Sen. Sanders - You only need 51 Senators and you don't need reconciliation

[grantcart]

Senator Sanders made a very good point on countdown yesterday:

You only need 51 senators and no filibuster. So if a few Democratic Senators feel compelled to vote against the bill, that won't really be the key. The key is that they do not join the Republicans to filibuster. As long as all the Democrats agree to bring the legislation to a vote only 51 Senators will be needed and the 'reconciliation' end run will not be needed.

Here is a link to send Majority Leader Reid a message a strong message on Caucus discipline - especially on making sure that no Democrats join a Republican filibuster.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6403324

[tekisui]

1. That was my thought when Specter crossed the aisle.

I thought that it didn't matter much whether he voted with the Dems, as long as he didn't support a filibuster. The Dems need to force all of the caucus to end any filibuster and then free them to vote however the insurance companies they feel they need to.

[lapfog_1]

2. Sadly, we can no longer prevent a filibuster until a replacement

for Teddy shows up... and who knows how long that will take.

If the repukes hang tough, it will only be 59 to vote for cloture right now. And that's not enough. Perhaps we can shame one into voting the way Teddy would have voted, out of respect. But I doubt it.

[jenmito]

4. Olympia Snowe would probably join the Dems.

[wryter2000]

13. You think?

I'm not doubting you. I just haven't heard anything like this.

It would be great if a few Rs would do the right thing and vote to end a filibuster. Specter, Snowe, and Collins did for the stimulus package. We'd probably need Collins, too, unless Lieberman behaved like a human being.

[jenmito]

23. I think...

She's a "maybe" on supporting the public option and I think she could be talked into it under the circumstances. Specter is for it but he's a Dem. now. I just think Snowe would be one of the "good" ones.

[wryter2000]

24. I hope you're right

Given the R's recent behavior, I can't picture it, but I've been wrong before. I'd love to be wrong this time.

[grantcart]

26. Actually there may be a few Republican surprises when it comes to a final bill

If they are in a blue state they can hem and haw and say they will work to lower the deficit elsewhere.

Once it passes and people see how it improves their situation they will have wished that they all voted for it.

[sabbat hunter]

29. I think that

Orin Hatch, being a very close friend to Ted Kennedy, might cross the aisle to end any filibuster, then vote against the bill, knowing it will pass.

[grantcart]

8. they will change the law and appoint a temporary Senator

This is the way that the law used to read before the Democrats changed it because Romney was governor.


It will be a little embarassing but a second MA senator will be in place in 5 weeks.

[lapfog_1]

9. Possibly, but it will take a while to get it done.

And the repukes will scream "political expediancy" and, frankly, they have a case.

They should have never modified it in the first place (when Kerry was running for POTUS).

Sigh.

[rhett o rick]

20. Let them scream. I want them screaming. We need to shove the nuclear option down there damn throats.

No more mr (or mrs) nice guy. Fuck the republicans.

[sabbat hunter]

30. Can they do that

after the seat is already vacant?

[cascadiance]

10. We also need Robert Byrd to show up for such a vote too, which could be a challenge!

But even with only 58 votes, it seems time to demand that ALL of those 58 vote to bring the bill to the floor. And if they don't fall in line, they then will be targeted in their next primary!

[Better Believe It]

16. Let them filibuster, in fact, make them filibuster! What's the problem?

[flpoljunkie]

3. This reminds me when Lieberman said 60 votes were needed to take up the bill on the floor.

He said this unprompted several weeks ago on MSNBC--and with obvious delight, I might add.

[grantcart]

7. I wonder how long he woud be kept in the caucus if he voted for a filibuster?

He would vote against the bill and against a filibuster in a NY minute if it meant that he would be stripped of his committee assignemnts.

[ProSense]

5. All the obstacles to a public option are going to come tumbling down. n/t

[Inuca]

6. I remember reading about this a while back

in principle true, in practice... who knows? Also, now and until and unless MA does the mildly unprincipled but right thing to appoint an interim senator, we no longer have 60 votes :cry:.

[Clear Blue Sky]

11. Then pass the damn thing already.

[wryter2000]

12. We don't have 60 votes to block a filibuster

We didn't even when Sen. Kennedy was alive, unless Lieberman voted the right way on cloture.

[WI_DEM]

14. He's suggesting that the dems can vote against the bill but not help filibuster it.

[wryter2000]

15. Exactly

But we don't have 60 Dems. We never did. We had 58 and two independents who caucus with us. Sanders will vote for cloture. Will Lieberman? Even if Sen. Kennedy were still with us :cry:, we'd still need Lieberman to get to 60.

[Better Believe It]

18. So what's the problem?

Let the Republicans filibuster on the Senate floor.

All filibusters end.

We'll get 60 votes to end a filibuster, a real one .... maybe not the first day to two but that's no big thing.

[Cha]

17. Thanks for the link,

done.

[katsy]

19. k/r

thanks for the link.

[MurrayDelph]

21. Why do we need "51"?

After the unfortunate demise of Teddy, there are currently only 99 Senators, so shouldn't the magic number be 50?

Since all it has to be is more than half, if all the Republicans and most of the Blue Cross Dems vote against it, shouldn't it still pass if we get 50/49?

Or am I missing something?

[wryter2000]

25. Besides, a tie brings in Joe Biden

I think the point is that we don't need 60.

[grantcart]

27. I anticipate a quick MA replacement

Also Sen Martinez said that he will not be returning but I expect FL to find a quick replacement as well.

[OwnedByFerrets]

22. Bernie is THE MAN

[Vidar]

28. Bernie makes sense, as usual.