" They didn't NEED Republican votes to pass the legislation under consideration. "

They need 60 votes to stop a filibuster, and the Republicans have sworn to filibuster forever to stop this bill.

They have pass the SAME bill in the House & Senate, and there are votes required to agree on a version, and the Republicans can filibuster the debate on the versions. It is barely, theoretically possible to pass this, at the risk of angering many of their own supporters AND the public who want a stronger bill.

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Now, as I have already said about polls: this vote does not show people wanted 'no health care reform' ... Polls show that Those independents who voted for Obama in Mass., but then voted for Brown against Coakley, did so because they **wanted a stronger bill**!!
   This seems to be a protest vote saying "Give us real reform, or don't bother".