US Sen. Robert Casey Jr. cast his lot with the radical abortion crowd this week. He not only betrayed his father's famous legacy, but his bargain with constituents.
Because this was a vote on the Motion to Proceed, rather than a vote on the bill itself, he will weasel his way out of this by saying he wasn’t voting in favor of the bill itself, he was merely voting to allow it to proceed to final consideration -- “I would have voted against it if it came to a final vote.” My view is that one of the reasons we are in this mess generally is the Senate no longer is able to agree to time agreements by Unanimous Consent to consider legislation, so almost every bill that comes to the Senate floor is subject to a Cloture vote. Cloture votes have in practice become votes in favor or against the underlying legislation. That’s not the way it’s supposed to work. The Senate is broken procedurally.
Because this was a vote on the Motion to Proceed, rather than a vote on the bill itself, he will weasel his way out of this by saying he wasn’t voting in favor of the bill itself, he was merely voting to allow it to proceed to final consideration -- “I would have voted against it if it came to a final vote.” My view is that one of the reasons we are in this mess generally is the Senate no longer is able to agree to time agreements by Unanimous Consent to consider legislation, so almost every bill that comes to the Senate floor is subject to a Cloture vote. Cloture votes have in practice become votes in favor or against the underlying legislation. That’s not the way it’s supposed to work. The Senate is broken procedurally.