Murkowski resolution fails, 47 to 53

Lisa Murkowski's resolution blocking the EPA's authority to regulate carbon failed in the Senate today, 47 to 53. Six Democrats crossed over: Mark Pryor, Evan Bayh, Ben Nelson, Jay Rockefeller, Blanche Lincoln and Mary Landrieu. Some people were surprised that Bayh crossed, but I'm not. He's retiring, but his votes will reflect on Brad Ellsworth, who's running to replace him, so he's going to stick with the state's most important interests. Zero Republicans voted against Murkowski.

So the good news, I guess, is that Murkowski's resolution went down. The bad news is that in a 60-vote Senate, it's hard to imagine a climate bill, or even a mere energy bill that does something about coal-fired plants, getting through.