WASHINGTON -- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s gambling skills will be put to the test in a few hours as the Senate holds a critical vote on the economic stimulus package.
First, we will see if Reid was right in betting that enough Republicans will bolt from their party to join Democrats in approving a more expansive package than the one agreed to by President Bush and the House last month.
Reid said last week that he didn’t think he had the 60 votes to pass the Senate version of the bill and would consider paring it back.The package’s most popular provision adds rebate checks for disabled veterans and 20 million seniors who don’t earn enough to pay taxes and are excluded from the House-passed plan. But the Senate bill also includes what Republicans call extras-- extended unemployment benefits, cash to help low-income families pay home heating bills and other provisions. Only three Republicans supported a version of the Senate bill in committee.
But this week, Reid says he believes more Republicans are inclined to support the plan because of employment reports showing a deteriorating economy and the prospect of facing election campaign ads saying that they voted against rebate checks for seniors and vets. With all 51 Democrats on his side, Reid’s count shows him still six votes shy of getting to 60. Democratic leadership has been working the phones this afternoon to try to build support.
If the broader package fails tonight, Reid has said he will simply return to the original House bill rather than try to fashion another Senate version Republicans will support. Reid says he’s not about to “pick and choose” between checks for seniors or home heating help for low income families.
Is Reid bluffing? “I’m not much of a bluffer,” he told reporters Tuesday.
The sausage-making may be infuriating to those who just want to see the economy stabilized and the rebate checks flowing. But the vote will be one that helps to define Reid’s leadership this year, and whether the majority leader's strategy was a good gamble.
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5:50: One vote. Reid was one vote shy of getting the 60 needed to pass the Senate version of the stimulus package tonight.
Now might be the time you’d expect the announcement of a compromise plan. Congress has one week to meet its Feb. 15 deadline to pass a bill. But the Senate closed for the night with Reid unyielding. His office put out word that he was working hard to secure the 60th vote – he wanted to give the Republicans another chance.
Some call that doubling down. Others call it throwing good money after bad. We won’t know until the end, and it’s not over until it’s over.
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