I have a feeling that 60/61 votes for DADT repeal caused the GOP to panic and force debate on START.

[LLStarks]

What a strange coincidence.

[David Zephyr]

1. Of course it is. This is all orchestrated.

If there's a stand-alone bill to end DADT without the Defense aspect, there are a lot of Democrats who don't want to have to vote to end DADT without having the Defense fig-leaf cover.

This stalling is directly related to chickenshit politicians in the Senate who don't want to have to vote on ending DADT.

Christmas will approach and the "idea of voting about homosexuality at the same time we worship the baby Jesus" will be heard.

DADT will not be overturned.

At least, Nancy Pelosi has removed any pretense for the Senate to hide behind.

LLStarks, you are not alone in your suspicion. And you are correct.

[gratuitous]

2. But if the House passes a bill at variance with the Senate's tax cut extension

Your eyeballs will smoke watching how fast the Republicans can get something on the schedule, through that messy cloture vote, and passed through the Senate. When it's something that matters to them or their have-more base, legislative hurdles are nothing. Wouldn't it be delicious if some Democrat in the Senate objected to every unanimous consent request and insisted on a full reading of the Giveaway Bill? I'll bet that Jim DeMint and Jon Kyl wouldn't mind working Christmas Day to get the bill passed for their overrich buddies.