The debate reaches the floor

"Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has secured the vital 60th vote he needs to advance healthcare reform legislation with the announcement by Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) that she will vote with her party Saturday evening. [...]

Heading into a rare Saturday session, Reid was still two votes shy of locking down enough support to move ahead with the formal debate and amendment process on the sweeping legislation to overhaul the U.S. healthcare system and take a huge step forward to enacting President Barack Obama's foremost domestic politic initiative.-"

The Hill: Reid reaches 60 as Sen. Lincoln pledges vote to begin debate, November 21, 2009

Last year we learned how an election campaign works; this year, it's all about domestic policy (health care and economics) and foreign relations. It's interesting to follow US politics closely and compare it to what happens in Austria: the Democrats have a majority in both chambers of Congress, the President is a Democrat, yet, it's Conservative Democrats (and one Independent caucusing with them) who turn out to be the biggest obstacles on the way to health care, not the party in the opposition. The diversity within the party has the same function that a wider variety within the party system serves in countries with a multi-party system.

NY Times: Democrats Clinch Vote for Health Debate, November 21, 2009

The Hill: Reid rolling out big guns to push healthcare bill to 60, November 18, 2009