Franken Victory Could be Nightmare for Harry Reid

Absences, diverse opinions could prove stumbling blocks

(NEWSER) - With the Minnesota election finally settled, Senate Democrats have 60 potential votes now—but that won’t guarantee smooth sailing, the New York Times reports. Ted Kennedy and Robert Byrd may often be out sick, and a range of viewpoints means the caucus won’t likely “walk in lockstep,” says one. “We have 60 votes on paper,” says majority leader Harry Reid. “But we cannot bulldoze anybody.” More»

(NEWSER) - Norm Coleman isn't going to drag out Minnesota's Senate fight any longer. Coleman conceded the race to Al Franken today, hours after the state's Supreme Court decreed that Democrat Franken was the rightful winner of November's election, reports the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "Further litigation damages the unity of our state," said Coleman. "The future today is that we have a new United States senator." More»

GOP blocks measure; parties can't agree how to pay for it

(NEWSER) - Hope your federal student loans are paid off, kids, because Washington appears deadlocked over legislation that would prevent their rates from doubling this July. A Senate bill to do so failed in a 52-45 vote along party lines today, failing to get the 60 votes needed to avoid a filibuster, the Hill reports. Republicans objected to Democrats' method of paying for the bill, namely closing tax loopholes enjoyed by S-corporations . More»

Democrats complain current system is being abused

(NEWSER) - Harry Reid is pushing forward with a plan to reform the filibuster procedure in the Senate—and at least make it harder for Republicans to gum up the works with the mere threat of one, reports the Washington Post . Nothing's guaranteed, of course, but all returning Democratic senators are on board with rewriting the rules, notes the National Journal . More»

Stalling tactics are making Democrats turn on each other

(NEWSER) - Senate Democrats are starting to turn on each other like angry drivers stuck in rush-hour traffic thanks to Republican obstructionism, writes EJ Dionne. Republican senators are eating every word they once said against filibusterism and are stalling even legislation that they support in a Machiavellian effort to keep the Democrats from reaching the off-ramp, Dionne writes in the Washington Post. More»