Legal Commentary

Is Kennedy The Obstacle To The Public Option?

By Big Tent Democrat

That's Kevin Drum's theory:

[I]t takes 60 votes to break a filibuster, and unless someone gets Teddy Kennedy back on the floor of the Senate, Democrats only have 59 votes right now. As for the Democratic senators who might join a filibuster if the bill contains a public option, who knows? But Ben Nelson is certainly a candidate. So are Evan Bayh, Blanche Lincoln, Mark Pryor and Mary Landrieu.

So Teddy Kennedy's inability to appear in the Senate, according to Kevin, is the obstacle to health care reform. Ironic. But that is easily remedied really - Kennedy should resign (enabling a special election to replace him.) Health care is more important than he is. As for Kevin's alternative Dem filibusterers, I'll believe it when I see it. Easy to say they MAY filibuster, a lot harder to do when it is an unamendable House-Senate conference report. Personally, I do not think there is one Dem Senator with the guts to do it. But why don't we find out?

Speaking for me only

Full post as published by TalkLeft on August 19, 2009 (boomark / email).