Next week, it is expected that the Senate will vote, as part of a bill to raise the federal debt limit, on whether to impanel a bipartisan commission given special powers to tackle the nation’s deficit. This commission would be able to fast-track recommendations to Congress for an up or down vote without amendments. By taking issues like entitlement spending out of the hands of Congress, the theory goes, it would become easier to make painful cuts.

A funny thing happened on the way to paradise for the fiscal scolds, however: they forgot to collect the votes.

Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) told The Hill on Monday that the proposal he’s pushing with Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) doesn’t have the 60 Senate votes necessary to pass. An amendment creating the fiscal commission will get a full Senate vote next week during a debate over a bill raising the debt limit [...]

Gregg blasted opponents of the plan, saying that they “kill everything at the starting line.”

The fact that the proposal is being attacked by “people on the right and the left just means that the approach will work,” Gregg said.

Or, it means that it’s a bad idea and nobody wants to attach their vote to a process that could actively hurt constituents. (Actually, the right doesn’t like it because the panel could conceivably recommend tax increases.)

Maybe if Gregg can somehow swear in Lee Hamilton as a Senator, he can realize the glory of taking away meager safety-net benefits from Americans. But for now, it looks like the Senate wants no part of the commission.