Wednesday, June 22, 2005

Flag-burning amendment 2 votes from going to the states?
Constitutional amendments outlawing flag desecration have passed the House before with 2/3 majorities, but have always fallen short of the 67 needed in the Senate. But there's a new Senate in town, and if a pro-amendment watch group is to be believed, there are exactly 65 Yes votes in the Senate, only 2 short of what they need. Many of these Senators are on record from a previous vote in 2000, and many of the others have already signed on as co-sponsors. The rest have been projected based on campaign statements. Even if Obama votes no (they do not have him as yes or no), that leaves the no votes at a teetering 35. On top of that, freedom-lovers would still depend on a small group of usually wrong-headed Republicans like Mitch McConnell of KY, and a handful of red-state Democrats like Mark Pryor of Arkansas to maintain their No position. If 2 of them bolt, then it's on to the state legislatures...

This all matters because today, once again, the House voted yes on the Constitutional amendment.

Senators anticipated to vote no, according to Citizens Flag Alliance:
Pryor (AR), Boxer (CA), Dodd (CT), Lierberman (CT), Biden (DE), Carper (DE), Akaka (HI), Inouye (HI), Durbin (IL), Harkin (IA), McConnell (R-KY), Mikulski (MD), Sarbanes (MD), Kennedy (MA), Kerry (MA), Levin (MI), Corzine (NJ), Lautenburg (NJ), Bingaman (NM), Clinton (NY), Schumer (NY), Conrad (ND), Dorgan (ND), Wyden (OR), Chafee (R-RI), Reed (RI), Bennett (UT), Jeffords (I-VT), Leahy (VT), Cantwell (WA), Murray (WA), Byrd (WV), Feingold (WI), Kohl (WI).

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