Byrd's Death: What Happens to Financial Regulatory Reform

There are three possibilities for Democrats now, given that they lack what could have been the 60th vote for financial regulatory reform.

1. The conferees could drop the provision adding a bank tax, which caused Sen. Scott Brown (R-Massachusetts, a big banking state) to lean towards voting no.

2. They could try to switch the votes of two Democrats who currently oppose the bill-as-written, Sen. Maria Cantwell or Sen. Russ Feingold.

3. Or, they could delay the conference report until after Gov. Joe Manchin announces Sen. Byrd's successor.

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