1. The Alabama special election is right around the corner. Senator Shelby, the Republican Senator occupying Alabama's other seat, said he didn't vote for the child molester. It won't matter, in all likelihood, nor will the fact that the idiot, demagogic child molester thinks that Amendments XI-XXVII could be abolished to the benefit of the nation. Current polling: RealClearPolitics still has Moore in the lead by 3.8 points on average. If any election is likely to understate a candidate's polling numbers, it is one in which said candidate is a fucking child molester. We used to call this "the Bradley effect." If Moore beats a 3.8 point lead by a significant margin, I suggest that we rename this, "the Moore effect." The betting at PredictIt still gives Moore about a 3-1 edge. Still sounds about right to me. Not "right" as in "morally defensible," but as in "an accurate assessment of reality. Jones could win, but when in doubt, bet on party. Political science.
2. Susan Collins has said that even though she voted for the Senate's tax bill, she might not vote for the reconciled version after it comes out of conference if she doesn't get concessions. Does this matter? Not likely. First, the House could always pass the Senate's unamended bill if negotiations break down. Her vote is cast. If all else fails, the House will probably do that. (See the ACA, 2010). But, they shouldn't even have to do that. Even if the Senate can't get Collins's vote on a reconciled bill, the Senate bill passed with 51 votes. They can still lose Collins, and as long as nobody else defects, they still pass a reconciled bill.
Too late, Susan.