GOP Blocks Pork In Stimulus Bills

[red states rule]

We can only hope Republicans will continue their efforts to reduce the prok this Congress is trying to pass



Tax Rebate Checks in Limbo After Republicans Block Changes to Stimulus Bill
Thursday, February 07, 2008


WASHINGTON — The fate of $600-$1,200 rebate checks for more than 100 million Americans is in limbo after Senate Republicans blocked a bid by Democrats to add $44 billion in help for the elderly, disabled veterans, the unemployed and businesses to the House-passed economic aid package.

GOP senators banded together Wednesday to thwart the $205 billion plan, leaving Democrats with a difficult choice either to quickly accept a House bill they have said is inadequate or risk being blamed for delaying a measure designed as a swift shot in the arm for the lagging economy.

The tally was 58-41 to end debate on the Senate measure, just short of the 60 votes Democrats would have needed to scale procedural hurdles and move the bill to a final vote. In a suspenseful showdown vote that capped days of partisan infighting and procedural jockeying, eight Republicans — four of them up for re-election this year — joined Democrats to back the plan, bucking GOP leaders and President Bush, who objected to the costly add-ons.

Democrats choreographed the vote for maximum political advantage, presenting their aid proposal as a take-it-or-leave-it proposition for Republicans and calling back their presidential candidates to make a show of party unity behind their stimulus plan. They calculated that Republicans would pay a steep price for opposing rebates for older Americans and disabled veterans, as well as heating aid for the poor, unemployment benefits and a much larger collection of business tax breaks than the House approved.

for the complete article

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,329132,00.html

[Kathianne]

Great minds once again:

http://debatepolicy.com/showthread.php?t=11656

[red states rule]

Great minds once again:

http://debatepolicy.com/showthread.php?t=11656

What can I say Kathianne - you keep beating me to the punch

[Kathianne]

What can I say Kathianne - you keep beating me to the punch

:laugh2:

[red states rule]

I will have to start checking your posts before I start a new thread

[Classact]

RSR this isn't over quite yet, Reid voted yes so he could try again today to close off debate. Perhaps he can get McCain to vote on his side since he, McCain wasn't there for the vote yesterday?

There were only 41 votes stopping the Democrats bill with forty being the breaking point... that means they need to change two Republican votes... guess we will find out this morning when the Senate comes to work at 10:30AM Eastern if they will try again to load up the Senate version of the bill. There are several Republicans that want some of that pork too so look out to see where this goes.

[red states rule]

RSR this isn't over quite yet, Reid voted yes so he could try again today to close off debate. Perhaps he can get McCain to vote on his side since he, McCain wasn't there for the vote yesterday?

There were only 41 votes stopping the Democrats bill with forty being the breaking point... that means they need to change two Republican votes... guess we will find out this morning when the Senate comes to work at 10:30AM Eastern if they will try again to load up the Senate version of the bill. There are several Republicans that want some of that pork too so look out to see where this goes.

The way the GOP is moving to the left - I would not be surprised if the Dems get their pork

[Classact]

The way the GOP is moving to the left - I would not be surprised if the Dems get their porkThe whole stimulus package is a waste of borrowed money if you ask me. If I were the president I would go to the mike and tell the US sorry about your $600 checks the Senate took to long and so you can blame them... I'll (the president) take actions on my own to stimulate the economy by opening the strategic oil supply to lower gas and heating bills.

[red states rule]

The whole stimulus package is a waste of borrowed money if you ask me. If I were the president I would go to the mike and tell the US sorry about your $600 checks the Senate took to long and so you can blame them... I'll (the president) take actions on my own to stimulate the economy by opening the strategic oil supply to lower gas and heating bills.

Giving tax dollars back to the taxpayers is never a bad idea

Releasing the oil would only give us a brief break on gas prices. If politicans really wanted to help folks with gas prices they should repeal all taxes for 90 days - and start drilling for all the oil we have within our boarders

and start building and expanding our refineries

[Classact]

Giving tax dollars back to the taxpayers is never a bad idea

Releasing the oil would only give us a brief break on gas prices. If politicans really wanted to help folks with gas prices they should repeal all taxes for 90 days - and start drilling for all the oil we have within our boarders

and start building and expanding our refineriesWhy 90 days? Just stop collecting highway taxes period since much of that money goes for parks and other pork not associated with highways anyway. Just end the highway tax to spur the economy and as the economy rebpounds raise the tax a penny a month until it is at the required level to support pork and potholes.

