A move by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell backfires . McConnell pushed for a vote on a debt ceiling idea he first proposed last year . After a move by Majority Leader Republicans , McConnell ended up going to a vote on the idea . Nevertheless , he pushed for a vote on it because he wanted to show that even some Democrats oppose giving the president that much authority , and he knew there was no way Democrats could garner the 60 votes typically needed for major legislation to pass the Senate . Democrats said it was another sign that Republicans are losing the battle on the fiscal cliff .
A move by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell backfires . McConnell pushed for a vote on a debt ceiling idea he first proposed last year . After a move by Majority Leader Republicans , McConnell ended up going to a vote on the idea . Democrats said it was another sign that Republicans are losing the battle on the fiscal cliff .