Thanks to numerous BigGovernment.com readers taking action, along with other concerned Americans, several national organizations, and Sen. John McCain’s (R-AZ) hold on Obama’s NLRB Nominee Craig Becker – several senators changed their positions and voted with the senate’s newest Senator, Scott Brown (R-MA) to continue debate on Becker’s qualifications to serve as one of five National Relations Board Members.

President Barack Obama’s nomination of Craig Becker to the National Labor Relations Board has failed on a 52-33 vote. The nomination required 60 votes to proceed. (Politico)

The two Democrat Senators who voted against cloture are Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and Ben Nelson (D-NE).

CAUTION

Though Craig Becker’s was put on hold as a result of the cloture vote; President Obama may still appoint Becker to national Labor relations Board as a recess appointment to the Board as early as February 15^th if congress keeps its current schedule.

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Today is the birthday of Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu. What do you get someone who has already drawn an extra $100-300 million from the federal Treasury?

From tonight’s Politico:

Sen. Blanche Lincoln is a yes for debating health reform, but a no for the public option, and she and fellow centrists are making clear they expect Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to scrap his current plan for a government-run insurance program.

Lincoln (D-Ark.) announced Saturday that she’d deliver the deciding vote to push forward with a sweeping health reform plan, ending days of speculation over whether President Barack Obama’s signature priority would proceed to the Senate floor or suffer a debilitating blow.

But Lincoln and fellow moderate Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) also laid down strong objections to the public health insurance plan included in the Senate bill – saying they couldn’t support the bill if it came to the floor in that form.

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From The Hill:

Opponents of today’s motion to proceed on healthcare legislation who are pressuring others to vote no are practicing “Orwellian” tactics, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said today.

Reid appeared to take a shot at Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who spoke right before him.

“Now he said, anyone who votes for this is going to have a lot of explaining to do,” Reid said during his floor speech today. “Now that is really Orwellian. That is Orwellian. Have a lot of explaing to do if they allow a debate to continue?”

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There has been a lot of talk about Sen. Mary Landrieu’s new-found 100 million reasons to support Sen. Reid’s health care bill. As she channeled her inner-Hamlet about whether or not she would support her majority Leader on a procedural vote today, Sen. Landrieu won language that would pump at least another $100 million into Louisiana’s Medicaid system.

Many have framed this as Sen. Landrieu “selling” her vote, which makes me think that she’s a pretty cheap date. When fully implemented, the Reid health care plan–under the most optimistic assumptions–will cost at least $200 billion a year. An extra $100 million here or there is a rounding error. $100 million is what you get to vote for the Postal Reauthorization, not the most sweeping revamp of our nation’s health care delivery system. If I were cast in the role of one of the “undecideds” on this bill, which to Sen. Reid is numbers one, two and three on his priority list, I’d hold out for at least $1 billion. But then, I’m from Illinois.

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