu and Begich vote for it, they may not be there for the next vote in January? Begich won't be, for sure...

It's an interesting political scenario.

[polichick]

7. Maybe it's just about letting Landrieu vote...

It sure will be interesting to see what the prez does with that pen!

[kentuck]

8. Maybe?

Boehner is going to offer the Cassidy Keystone Bill in the House in the next day or so. Politics in action!

[polichick]

9. I mean the Landrieu situation could be an excuse for...

"Dems" to pass this thing.

[kentuck]

10. And Cassidy, her opponent, is a member of the House...

...and Boehner wants to help him, just like the Dems want to help Landrieu.

But the President is the key player here. If the Senate votes with more than the veto-proof 67 votes, then he will have an excuse to sign it? If they vote less than 67, then the vote is in the President's court. It is up to him to see what he can get in negotiation or the Republicans will need to get more Democratic votes to pass it?

[hatrack]

15. Becomes law in 10 days without his signature anyway

Unless Congress goes out of session before that 10-day period expires.

[polichick]

18. He couldn't use the veto pen?

[tritsofme]

12. What are they attaching it to?

I assume Republicans would block a vote on a standalone measure destined to be vetoed after December 6, their aim is to injure Landrieu

[B Calm]

16. Wouldn't surprise me if gets 60 votes. We have the best government

money can buy!

[madville]

20. It got 62 the last time

With 17 Democrats in favor. In the new Congress potentially only 13 Democrats will be needed to get 67 votes and override any veto.

[Marr]

17. If the Dems pass it, Obama is under no pressure to veto it.

It becomes one of those things in which "we had no choice".

[PAProgressive28]

19. If Obama vetos it I will be stunned and give him a lot of credit

Time will tell