Can Specter be swayed on EFCA?

[Unsane]

I think he can. Make some minor adjustments and he's ours. He gets to save face by pointing to the minor adjustments as reason for his switch, and we get EFCA passed.

[mod mom]

1. That's up to the grassroots from PA. Time to get to work!

[billyoc]

2. I think so. Hoffa and some workers went to see him recently and seemed hopeful.

[FightingIrish]

3. Whether or not he can be persuaded, at least he is not tied to the Party of No

He can vote his conscience without violating the Republican vow of negativity.

[vaberella]

4. I need him swayed on Dawn Johnson. n/t

[Unsane]

5. I give him a pass on this b/c his position is pretty meaningless.

She can't be filibustered or anything.

[Beetwasher]

6. Yes, Exactly, Remember, He INITIALLY Supported It, Give Him A Way To Save Face

via some compromise, and he's on board.

[democrattotheend]

7. I work in the labor movement

And the people I work with seem fairly optimistic that we can get Specter back on our side. Most people I work with regard this as good news. From what I am hearing I think you are correct about face-saving minor adjustments.

[Gman]

8. I think Spector's non-support was based on the upcoming PA GOP primary

Now that the primary's not an issue, his heart obviously is with the EFCA and he'll likely support it.

[Bleacher Creature]

9. I just want him to support cloture. We don't need his vote for passage (I think).

[Better Believe It]

15. We need 50 Senate votes and Vice-President Biden's tie breaking vote for passage

[Bleacher Creature]

17. I worry whether we have 50.

We likely lost Ben Nelson and Lincoln, and I'm never comfortable with Bayh, Landrieu and Pryor. Don't have a clue what Lieberman or Bill Nelson will do. If we lose all of them and hold every other Dem, that's 51 (52 when Franken is sworn in) -- a bit too close for comfort.

[quiller4]

18. Bill Nelson is a co-sponsor and has recorded an ad so

dropping his support isn't likely.

[Better Believe It]

21. Any signs or info that President Obama is working hard to pass EFCA as is?

[Robbins]

10. Specter

In his PC Reid already hinted that he may vote for a different version of It.He Is not one who will vote against It no matter what.

[Hello_Kitty]

11. He doesn't have to. He only needs to vote for cloture.

All we need are 51 Senators after that to pass the bill. President Obama is not going to veto it.

[Better Believe It]

12. Just hold on a second! When Franken is seated doesn't that make the Senate filibuster proof?

So we won't need his votes. Just 51 votes to pass EFCA.

[Orangepeel]

16. No. It is "filibuster proof" only if all 60 senators who caucus for Dems vote for cloture

None of the 60 HAVE to vote for cloture on any given issue.

In my opinion, caucusing with the Democrats makes it more likely Spector will vote for cloture on any given issue because republican senators have immense pressure not to do so and now he'll have moderate pressure to do so. But there is nothing in the rules that requires him or any other of the 60 to do so.

[quiller4]

13. Likely. He has a lifetime 68% Labor voting record. n/t

[Hepburn]

14. Yeah, I think he will go with the Dem flow.

That is...if he wants labor behind him and that is a Dem stronghold.

JMHO

[PopSixSquish]

19. Yes, I Think He Will

As was said upthread, he originally supported it and then changed when the knuckledraggers screamed. Now I think he's free to support it again with some minor changes and then he gets the Labor support in 2010 which will be crucial in PA.

[Jennicut]

20. Well Biden worked on him to change parties, maybe Joe can work on him about this

I think he could be flexible.

[PBS Poll-435]

22. Yes

It will be his first test before he is considered for Sub-Committee Chairmanship.

[ShadowLiberal]

23. Yes he can, there's several signs of it.

There's several signs that Specter can be swayed on EFCA in the last 2 days.

-Specter's statement when switching implies that should the current bill be slightly modified in certain parts that he could support it (I'm not sure of the exact details it refers to, but the statement left him with wiggle room to justify changing his mind on it later)

-Biden himself thinks Specter will ultimately vote for it, and said so today, and since they've been friends for decades he's much more aware of what Specter's thinking on this kind of stuff then we all are.

-Labor union people claim they never stopped talking to Specter, so they're still working on his vote and obviously don't see it as a lost cause