resounding defeat for the second most powerful house republican. today, the u.s. senate held a vote, which came out 56-38. and the side with the 38, that side won. because that is the upside down logic of democracy in the united states senate. and the bill at issue is exactly the kind of thing you'd expect to result in a lopsided 18-point margin. it would have allowed an estimated 25 million americans to refinance their student loans at lower interest rates, which wouldn't cost the government money, but would cut into the profit the federal government is currently making off of student loans. and that reduced revenue, that would have been paid for by substituting the so-called buffett rule, setting minimum tax rates for people making over $1 million a year. bill was the brain child of massachusetts democrat, elizabeth warren, who managed to persuade 55 of her colleagues to vote with her, including republican susan collins, bob corker, and lisa murkowski. she did not get enough republicans to break the republican filibuster, led by senate minority leader, mitch mcconnell.