The Reid Bend-The-Culture-Over-The-Table Omnibus Bill Appears To Be Dead. For Now.

Here's hoping the report is accurate.

Reported by National Review this evening:

Speaking now on the Senate floor, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) says he is “sorry and disappointed” to announce that he does not have the votes for the omnibus spending package. Instead, he will work with Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) to draft a temporary continuing resolution to fund the government into early next year.

Reid says nine Republican senators approached him today to tell him that while they would like to see the bill passed, they could not vote for it. He did not reveal the names of the nine. A top Senate source tells National Review Online that “it looks like Harry Reid buckled under the threat of Republicans reading [the bill] aloud.”

Reid says he intends to file cloture tonight on the DREAM Act and repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, with an aim toward holding up-or-down votes on Saturday.

It's difficult to know how to begin to describe the magnitude of the outrage this bill was, how it was dropped upon the Senate with no notice, with the demand that yet another 2000-page (plus hundreds of pages of technical specs) be voted on without the chance to be read or debated. Over 1 trillion dollars. Pork projects stretching to the horizon.

The word 'reckless' comes to mind.

'Juvenile'. 'Cynical'. 'Shameless'. 'Dangerous'. 'Evil'.

It was, at heart, a legislative attempt to nullify the November election. Had it passed, Obama would have signed it in a heartbeat, rendering the new Congress in great part powerless to carry out the reforms and reductions in spending demanded by the electorate. A 60+ seat swing in the House in a mid-term is a powerful correction. Add several seats gained by conservatives in the Senate, and it is a clear indication of the mood of the electorate.

OS does not advocate violence, but he fears it may yet occur (and in this instance may have occurred), if the Administration and its fellow travelers attempt to nullify the effect of elections via the legislative process, the regulatory process, and the veto.

When people come to believe that their votes (and electoral efforts, such as donations and canvassing) are futile, cultures tend to boil over. Once the political violence genie is loosed from its captivity, things have a way of going in all manner of unexpected and tragic directions. 1861-65 should remain fresh in our minds. It is unnerving to see the scenes from Athens and London as well. We're not immune here, ya'll.

Please, for the love of God and country, we don't want to go that route. Kudos to Mitch McConnell, Tom Coburn, and so many others who stood tall this week. Shame on GOP senators like Snowe and Collins of Maine and Bennett of Utah, who would have unblinkingly voted for this tragedy. Bennett's gone with this Congress, and someone-somewhere in Maine, please challenge for those seats in the primary at next opportunity.

Even if you aren't the perfect candidate--it doesn't require a genius to stand up and vote 'NO' when ridiculous bills come up.