Reply #5: As long as republicans & reindeer are alive and breathing it's never over

[LynneSin]

I don't know the exact wording on the cloture but when someone who votes "NO" changes their mind then they have to re-open the voting. Only problem is we have 41 democratic senators pretty much committed to staying out of ANWR and at least one republican (Chafee). DeWine is a wild-card and not sure the reasonings to why except that Republicans aren't very popular in Ohio.

So if Frist stuck with "YES" it means that one of those 41 democratic senators who have been pretty darn committed to keeping out of ANWR or one of the 2 rogue repukes have to have a change of heart and ask to revisit this vote. Probably not going to happen.

But to understand why Frist voted "NO" is to understand how this defense bill is structured. Republicans got real desperate to get ANWR opened so they tossed it in a defense spending bill in which they knew the troops need supplies and veterans needed help. But knowing that this might not be enough to steal a few democratic votes they tossed in some real "tug-at-your-heart" spending in the bill that had great soundbyte potential in the evening news. Suddenly we're going to toss in help for the poor to pay for their winter heating costs and the cherry on top of this massive sundae: $29billion much needed dollars to help rebuild Katrina devastated gulf coast. This will get the average american up in arms for anyone who doesn't want to help keep the poor warm and the katrina-victims on the path to recovery.

But once the cloture happens it's done for unless someone wants to reconsider their vote and again, 41 democratic senators, 1 committed republican and one 'who knows where he's coming from or going to" republican means that Frist doesn't have anyone reliably enough to help him revisit this vote.

There are many reasons why they might want to revisit the vote. Backdoor dealings to crossover a few democrats would be the biggest ones but wouldn't then the democrats in question ask for it to re-open themselves. There also could be a change in who owns the seat. A democrat in a state run by a republican governor could die and suddenly you have a new republican on your side.

But the main reason - soundbytes for the evening news. Frist, the republicans and all their talking head screeds are going to try and convince america that democrats don't care about equipping our military, helping our veterans, heating our poor or rebuilding the gulf coast. Nothing like revisiting this cloture on a slow newsday in order to help get pressure from the voters to buy into this line of crap.

Thing is - democrats do care. Take out ANWR and the defense spending bill is more than done.

As for ANWR being done - as long as republicans have control somewhere it won't be done.