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Jun 30 2009, 4:58 pm by Joshua Green

60! Wait, No... 58!

The headline over at Talking Points Memo right now is "60!" in reference to Al Franken's pending arrival in the Senate, reflecting the fact that Democrats now have 60 seats, a filibuster-proof majority. At least on paper. In reality, it's not quite so simple. A quiet concern in the White House is the logistical difficulty of getting Ted Kennedy and Robert Byrd, both of them long absent with serious health issues, to the Senate floor to cast a vote. This is putting additional pressure on conservative Democrats like Evan Bayh to toe the party line, and raising the importance of  Olympia Snow and Susan Collins, considered to be the two most gettable Republicans on issues like health care.

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Comments (5)

Rillion

If they (Byrd and Kennedy) can not make it to the floor to vote they need to resign. How are they not putting their own egos and personal interests ahead of the country by refusing to step aside if they can not perform one of the most important functions of their jobs?

MYoder

There is a 100% chance Ted Kennedy would rise from the dead, step out of his coffin in Hyannis, (if it came to that) and literally run to the Capitol in order sign Health Care reform. 59.

Nick Farfsing

"putting their own egos and personal interests ahead of the country"

Seriously Rillion, that's an awful lot to ask of any politician.

Neal

Absolutely agree - Byrd and Kennedy should resign. They can take anyone in Congress 80 or older with them no matter the political cost. It is insane to expect intelligent representation from these old coots.

Maybe they stay for the health insurance!

ottovbvs

What's the obsession with 60. If push comes to shove and it well might just about everything can be passed with reconciliation. Obama and the Democrats are going through the motions of bi-partisanship because they have to (they can't just shut the Republicans out of legislative efforts in the Senate) and because if they can pull it off there's the political dividend of achieving comity and even if they don't, there's the perception they tried and the Republicans are obstructing. For healthcare I can confidently say Bobby Byrd and Kennedy will be there on Gurneys if necessary, in fact there might be some political benefits for Democrats in the Republicans being seen as forcing dying men to turn up and vote for the public good. Just a word on the situation of the three or four most conservative Democrats like Nelson and Baucus. There's a perception that the advent of Franken has increased their power. In fact I think it has weakened it in that the spotlight will be on them rather than the moderate Republicans like the Maine girls. To be perceived as a Democrat blocking healthcare and a Democratic president's agenda when everyone knows the fortunes of the Democratic party are tied to it, is not going to be an easy position to be in.