Something happened in the Senate yesterday. No. That’s not the lead for a story. That’s the story. After a year of near total gridlock, something moved. There were stirrings in the chamber.
The vote that took place was merely a procedural one, but one in which a Republican veto could have prevented a simple majority vote two or three days later. There was no successful filibuster on this bill, however.
The specific issue at hand was also a no-brainer — a small (by Washington standards) tax break designed to generate employment by tinkering with the payroll tax paid by businesses that hire new workers. On this issue five Republicans saw fit to do something no Republican senator had seen fit to do all of last year: They voted with the majority,
There wasn’t a major bipartisan breakthrough, of course. But with no real principle at stake, no major special interest gored, and an obvious opportunity to work together for the common good, yesterday’s vote implied saner heads could actually cut similar deals in the future. And that the interests of the country might on occasion be put above the imperative to embarrass the President and Harry Reid.
Perhaps the most interesting harbinger in this vote, however, wasn’t the crossover of a few Republicans. It was the single Democratic vote against the procedural measure — Ben Nelson, that strange legislator Nebraskans keep foisting on the Senate.
Nelson’s vote here reflects the fact that he’s ticked off about the new health care proposal that just came from the White House, one that doesn’t include the juicy bit of pork he demanded be inserted before he would back the health care bill the Senate almost passed before that mystical 60-vote, veto-proof Democratic majority was blown away in Massachusetts.
The Democrats year-long obsession with that 60-vote dream meant Senate lightweights with big egos like Joe Lieberman, Blanche Lincoln and Nelson himself were the ultimate makers or breakers of key legislation. Now, the veto-proof obsession ended, Senate gimmicks like reconciliation might soon make key legislation filibuster-proof in a different way, relegating Ben and Joe and Blanche to well deserved media back benches.
This is an election year. Like the proverbial man who is getting hanged in the morning, upcoming elections tend to focus the mind of those who have to one day face the electorate. Something happened in the Senate yesterday. Something that could mean that the new focus in Washington may be on accomplishment rather than idiotic, angry sound bites. And wouldn’t that be nice.