Got Votes?

Bill Frist says he wants to end the filibuster of judicial nominations. Bill says he has the votes to do it. He isn't acting like he has the votes to do it. An article from the American Prospect points this out:

Here we are at another prescribed deadline for Bill Frist's detonation of the “nuclear option” to end judicial filibusters. And here we are, watching that deadline get postponed once more.

Early last week, everyone in the know seemed sure that the majority leader would pull the trigger in the last days before the Senate begins its weeklong recess on April 29. But by yesterday, April 25, Frist aides had put out word that nuclear action would not, in fact, occur this week, so lawmakers can focus their energies on the highway bill and on conference reports for the Iraq War supplemental and the budget.

He is sure acting like he doesn't have the votes. Which is something I pointed out a week ago. Well it seems the Republicans have started putting their fingers in the wind. Which way is the wind blowing?

There are three reasons why the showdown keeps receding into the horizon.

First, the political fight doesn’t look to be a winner for the GOP. The party’s most recent internal polling shows 37 percent supporting the parliamentary move, with 51 percent opposed. (The latest Washington Post/CNN poll puts approval at 26 percent.) Hopes that the Democrats might hurt themselves in the polls by waging unpopular retaliatory actions seem like wishful thinking, particularly considering what looks to be the minority’s actual planned response -- nothing like an immediate, total shutdown of the Senate but, rather, a gradually escalating series of parliamentary tactics meant to impede Republicans’ legislative momentum over a course of months, combined with an effort to force votes on the Democrats’ top agenda items.

Want to find out what the last two reasons are? Read the article. Bottom line. The Republicans don't have the votes even with a 55 to 45 majority. From my take on things I'd say this was the political high water mark for Republicans for at least four years and perhaps longer.

They shoulda listened to me.

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