What Happened To The Cybersecurity Bill?

The cybersecurity bill is dead for this Congress, with cloture failing by a vote of 52-46. The Senate's failure to reach any kind of compromise is particularly striking, given that roughly two-thirds of the basic ideas in the bill had been endorsed by all of the following: the Obama administration, Senator McCain and the great majority of Senate Republicans, Majority Leader Reid, Senators Lieberman and Collins, as well as a bipartisan majority of the House.

So, what went wrong? Who does everyone blame if we suffer a significant attack on our civilian infrastructure before Congress returns to the issue?

On the lobbying side, there are probably two candidates.

The US Chamber of Commerce is the Democrats' favorite whipping boy. But in this case the Democrats are right. The Chamber wanted this bill dead, and it rejected substantial efforts to accommodate its concerns on the part of Senators Lieberman, Collins, and Kyl — none of whom are exactly enemies of business.