A weekend of apprehension
The cloture motion has been filed. The stage has been set for Tuesday. And a group of a few select moderate Republican senators hold the fate of the Senate and minority rights in their hands.
All 44 Democrats will vote no on cloture. So will Jim Jeffords, John McCain, and Lincoln Chafee. That's 47. Four more are needed. So, who will join them?
The likelihood is that John Warner and Olympia Snowe will join for sure. Less likely is Susan Collins, Lamar Alexander, Mike DeWine, Lisa Murkowski, Arlen Specter and John Sununu. Only two of those have to join to defeat the cloture motion, therefore preserving the filibuster. The pressure is going to be immense this weekend. The interest groups on all sides are buying up all available airtime to convince these people one way or the other.
So, there's one big question left: Will these senators vote for the maintaining of comity, of tradition, of minority rights, or will they vote to make themselves irrelevant and a rubber stamp for the Bush White House?
All 44 Democrats will vote no on cloture. So will Jim Jeffords, John McCain, and Lincoln Chafee. That's 47. Four more are needed. So, who will join them?
The likelihood is that John Warner and Olympia Snowe will join for sure. Less likely is Susan Collins, Lamar Alexander, Mike DeWine, Lisa Murkowski, Arlen Specter and John Sununu. Only two of those have to join to defeat the cloture motion, therefore preserving the filibuster. The pressure is going to be immense this weekend. The interest groups on all sides are buying up all available airtime to convince these people one way or the other.
So, there's one big question left: Will these senators vote for the maintaining of comity, of tradition, of minority rights, or will they vote to make themselves irrelevant and a rubber stamp for the Bush White House?
posted by Thad at 9:56 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home