“Sanders” being Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), the only admitted socialist in the Senate. He introduced an amendment today that would establish a full-blown, out-and-out single-payer system that he admits would put the private insurance industry out of business. He believes the government being the only available insurer is the best way forward.

Well, Senate rules dictate that any single senator can require an amendment to be read in its entirety on the floor. Another senator can file a motion to dismiss the reading, but an objection from just one other member means the reading continues. Rules also dictate that a bill can only be withdrawn by unanimous consent — again, meaning every single present senator needs to agree.

But that’s not what happened here. Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) forced the clerk to read the amendment aloud, but three hours into the reading Sanders single-handedly withdrew the legislation. Without the required unanimous consent. He broke U.S. Senate rules.

The excuse Democrats are using is that there’s precedent for this in the form of a 1992 incident. But it was a mistake that time, too.

And, as Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said in a statement on the floor, a single precedent doesn’t change established rules. There’s a previous incident in Senate history where a member was beaten with a cane. Should we start beating senators with canes on the floor? C-SPAN viewership would skyrocket, granted, but it doesn’t seem very civilized.

Democrats aren’t even pretending to care about Senate rules, the U.S. Constitution, or the opinion of the American public anymore. Their attempts to pass this socialized healthcare legislation runs in direct defiance of all three. It’s time to clean house.

Update: Here’s your take-away:

Jim Manley, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), said there is a 1992 precedent that provides that a senator has a right to withdraw an amendment during its reading.

“End of story,” Manley said.

But McConnell said that the 1992 episode was a “mistake,” and he cited another mistake: the infamous 1856 incident where Massachusetts Sen. Charles Sumner was caned by South Carolina Rep. Preston S. Brooks in the Senate chamber.

“If mistakes were the rule, the caning of senators would be in order,” McConnell said with a grin. “Fortunately for all of us, it is not.”

Manley continues to insist that a mistake in 1992 means Democrats can do today whatever they want whenever they want. He’s a moron.

I do feel bad for him, though. He’ll be unemployed after next year. Here’s the website for Reid’s opponent.