[red states rule]

Why 90 days? Just stop collecting highway taxes period since much of that money goes for parks and other pork not associated with highways anyway. Just end the highway tax to spur the economy and as the economy rebpounds raise the tax a penny a month until it is at the required level to support pork and potholes.

Sounds good to me Classact

[DrJohn]

We can only hope Republicans will continue their efforts to reduce the prok this Congress is trying to pass



Tax Rebate Checks in Limbo After Republicans Block Changes to Stimulus Bill
Thursday, February 07, 2008


WASHINGTON — The fate of $600-$1,200 rebate checks for more than 100 million Americans is in limbo after Senate Republicans blocked a bid by Democrats to add $44 billion in help for the elderly, disabled veterans, the unemployed and businesses to the House-passed economic aid package.

GOP senators banded together Wednesday to thwart the $205 billion plan, leaving Democrats with a difficult choice either to quickly accept a House bill they have said is inadequate or risk being blamed for delaying a measure designed as a swift shot in the arm for the lagging economy.

The tally was 58-41 to end debate on the Senate measure, just short of the 60 votes Democrats would have needed to scale procedural hurdles and move the bill to a final vote. In a suspenseful showdown vote that capped days of partisan infighting and procedural jockeying, eight Republicans — four of them up for re-election this year — joined Democrats to back the plan, bucking GOP leaders and President Bush, who objected to the costly add-ons.

Democrats choreographed the vote for maximum political advantage, presenting their aid proposal as a take-it-or-leave-it proposition for Republicans and calling back their presidential candidates to make a show of party unity behind their stimulus plan. They calculated that Republicans would pay a steep price for opposing rebates for older Americans and disabled veterans, as well as heating aid for the poor, unemployment benefits and a much larger collection of business tax breaks than the House approved.

for the complete article

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,329132,00.html

Yes, helping the poor, the elderly, disabled veterans, and the unemployed is wrong.
When will the dems learn???

[red states rule]

Yes, helping the poor, the elderly, disabled veterans, and the unemployed is wrong.
When will the dems learn???

Yea, we have spent only about $9 trillion over the last 40 years to try and end poverty

What the hell is another couple of hundred billion?

[red states rule]

and Dems refuse to end the pork, while demanding we hand over more of our money to the government


House Democrats refuse to ban pork
By S.A. Miller
February 8, 2008
House Democrats yesterday rejected a Republican bid to halt pork-barrel spending and set up a panel to write more earmark reform measures.

Republicans, eager to reclaim the party's reputation for fiscal responsibility and turn the pork-spending issue against Democrats, used a procedural move to force the vote on the earmark-reform bill.

"House Republicans are deeply disappointed the speaker [Nancy Pelosi of California] and her Democratic colleagues have refused to join us in supporting an immediate moratorium on all earmarks," said House Minority Leader John A. Boehner, Ohio Republican. "Wasteful pork-barrel earmarks have become a symbol of a broken Washington."

Democrats blocked the measure in a 204-196 vote that split closely along party lines, prompting Republican charges that Democrats are soft on reforming earmarks, the process by which members slip pet projects into spending bills.

The vote to bring up the bill garnered support from 189 Republicans and seven Democrats. No Republicans voted to reject the measure.

Democrats, who passed some earmark reforms last year, said Republicans abused the earmark process for the dozen years they ran Congress and were now touting the issue solely for political gain.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080208/NATION/374772918/1001

[Trigg]

Well looks like it's a done deal, except for a signature. My only question is the amount, I thought it was supposed to be $1200, this one says up to $600. Not much, why bother.

http://voanews.com/english/2008-02-07-voa74.cfm



The U.S. Senate Thursday passed a package of tax rebates for millions of Americans and business tax cuts aimed at reviving the sluggish economy. The measure was quickly approved later by the House of Representatives by a vote of 380 to 34. President Bush is expected to sign the bill shortly. VOA's Deborah Tate reports from Capitol Hill.

The 81 to 16 vote came after Senate Democrats and Republicans reached a deal to include rebate checks to disabled veterans and retired Americans who receive social security - two groups who were left out of an economic stimulus package approved by the House last week.

The measure, which would give checks of up to $600 to American taxpayers, is aimed at heading off a recession this election year.

The legislation also makes clear that no rebates are to be provided to illegal immigrants.

