Houston, we have a problem.
Roll Call reports (subscription required) that a group of centrist Senate Democrats are working to block parts of President Obama’s agenda. As Obama and Democratic leaders consider using a budget rule to bypass Republican filibusters, some in the party are not going along.
A bloc of Senate Democratic moderates is quietly maneuvering to keep open the option of vetoing two of President Barack Obama’s most ambitious agenda items this year — climate change and health care reform.
Eight Democrats who want to water down new climate change legislation have already joined with Republicans and signed a letter opposing any attempt to use fast-track budget rules to prevent filibusters. Many of the same Democrats also oppose using those budget rules to prevent filibusters of health care legislation.
Democrats aim to use a budget reconciliation rule to make some key proposals easier to pass. Under reconciliation, only 51 votes are needed to end debate and force a final vote, instead of 60.
Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) are among the eight Democrats who signed the letter opposing reconciliation. Republicans are on their side, claiming the move would break Obama’s bipartisan pledge.
The other six Democratic senators are Robert Byrd (WV), Ben Nelson (NE), Evan Bayh (IN), Mark Pryor (AR), Bob Casey (PA), and Carl Levin (MI).
One, Al Franken’s 59th vote is even more important than ever right now.
Two, if these Senators are able to kill Obama’s agenda on health care and climate change, we probably won’t get another chance.
Evan Bayh especially has become a massive problem for Barack Obama and the progressive agenda. Despite overwhelming margins in the House and Senate and broad public support for the Democratic Party’s mandate, these Democrats are siding with the Party Of No on the most important legislation of our times.
The question is, what can we do about it?