For the ignorant

Diogenes

Nemo me impune lacessit
Why does trump need Schumer's vote? Republicans have a majority in the Senate.


President Trump needs Democrat votes in the Senate to pass a Continuing Resolution (CR) because of the Senate's procedural rules, specifically the requirement to overcome a filibuster.

In the Senate, most legislation, including a CR, needs 60 votes to invoke "cloture," which ends debate and allows a bill to proceed to a final vote.

As of March 14, 2025, Republicans hold a majority in the Senate with 53 seats, but this falls short of the 60-vote threshold needed to break a filibuster.

Without 60 votes to advance the CR, Senate Democrats could filibuster—essentially delaying or blocking the bill indefinitely by extending debate—unless enough of them cross party lines to support it.

With at least one Republican, Senator Rand Paul, publicly opposing the current CR (as noted in multiple sources), Republicans need at least eight Democrat votes to reach the 60-vote mark, assuming all other Republicans vote in favor.


@Grok



Poor Salty Walty.
 
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NOW YOU KNOW WHY TRUMP NEEDED HIS VOTE, SALTY WALTY
 
President Trump needs Democrat votes in the Senate to pass a Continuing Resolution (CR) because of the Senate's procedural rules, specifically the requirement to overcome a filibuster.
They could use a budget reconciliation.
 
@Diogenes So no response to why the Republicans are not just using budget reconciliation?


Reconciliation isn’t a free-for-all—it’s limited to one bill per fiscal year for each of three categories (spending, revenue, debt limit), unless a second budget resolution is passed, which is rare and time-consuming.

Timing matters too: the process starts with a budget resolution, which both the House and Senate must agree on, and that can take weeks or months to hammer out. If they were facing a tight deadline—like a government funding crisis—they might not have had time to align on a resolution and draft a bill.

Second, internal disagreement could stall it. Reconciliation requires party unity, and with razor-thin majorities, even a few defectors can derail it. Republicans often struggle to agree on specifics—some might push for deep spending cuts (e.g., to Medicaid or entitlements), while moderates balk at the political fallout. Republicans couldn’t unify on a budget plan, with some pointing to a lack of votes within their own ranks. This tracks with past failures, like the 2017 Affordable Care Act repeal, where three GOP senators tanked a reconciliation effort.

Third, strategic choices might play a role. Reconciliation bills must focus on budgetary impacts and pass the Byrd Rule, which bans “extraneous” provisions (e.g., policy changes with no direct fiscal effect). If Republicans wanted to bundle non-budget items—like border security details or regulatory reforms—they’d hit a wall. They might also avoid reconciliation if they think bipartisan talks could yield a better deal, though with a 53-seat Senate majority, they’re unlikely to get 60 votes without concessions to Democrats.




@Grok
 
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