[Trigg]

Senate Democrats had sought a considerably larger package that included an extension of unemployment insurance, billions of dollars in energy tax credits and federally backed bonds for home construction. It also would have ensured that low-income seniors, veterans and workers who earned too little to pay income tax would have received the same amount, $500, as working individuals. It would have doubled eligibility thresholds, to $150,000 for individuals and $300,000 for couples.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/07/AR2008020700630.html?hpid=topnews

At least the senate was able to stop this little gem from being added. Someone please tell me why people earning 150,000 to 300,000 need a stimulus of $600-1200. I mean really, what are they going to use it for, gas for their boat?????

[Classact]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/07/AR2008020700630.html?hpid=topnews

At least the senate was able to stop this little gem from being added. Someone please tell me why people earning 150,000 to 300,000 need a stimulus of $600-1200. I mean really, what are they going to use it for, gas for their boat?????:salute:what was lost in debate was that the House of Representatives wanted to give illegal immigrants a rebate... you know those here illegally? How did such a minor infraction get lost in the debate... First they try five or six times to give illegal immigrants child health care on the the Democratic SCHIP bill on tax payers funds and then want to give them tax refunds.

[Trigg]

:salute:what was lost in debate was that the House of Representatives wanted to give illegal immigrants a rebate... you know those here illegally? How did such a minor infraction get lost in the debate... First they try five or six times to give illegal immigrants child health care on the the Democratic SCHIP bill on tax payers funds and then want to give them tax refunds.

I was surprised that they wanted to give rebates to illegals and I'm glad that was eliminated.

[DrJohn]

Yea, we have spent only about $9 trillion over the last 40 years to try and end poverty

What the hell is another couple of hundred billion?


So you're saying to hell with disabled veterans, to hell with the elderly, to hell with them all.

Yes I guess you are saying that.

[Yurt]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/07/AR2008020700630.html?hpid=topnews

At least the senate was able to stop this little gem from being added. Someone please tell me why people earning 150,000 to 300,000 need a stimulus of $600-1200. I mean really, what are they going to use it for, gas for their boat?????

interesting that the dems would be for the wealthy, the very people they love to tax

[red states rule]

interesting that the dems would be for the wealthy, the very people they love to tax

The very people who pay a majority of the taxes, and fund their social programs

[Yurt]

The very people who pay a majority of the taxes, and fund their social programs

point duly noted

so why is it that dems get away with bashing the wealthy?

[red states rule]

point duly noted

so why is it that dems get away with bashing the wealthy?

It is called playing the wealth envu card. Many libs believe the "rich" did not earn their money. It was handed to them. Or they do not need that much wealth, or they screwed somebody to have that much money

Libs think the government can spend the money better then the people who have earned it, and it you question them - you are meanspirited, heartless, uncaring, and greedy

[red states rule]

Oh my, the liberal media feels Hillary and Obama are not liberal enough, and are not going to spend enough of our money


Bob, The People Have the Big Ideas, Not the Government
By Mark Finkelstein | February 9, 2008 - 07:28 ET
Admission: over the course of my NewsBusting, I've actually developed a certain admiration for Bob Herbert. Not that I agree with virtually anything the NY Times columnist has to say, but that I appreciate his directness and the absence in his work of the superfluous sarcasm that marks that of a number of his colleagues.

That said, I offer up Herbert's column of this morning, "Where Are the Big Ideas?", as the epitome of wrong-headed liberal thinking. Herbert's complaint is that when it comes to the role of government, the presidential candidates aren't thinking big enough. Hillary and Obama's proposals to subject 1/7th of the nation's economy [or whatever the current proportion that health care represents] to government control is insufficient in Bob's eyes. He writes their plans off as "masterpieces of minutiae."

Herbert says that "the essential question the candidates should be trying to answer — but that is not even being asked very often — is how to create good jobs in the 21st century." The columnist gives us an idea of the kind of big-government thinking he has in mind to answer his question

An obvious potential source of new jobs would be a broad campaign to rebuild the nation’s infrastructure — its roads, bridges, schools, levees, water treatment facilities and so forth.

Another area with big job creation potential is the absolutely vital quest to develop alternative sources of energy. That effort should carry the same high national priority that was accorded the Manhattan Project during World War II. I’d even call it Manhattan II.

for the complete article

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/mark-finkelstein/2008/02/09/bob-people-have-big-ideas-not-government