Posted on 03/02/2010 4:05:42 PM PST by ButThreeLeftsDo
Under increasing pressure from Democrats and members of his own party, Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) Tuesday night abandoned his one-man filibuster of a one-month extension to unemployment benefits and other programs.
In the end Bunning agreed to a deal allowing him one vote on an amendment to pay for the bill’s $10 billion cost. That proposal was offered by Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) last Thursday at the start of his filibuster, but Bunning rejected it because he feared his amendment would not pass.
Reid has also agreed to give Bunning two votes on amendments to a larger, one-year extension bill that is currently under consideration in the Senate.
(Excerpt) Read more at rollcall.com ...
Bunning wasn’t holding up anything. All they had to do was bring it to the floor for a vote. All Bunning did was refuse to let it pass (unanimous consent) without a vote.
It will not pass with UNANIMOUS CONSENT
That means EVERY SENATOR is in favor of this thing.
No it wouldn't. This was done for UNAMINOUS CONSENT. They didn't have a bill to bring to the floor and vote on, he couldn't do anything about that. This will now pass with every Senator in favor. EVERY SENATOR.
Remember that when they start running for Prez
Well said my friend....
The pubbies were not going to rally to him.
They all gave their unanimous consent.
“Many of FR will never understand....but when you are in combat you make decisions that make sense in the overall scenario.”
Thank you. There are too many FReepers with an all-or-nothing attitude about this issue and most others. What we all need to remember is that there is another side with the same all-or-nothing attitude. THAT side has a majority in both houses. We have to keep up the pressure without cutting our noses off to spite our faces.
Shame he did that, really. The Democrats could have overridden him and didn’t. There is no reason they COULDN’T have agreed to pay for it out of unallocated Porkulus funds. They didn’t. DEMOCRATS don’t care about those who would lose their benefits. THEY were just using Benning to score quick political points, nothing more. And they’ll use that “women, children and union workers hardest hit” routine that they used against Bunning as a campaign platform to gain his senate seat.
If I had been Bunning I would have gotten up there and given Obama’s PayGo speech, word for word.
I disagree...if I’m reading it correctly what he got was the right to add an amendment requiring the bill to be paid for. There will be an up and down vote on that. Let’s see where the senators stand on that.
He picked his battle and knew when to give...I think 4thID understands as well...win what you can when you can...but don’t ever lose...and if he had taken this out much further he was going to lose.
Like Nelsen proved, everybody has their price.
If I was him I would’ve filibustered until dismissal from the Senate.
To me it looks like he won and we win, on principle and on forcing the Senate Dems into following their own rules.
He forces them to vote on using stimulus funds to pay for the extension - putting it on the Dems if they do not pass this.
We win by using monies already borrowed but not yet spent instead of being forced to increase our national debt again to finance this spending bill.
I’m not sure if I agree with a years extension although I do not think there is anything on the horizon in the next year that will improve the economy allowing companies to begin hiring again.
“If I had been Bunning I would have gotten up there and given Obama’s PayGo speech, word for word.”
Great Point! And I would have read it with Obama’s twin teleprompters and Echo Chamber.
Ever wonder what if every senator and representative decided to retire. What would their final acts of legislation be? Would honor at last rear its head ?
Right. The up or down vote on the amendment will tell the American public who was in favor of fiscal responsibility by paying for the bill, and who wasn’t, by lobbing responsibility to some future spending measure which we won’t be able to pay for. Let’s keep it in the light...by getting in RECORD. No voice votes, I hope.
We’ll see. I think he lost more than he gained. I think we pretty much know where the senators stand. We are broke time to stop spending. I concur with win what you can, when you can, and don’t ever loose. I think he lost. Sad to say, cause I like him.
Always friends RVN!
They could have changed their minds. They often do, don’t they? The next thing you know they want cap and trade then they don’t.
And that is not without diabolical intent.
Insolvency - chaos - unconstitutional power grab - socialism
Leni
Bunning's amendment on the short term extension got shot down 43 for, 53 against.
That debt-busting extension then passed 78-19.
Oh, no.
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