Democrats successfully filibustered a bill to defund Planned Parenthood this morning, but the next show vote has already been scheduled.
Senate Republicans will finally hold a vote on a continuing resolution to temporarily fund the federal government, but the bill they're introducing will include a provision to defund Planned Parenthood.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) announced Tuesday the Senate will vote to redirect Planned Parenthood funding to community health centers and fund the government until Dec. 11.
The action sets up a Thursday vote, the same day Pope Francis speaks to a historic joint session of Congress.
Even if Congress is able to pass a "clean" continuing resolution to fund government after their poison pill fails, again, I think it's safe to assume we'll find ourselves in the same position in December.
I assume more than that. I assume the government will be funded through at least February by a series of continuing resolutions. I suppose it's possible -- maybe even likely -- that Congress will not pass a comprehensive budget again until 2017.
That may seem crazy, but the dynamics that have fostered the current environment aren't going away. House leadership abandoned the appropriations process because they could not muster enough votes to pass their own bills and I can see no reason why they will be more successful next Spring in the middle of the primary season.
I also expect congressional Republicans and GOP candidates will continue to milk the fake Planned Parenthood scandal over the next year. Same as it ever was.