Honestly, I’m hearing as many different reasons for Senator Snowe’s yes vote in committee yesterday as there are people makng them, ranging from the apologetic to the apoplectic – and a couple that were Armageddonic, if that’s even a word. But one thing is becoming apparent: moving the ball, it is not. There are a bunch of illustrative sections in this Politico article, so here’s one more or less at random:

In this environment, few uncommitted Democrats were willing to make any new commitments on Wednesday. And no one thought Snowe’s vote would break the logjam.

“It didn’t change anything for me,” Pryor said.

[snip]

“We just finished the first quarter,” Nelson said. “There are three quarters to play. The bench is worn out. The quarterback keeps getting sacked. And the crowd has about had it, too.”

Via Real Clear Politics. Personally, my opinion this is that Sen. Snowe has not yet done anything irrevocable, although this came pretty close to the line. The Baucus bill was going to advance anyway; and if she’s using her quote-unquote ‘moderate’ status to make sure her final opposition to this monstrosity of a health care rationing bill is very, very public… well, as a strategy it’s got its points.

But her vote on the ‘stimulus’ bill grates with conservatives and Republicans. And probably more and more independents, for that matter.

Moe Lane

Crossposted to Moe Lane.