How it is possible that Olympia Snowe, or Susan Collins, of Maine will not vote for the bill outlined by the President last night?
Better yet, how could they not vote to end a filibuster, and then open the way to a simple 50 vote victory?
I don't see either of them being able to say no at this point... and I cannot believe the vast majority of their constituents would blame them.
But are there any other moderates that I'm overlooking?
I'll ponder a few possibilities over the fold...
McCain might be tempted, but I just don't see him having the courage. He's not the Maverick he once was.
I could be wrong.
And Lindsey Graham of SC is an interesting and odd one. His obvious affinity of preaching at the President seems nothing more than some sort of sado-masochistic streak. He just looks and sounds like he wants to be on the winning side in the end. He knows which side that is. But he has to make it look good in front of his fellow Goppers. In the end though, I think he'd vote to end a filibuster, if not for the bill itself, as outlined by Obama.
Why? Tort Reform.
With Obama's offering of Tort Reform trials, it seems to me that many vocal Republicans on the issue like Kyl, Bennett, Alexander, Crapo and Graham (and maybe others?) all have to seriously consider crossing over...
If they do so, they will be richly rewarded for many re-election campaigns to come, by the people in their districts who are helped by getting this reform done... and they get to wield extra power in their own party as leaders on a major GOP issue - Tort. In essence they'll get to have their cake and eat it too.
Not to mention emerging from the quagmire that is the current GOP as real leaders... or at least having a chance to.
The question is, who will be the one to move first? Who will break the barrier first and start the "avalanche"?
I will resist any more puns, and say simply that my money is on Snowe.
I guess the question would be, is she enough of a force and cover by herself?
I think if the bill gets hammered out quickly enough, yes, with Collins and at least one of the others following and then who knows...
Because right now, there has to be major deep-seeded temptation in many of the non-hysterical Republican Senators, few as there may be, to not be one of the rats that doesn't make it off the current sinking GOP ship.