"After Spending Bill Implodes, Reid Schedules Vote on DADT Repeal"

[Clio the Leo]

Note: Article says repeal vote would likely happen Sunday night, not Sat. morning as we first thought.

After Spending Bill Implodes, Reid Schedules Vote on DADT Repeal
Brian Beutler | December 16, 2010, 8:49PM

On Thursday night, Senate Republicans killed must-pass legislation to fund the government, and forced Democrats to accept GOP spending demands to avert a federal shutdown. The development infuriated Democratic members and led to unusually angry, churlish exchanges on the Senate floor. But as a consolation prize for defeated Democrats, they'll have a real shot at finally repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell on Sunday evening.

After long deliberations with Republican principals Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced on the Senate floor that nine GOP members had reneged on their pledges to vote for the omnibus spending bill, which reflected months of bipartisan negotiations, and included earmarks benefiting both parties.

That left Reid several votes shy of the 60 he'd need to overcome a filibuster and essentially vaporized a year's worth of work by the Appropriations Committee.

<snip>

Reid and McConnell are now negotiating the terms of a short-term spending bill that can pass unanimously, punting the federal government into next year when the Republican House will likely demand significant spending cuts.

The upshot for Democrats is this: After the omnibus was laid to rest, Reid announced that the Senate will move to break filibusters on two key progressive priorities: the DREAM Act and DADT repeal. The stacked cloture motions imply that Democrats expect one -- likely the DREAM Act -- to fail. But, according to a Reid aide, if the filibuster is broken, the final vote on DADT repeal will come Sunday night.

Running parallel to all this is START, which the Senate will continue debating tomorrow and next week.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/12/after-spending-bill-implodes-reid-schedules-vote-on-dadt-repeal.php

[ladjf]

1. What a horrible and discouraging mess! nt

[Tx4obama]

2. Great news about the DADT repeal & Dream Act vote scheduled for Saturday. n/t

[Orangepeel]

3. is the cloture vote still Saturday?

and the repeal vote Sunday?

[Clio the Leo]

5. that's what I understand. nt

[Pirate Smile]

4. The good news is DADT is going down & START will get passed.

I'm not going to really focus on the bad news at the moment because I'm too tired and it wont help anything. :)

I'd love for the Dream Act to pass but I haven't really seen anything which makes me think that could happen. :(

I'd love an extra-special way to grind McCain's coming loss re filibustering the repeal of DADT into his bitter, nasty, hateful face. Such a horrible, mean, spiteful old man.

[karynnj]

7. Nice summary

Lieberman is quoted in the Boston Globe saying that the Republicans may block the START treaty if DADT fails, but that does not seem likely. The reason is that there is a segment of the Republicans that do consider the treaty important. ( http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2010/12/17/brown_says_he_will_vote_to_repeal_dont_ask_dont_tell/ )

Listening to the debate yesterday, many of the Republican objections yesterday were not even germane to the Treaty. Inhoffe spoke of it being unfair to the "new Senators" - even though they are obviously not Senators yet. Others want more on military goodies, that are NOT precluded by the treaty.

The scary thing is what was sacrificed - the budget. But it may be that "sacrificed" overstates things, because it was absolutely not going to pass because there was not a single Republican willing to vote for it. This will be a bitter battle next year as the House will over reach - and will try to defund Democratic programs.

[ProudDad]

6. The Dems are so shitty at n-dimensional chess... (n/t)

[Recursion]

8. I'm missing the "shitty" part.

Reid lost one vote and is scheduling two more, one of which seems likely to pass. What's he doing wrong?

[ProudDad]

9. Are you not paying attention?

Another give-away to the rich and affluent on the backs of the poor...

War, war and more war...

More of the same-old-shit...

:eyes:

Democrat is the new Republican... :puke: