GOP leaders say D'oh!

Remember this: the Republicans are the ones who are voting against the procedure called “cloture” on the Iraq spending amendments.

From the American Heritage Dictionary: “Cloture: A parliamentary procedure by which debate is ended and an immediate vote is taken on the matter under discussion. Also called closure.”

According to Senate rules, a vote for cloture must result in not just a simple majority of votes, but 60 votes. That is what the Democrats are trying to get done. The Republicans are the ones voting against ending the debate! So when the blowhards of Mitch McConnell and John McCain get in front of the press and announce that the Democrats are wasting time, someone needs to ask them why they voted against ending the debate and having a simple vote on the Senate floor?

If you're still confused, the best explanation I've seen yet for what the heck is going on in the Senate right now is at Firedoglake:

This is a pretty in-your-face procedural move from Reid — who gave the GOP leadership an opportunity to vote on all of the amendments up or down and, when they refused, Reid left the Grand Obstruction Party to stew in its own obstructionist failure. He’s left no cover for them or for the Bush Administration for continued stall and obstruct maneuvers on this — instead, the onus is on them to explain why their actions are focused on protecting the President’s flank, rather than on standing up for American soldiers and against more failed policies.