An (un)fortunate health-care irony

The Post points out:

Reid told reporters Tuesday that he might be willing to compromise on points of [health-care] policy if it meant getting the 60 votes needed to turn back GOP procedural objections. The Senate Democratic caucus now stands at 60 members, but two members -- Robert C. Byrd (W.Va.) and Edward M. Kennedy (Mass.) -- have battled serious illness, requiring Reid to win support from at least two Republicans to make up for their absence.

So, de facto, there are not 60 voting Democrats in the Senate. Depending on where you stand, this is fortunate or unfortunate.

But either way, still sad. Sad that two accomplished men are in bad health, and sad that our political institutions have such a high rate of incumbency that 92 year-old Senators are re-elected virtually unopposed.

This relates to a fillibuster reform that I am in favor of: the 3/5ths requirement should be based on the number of Senators present and voting, rather then "all duly chosen and sworn."