Democrats Defy Reid, Keep Financial Debate Going

They want tougher amendments
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted May 19, 2010 4:00 PM CDT
Democrats Defy Reid, Keep Financial Debate Going
A file photo of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.   (AP Photo/Lauren Victoria Burke, File)

Harry Reid had to fight with Republicans to begin debate on financial reform, and now he's got to fight fellow Democrats to end it. He called a vote today to move toward final passage ("We've got to put this thing to rest"), only to have Democrats such as Maria Cantwell and Russ Feingold turn against him and block the cloture measure. They want more time to push through their amendments, reports the Wall Street Journal, which has more details on them here.

This is more about logistics than principle, writes Ezra Klein at the Washington Post. Reid needs to clear the floor to vote on other high-priority measures in order to adjourn by Memorial Day. "As for what happens now, debate on financial regulation will continue," writes Klein. "That might be bad for the Senate schedule, but it's probably good for the bill. This is the rare process in which the amendments are making the legislation substantially better." (More financial reform stories.)

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