Some interesting votes today and yesterday [View all]

Both amendments to the defense bill.

One is a Dianne Feinstein amendment, with the purpose of "To clarify that an authorization to use military force, a declaration of war, or any similar authority shall not authorize the detention without charge or trial of a citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States."

This got 67 votes - one no, Scott Brown! This along with his commends that he is working in a bipartisan way on the fiscal cliff and he won't raise anyone's taxes, likely shows that he does not get how out of sync his votes are with his state.

Here is the rollcall: http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=112&session=2&vote=00213

He also voted against a bill that made it easier for the military to use alternative fuels. http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=112&session=2&vote=00206

Turning to Kerry, here in an interesting vote: a vote to accelerate leaving Afghanistan - which also passed. John Kerry was a yes (as was Lugar - and I was happy to see both.) Brown was a yes.

Here is the rollcall: http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=112&session=2&vote=00210

Kerry also won on getting cloture on the disabilities treaty. He got 61 votes, but will need 67 for ratification. (Blumenthal who didn't vote is likely a yes, Kirk might be as well, but he has not voted since his stroke last January.) Obviously, in the debate he needs to win over the final 5 (assuming Blumenthal is a yes)) I think this vote might be promising - he did not get 67 for the same vote on START and ultimately got it ratified.

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=112&session=2&vote=00205

I did not have a chance to watch any of the Senate hearings on this - because my husband and I are between being NJ residents and VT residents - and are vacationing in the interim in Cape Cod.