The Atlantic:
While the health care repeal that the House passed Wednesday has little chance of passage in the Senate, Republicans will probably succeed in eventually forcing a vote on the measure -- albeit with at least a 60-vote threshold.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., who controls the Senate floor schedule, has said he will not bring the repeal up. But Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., pledged to force consideration of the bill.
[...]
Republican aides noted they can force a vote by offering the repeal as an amendment, or by using the Senate's Rule 14 process to bring the bill to the floor, then filing cloture on it. The easiest course for the GOP might be to try to force a vote on the repeal as an amendment to a bill that's likely to pass, such as an appropriations measure. Reid can block amendments to bills, but Republicans could then force a vote on a motion to suspend the rules to take up the amendment. They would need 67 votes to win such a vote. Any other course would require 60 votes. (The conservative Heritage Foundation has more onhow Republicans could arrange a vote).
Teabagger theater may get even more theatrical. Maybe now would be a nice time to give up on pipedreams and do something crazy -- like govern.
But we both know that's not going to happen.
