The Break #2 For 5/11/10: The One Time Audit Bill Is Passed, But Grayson-Paul Version Falls

Despite it being just one audit, and it going back to only 2007 (good centrist protection policy), the audit of the Fed has been pass through the House of Lord, I mean, the Senate, by a rousing 96-0 vote.

Comprehensive across the board bi-partisanship that will make the White House and David Broder smile, as Bernie Sanders tampered down amendment goes through.

But the bi-partisanship didn't extend to an even stronger version of Grayson-Paul's version through the David "Diaper Man" Vitter's window dressing amendment, trying to steal the shine of Grayson and Paul. So him not getting credit for that is the only saving grace of not passing something that should have been passed.

And get this key tidbit from the invaluable David Dayen on how scared Blanche Lincoln is right now of Bill Halter:

…The amendment passes 96-0. Having that many Senate votes for this level of transparency from the Fed will be a powerful symbol that something’s rotten at the central bank and that even their defenders have no choice but to hold them minimally accountable. This sets up an interesting vote on the Vitter amendment, but I would expect the center to hold on that vote. Though with this display of anger at the Fed, I suppose anything’s possible.

…The Vitter amendment, which would have used the Grayson-Paul language to audit the Fed, failed by a count of 37-62. A roll call will be up later, but it generally broke down along party lines. I caught that Dorgan, Feingold, Sanders, Webb and Lincoln (boy is she scared) voted in favor for the Democrats, and McConnell, Alexander, Gregg and Scott Brown voted against for the Republicans. There may be more on both sides of that ledger.

Blanche Lincoln or Arlen Specter.....who is feeling the pressure more I wonder?