If you tune into CSPAN-2 later today — and why wouldn’t you on a Friday evening? — you won’t be greeted by the familiar musical accompaniment to the Senate doing nothing. That’s because before the Senate passes its budget this weekend, it must first get through “votearama” — the quirk in the budget rules that essentially opens the amendment floodgates to eager lawmakers.

These amendments, like the budget itself, aren’t really binding. They’re highly politicized. And because there hasn’t been a Senate budget in a few years, there’s a huge pent up demand among members for using votearama as an opportunity to preen and take political stands.

But taken together they also paint a sort of political mosaic. Piece by piece they reveal a hierarchy of Republican and Democratic priorities and liabilities. Which is why despite its artificial nature, the process can still be educational. Read More

There’s some fascinating day two news coming out of Israel and the Obama trip this morning. A short time ago, the White House press pool released a report saying that Prime Minister Netanyahu had “apologized” to Prime Minister Erdogan over the Mavi Marmara flotilla raid back in 2010. Read More