Gun Bill May Be DOA As Spaghetti-Spined Republicans Start Taking Heat from Constituents
BIDEN: TWO VOTES SHORT

I've got some solid candidates for Mars One.

Here's what I believe the procedural backstory to be: The bill that passed is a shell bill of some kind, which wouldn't pass itself, but was to serve as the vehicle for the finished bill. The finished bill would be supplemented by the Toomey-Manchin "compromise" -- without this supposedly "centrist" compromise, the shell bill would not pass.

And now Republicans are balking about adding that amendment to the shell bill. If that amendment is filibustered, it can't be added to the shell bill, and the whole bill will fail (as it won't have enough Republicans in its favor).

That's what I think is going on.

The Senate bill advanced last week on a 68-31 vote. But Democratic leaders will likely have to round up a minimum of 60 votes at least once more, and many of the 16 Republicans who joined Democrats last week are backing away.

The latest is Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., who said Tuesday he opposes a vital amendment on background checks.

"I supported having a debate on the issue of violent crime, but as I made clear from the outset, I will oppose any legislation that chips away at our Constitutional rights," Burr said.

thanks to a commenter but I can't find his or her comment now. I'll call him "Zeke the Geke."

Two Votes Short: Via Twitter, Biden has said that they're two votes short of cloture on the amendment at the moment. If I recall correctly, there are two Democrats currently voting against cloture.

BIDEN: TWO VOTES SHORT&bodytext=I've got some solid candidates for Mars One. Here's what I believe the procedural backstory to be: The bill that passed is a shell bill of some kind, which wouldn't pass itself, but was to serve as the vehicle for...&topic=world_news"> posted by Ace at 04:15 PM

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