Snowe Backs Financial Reform

Has Obama finally clinched the votes needed for his financial reform overhaul? Senate Democrats and Republicans—or three Republicans, at least—appear to be closing on the 60 votes needed to give final approval to the legislation, given the certainty of a GOP-led filibuster. Crossing the aisle, Republican senators Scott Brown of Massachusetts and Olympia Snowe of Maine announced on Monday that they would vote for the hefty overhaul bill. “It is a better bill than it was when this whole process started,” Brown told the Wall Street Journal. “While it isn’t perfect, I expect to support the bill when it comes up for a vote.” Brown and Snowe join Susan Collins, also of Maine, as the three Republicans who say they will vote in favor of the bill. This would give the White House the backing necessary—60 votes—to pass it by Friday without a filibuster. The final bill already passed House of Representatives, who voted by a 237-to-192 margin, several weeks ago.