Who To Target In The Senate
With H.R. 3962, aka the Socialize and Destroy America’s Healthcare System Act, having passed the House all eyes are now turning to the U.S. Senate. While I am of the opinion that Harry Reid will pull every trick out of his hat and use every underhand tactic to pass the Senate bill, this will be a tougher road to hoe for the Democrat leader.
The Republicans have a lot more leverage in the Senate than their colleagues in the House. This, of course, starts with the filibuster. Republicans would need one other senator (assuming they can keep RINOs like Olympia Snowe on the reservation) if they are to successfully filibuster the healthcare bill that emerges from behind Harry Reid’s closed doors. Senator Lieberman, as Michael pointed out, plans to filibuster any measure with a public option.
Should the Republicans fail in their effort to filibuster, they would need 11 senators to defeat the bill. Which begs the question, which senators should we target? I asked that very question to one of my contacts on the Hill. And according to this Senate GOP source, the following senators would be the ‘most important and persuadable’:
- Blanche Lincoln – Arkansas
- Michael Bennet – Colorado
- Ben Nelson – Nebraska
- Evan Bayh – Indiana
- Mary Landrieu – Louisiana
- Mark Pryor – Arkasnas
- Mark Warner – Virginia
- Mark Begich – Alaska
My source considerd these senators ‘less persuadable, but still possible’:
- Kent Conrad – North Dakota
- Byron Dorgan – North Dakota
- Claire McCaskill – Missouri
- Tim Johnson – South Dakota
- Jim Webb – Virginia
And lastly, these senators were described as ‘probably not persuadable, but couldn’t hurt’:
- Bill Nelson – Florida
- Kay Hagan – North Carolina
- Mark Udall – Colorado
As we know, this entire process has utterly lacked transparency, with Republicans shut out of the process and Harry Reid working behind closed doors to merge/cherry pick from three Senate measures. This process is apparently taking longer than Reid anticipated and my understanding is that the Senate bill may not be voted on until December.
When the bill finally reaches the Senate floor, the first important vote will be on the Motion to Proceed. Like any bill, this requires a majority vote but can also be filibustered. If the Motion to Proceed passes, then the bill comes up for debate.
Aside from any potential filibuster, Senate Republicans will use all parliamentary procedures at their disposal. There is talk of actually having the entire bill read on the Senate floor. Republicans also would propose a ton of amendments, all of which would require debate.
In sum, there is more reason for optimism that this could be stopped in the Senate. However, Democrat Senators will also be under immense pressure from their caucus to support Obama’s top legislative priority. Thus, it will require an even greater amount of pressure from all of us. And the senators listed above are are where we need to start.
Also, I would point out that, according to the Senate calendar, two breaks are upcoming in November which would offer people the opportunity to see their senators back in their home states. They are as follows:
| Nov 11-Nov 13 | State Work Period | Veterans Day- Nov 11 |
| Nov 23-Nov 27 | State Work Period | Thanksgiving Day- Nov 26 |
For Senate contact information click here.
This is fantastic – thanks, Mike. I’m sending to all my friends.
November 10th, 2009 at 9:32 amThe Dems can’t pass ObamaCare with abortion OR a public option- and reconciliation is just an empty threat, the remaining legislation would be a hollow shell-
Will they pass Cap-n-tax? With the evidence looking weak lately, Obama’s own #s tanking… and 11% unemployment? Good luck!
That leaves the only major legislation enacted -even with Democrats dominating both houses- the wholly-ineffective Porkulus. Obama has NO political cover on that one, due to the paucity of GOP collaborators- he owns it. And all it will ever stimulate is inflation… in the months leading right-up to midterms.
The Democrats look to face a bloodbath next fall, with some already predicting a 100+ seat loss.
And by 2012? People will wince at the very mention of the name “Obama”- and the GOP could take 40 states running Gilbert Gottfried- LOL
Party’s over kiddies- time to put the grown-ups back in charge…
November 11th, 2009 at 3:35 pmReaganite Republican:
I wish you were right. However, I think you are being unduly optimistic.
First, I think they will pass everything – even if it can only be done under Reconciliation Rules. They have wrongly concluded that Clinton’s mistake in 1994 was not passing socialized medicine, when in fact it was that the American people oppose socialized medicine.
Second, nobody knows when inflation will heat up. It took about 10-15 years for it to boil over from the early 1960s to the late 1970s when the government last simultaneously printed money and ran enormous budget deficits. However, that was not at a time of vast monetary contraction/destruction, as we have undergone during the past 18 months due to the collapse of the credit markets. I say that not as any endorsement of the government’s insane policies, but as a cautionary warning that there are still only very few signs of inflation yet (notably, the gold price). I would say that it is highly unlikely that massive inflation will hit in the next 10-11 months leading up to the midterm elections.
Third, I am not even sure Obama will care if the Republicans gain control of Congress. Once he passes his agenda, he will have changed the terms of debate – which is what FDR sought and did, and I think is Obama’s goal right now. Furthermore, I do not think the prospect of running against a do-nothing Republican Congress at all frightens Obama – Democrats have used that strategy effectively for a long time. And also, there is no reason to believe that the Republicans elected will be “Reaganite” Republicans as opposed to say, a “Scozzafava” Republican.
And finally, the grown ups in the Bush Administration and in the McCain campaign set the table for Obama. I would hardly refer to them as grown ups or responsible people.
We need real change in Washington. Not Me-Too Republicans, but Conservative Republicans who will actively work to roll back the state rather than just contain it to its present gargantuan size.
November 11th, 2009 at 3:49 pmlol “your source”
November 11th, 2009 at 5:41 pmlol, yes, “my source”
November 11th, 2009 at 6:00 pm[...] Again, to see the senators we need to target review my previous post here. [...]
November 19th, 2009 at 6:00 pm[...] Senator Lieberman, as Michael pointed out, plans to filibuster any measure with a public option. Should the Republicans fail in their effort to filibuster, they would need 11 senators to defeat the bill. Which begs the question, which senators should we target? I asked that very question to one of my contacts on the Hill. And according to this Senate GOP … Nov 11-Nov 13, State Work Period, Veterans Day – Nov 11. Nov 23-Nov 27, State Work Period, Thanksgiving Day – Nov 26 …Continue [...]
November 22nd, 2009 at 7:48 am