Mitch McConnell's GOP Unity Frays In Late-Night Talks

[bigtree]

from HuffPo: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/03/mitch-mcconnells-gop-unit_n_791719.html


12- 3-10 02:08 PM

WASHINGTON -- After a day of negotiations with his counterpart, Harry Reid headed for the Senate floor to put the chamber's procedural stamp on a deal that had been reached between him and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). Reid had called a late-evening meeting of his caucus to get its assent and McConnell had alerted his Republican conference. All that was left was for Reid to ask unanimous consent from the body to hold four votes the next day -- two Democratic votes, one extending tax cuts for those making up to $250,000 and the second extending it for all whose income falls under $1,000,000; and two Republican proposals that would either temporarily or permanently extend all the tax cuts.

Just before Reid took the podium, Republican staff learned there had been an objection from the Republican side, meaning that consent was just shy of unanimous. The staff quickly grabbed a Democratic floor aide, who got to Reid before he read the agreement into the congressional record, according to a senior Democratic aide who was involved in the negotiations.

Reid left the floor looking for McConnell, but the Republican leader was on his way out of the building. Reid headed for McConnell's office, as reporters advised him they'd seen him leave. McConnell's staff confirmed to Reid that their boss had gone to dinner; Reid told them to get him on the phone, which led to the unusual scene of Reid talking to McConnell on a phone in McConnell's office.

McConnell was just as surprised by the objection of one of his senators, he told Reid, as Reid was. Reid came out to discuss the developments roughly ten minutes later. "We thought we had something worked out to have a number of votes, but the Republicans couldn't clear it," he said. "So we are going to have cloture votes on our priorities on Saturday." Reid returned to the floor and filed cloture on the two Democratic proposals, dropping the GOP side of the deal.

McConnell's failure to get agreement is evidence, say Democrats, of his inability to control the Republicans in his charge, despite the conventional wisdom that Republicans are unified.

"The same week Republicans claim unification on cutting taxes and funding the government, Senator McConnell couldn't keep his caucus together when the rubber hit the road," Reid spokesman Jim Manley said . . .


read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/03/mitch-mcconnells-gop-unit_n_791719.html

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. A pox on the Republicans!

Go get 'em, Harry!

:toast:

[monmouth]

2. red dawgs in the party???...n/t

[librechik]

3. why do they even try to make deals with these horrible liars

They should just stand up and scream about it on the floor.

[alcibiades_mystery]

4. Bullshit

Here's what probably really happened:

A number of Republicans said they should just let the $1 million threshold go to a vote. The hardliners balked. Then one of these groups set up one of their members for the anonymous single objection, which prevented it from looking like a major defection of multiple members. Let's not forget that Kirk was immediately named deputy whip in order to prevent him from straying on votes that would make him unelectable six years hence in IL. Repeat: the deputy whip of the GOP Senate caucus has been in office less than a week. They're falling apart on the $1 million threshold. Call the fucking cloture votes and make them eat it.

[bigtree]

5. kick

[gratuitous]

6. Interesting assumption in this account

This assumes that McConnell was dealing with Reid on the up-and-up, and I don't think that is the case. The other alternative is that McConnell's mouth writes checks that his ass can't cash. Either way, the Republicans run the place while the Democrats get to eat shit. Why would the Republicans want anything to change?

[bigtree]

7. interesting

. . . that you reflexively give more credit to the republicans.

[gratuitous]

8. Not sure what you mean

But according to the account, Reid was ready to step up to the podium and ask for unanimous consent to proceed to the four votes. That indicates to me that Reid thought he had a deal after talking with McConnell. Then Reid got called away from the podium. I suppose Reid may have been engaging in some brinksmanship, approaching the podium as if unanimous consent was a foregone conclusion, and daring one of the Republicans to object. But, given the behavior of the Republican caucus over the last two years, that would be a fool's errand, and while I don't have a high estimation of Harry's abilities, I don't think he's a fool.

So I don't know that I'm "reflexively" giving "more" credit to the Republicans, or giving them more credit in any other fashion. I think Reid thought he had a deal that unanimous consent would be granted after his meeting with McConnell, which leads to my conclusion that McConnell was either being duplicitous with Reid or that McConnell was making promises he couldn't keep.

[bigtree]

9. fair enough

The upshot is that republicans walked away from the opportunity to have a vote on the tax cuts they say they support.

No matter, a vote against the two proposals is just as damning.

[gratuitous]

10. Well of course

The last thing the Republicans want is an up-or-down vote on separate proposals. It makes the case just too clearly. What baffles me is Democratic complicity in providing the GOP with cover for their cynical manipulation of the process. According to Daily Kos, the Senate will proceed Saturday to a vote on H.R. 4853 (the vehicle the House used for a tax cut extension for income up to $250,000). But instead of a simple vote on a clean bill, it's been larded up with amendments (brought by Democrat Max Baucus) that include several additional items such as UI extension, AMT relief, estate tax, 1099 repeal, making work pay credit, and others. Because the bills aren't identical, the whole magilla will have to go to conference committee, where it will most likely die.

And once again, defeat is snatched from the jaws of victory. Whew!

[bigtree]

11. that's the Senate

Most of the piling on of amendments are mostly a consequence of their failure to get these things done last year. It's a rush to get what they can from this lame-duck Senate and there will be just a few vehicles. The tax bill has enough momentum to attract add-ons and the horsetrading also contributes. The Senate is this way because of the power of any Senator to propose amendments up until a limiting rule is agreed on by unanimous consent or cloture is invoked.

Still, it is awfully convenient that this bill is so laden down, and, as you say, heading for an uncertain reconciliation.

[ljm2002]

12. Excellent!

Especially the part where Reid declared cloture on the Democratic proposals but not the Republican ones.

Good, let's hope we don't have to deal with those Republican suggestions at all.

[thereismore]

13. Good. I hope Mitch choked on his dinner. nt