This reminds me of the whole episode with Obamocare. Backroom deals and polticial theater. And now more TV news entertainment which looks like they’re doing something.
What’s the difference between a clouture vote and simple majority? Since Reid declined the clouture vote then he knows he doesn’t have the 60 required. That much I get....
First, Reid didn't (and can't) decline the cloture vote. What he did was decline to have it Friday evening instead of Sunday.
Cloture is a parliamentary tool used to limit debate then vote on whatever the subject of the cloture motion was. The subject of a cloture motion can be a motion to take up a bill, or an amendment, or passing the bill, or any debatable point that does not have a time limit for debate.
The way cloture works is that 16 senators get tired of debate, and figure enough senators are ready to vote, or will be, after a time certain for additional debate. These 16 senators file a cloture motion. After one day intervening (unless by unanimous consent otherwise), the senate MUST vote on the cloture motion. It takes 3/5ths of members seated to pass the cloture motion. If the cloture motion passes, then there is an additional 30 hours of debate (which can be modified by unanimous consent), followed by a vote on the underlying subject. If the cloture motion fails, the underlying subject is still under unlimited debate - that is, a failed cloture vote does not kill the underlying measure, a failed cloture vote keeps it alive for more debate. Instead of limited 30 hours of debate, there is no time limit for continued debate.
The senate often (usually) withdraws the item under debate if a cloture motion fails to pass. Basically, the senate is abusing the cloture widget as a facility to require 60 votes to pass anything. The people voting NO on cloture, if they were honest, would be signaling they want more debate before voting. They might want more debate in order to make up their own mind, or to have an opportunity to persuade others to their side. But the senators voting NO on cloture are engaging in parliamentary dysfunction, using the tool to create a supermajority hurdle for passing items that are supposed to pass on simple majority.
He wants to postpone the Senate going on record. Pretty funny when HE is the one causing delay, to blame his opposition for causing delay! "The Republicans are filibustering!" he claimed, while he is the individual who is refusing to vote.
Anyway, my speculation is that the DEMs see advantage in delaying the vote. Pressure builds as time passes, as the public has been conditioned with false news that "something bad" will happen if Congress doesn't act by Tuesday.
The normal timeline for the cloture process has the cloture vote on Sunday. If that passes, 30 more hours of debate, putting the Senate vote on Tuesday. Also, I am certain that some GOP senators will agree to limit debate, then vote NO on the bill. Cloture might have failed on Friday, but keep in mind that "failed cloture" does not kill the bill, it just extends debate on it. Another cloture vote could be taken - in fact, there is no limit to the number of cloture motions on one item. The most I have seen in the record is eight cloture motions and six failed cloture votes, to a motion to bring up a bill to fund investigation of Whitewater.
The only way I can keep a sense of good humor when I watch the Senate is to think of it as a body of circus clowns.