Washington (CNN) -- In what amounted to political theater rather than legislative action, the Senate on Wednesday rejected a House budget plan that included a controversial provision to overhaul Medicare and also unanimously voted down President Barack Obama's 2012 budget proposal. The House budget measure had been expected to fail in the Senate due to overwhelming opposition by majority Democrats, plus wavering support for its Medicare overhaul among Republicans. The Senate GOP has recognized the provision's unpopularity with senior citizens enrolled in the government-run health insurance program. Senate Democrats forced Wednesday's vote in order to make Senate Republicans go on record in support of the Medicare overhaul.
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NEW: President Obama's 2012 budget proposal is defeated on a 97-0 vote
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Five Republicans join Democrats in voting down the Medicare overhaul plan
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Democrats force the vote to record Republican support
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The Medicare overhaul is opposed by many senior citizens
In a bit of political irony, GOP leaders last year repeatedly attacked the health care reform law pushed through by @placeholder, arguing that it would weaken Medicare.