Senate To Vote Friday on 'Cut, Cap and Balance' Bill

National Journal ^ | 7/21/11 | Dan Friedman

[markomalley]

Instead of a Saturday vote on the House-passed “cut, cap and balance” bill, the Senate will vote on Friday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., announced. The measure is expected to be voted down on a mostly party-line vote.

The expected defeat of the bill will clear the way for Senate action on a compromise measure to raise the debt ceiling. Reid is ready to start floor action on a compromise plan worked out with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., as soon as this weekend. Talks between House Republicans and the White House on a larger deficit reduction package are also continuing.

The bill, which passed Tuesday night 234-190 in the House, would eventually cap federal spending at 19.9 percent of GDP and requires Congress to pass a Balanced Budget Amendment before the debt limit can be raised.

Democrats have denounced the bill in colorful terms. Reid on Thursday called it “one of the worst pieces of legislation U.S. history.”

[MestaMachine]

reid scheduled this vote because the House pubbies have been getting tentative support from some senate dems. reid doesn’t want to give them any time to flip these guys all the way.
Burn down the phone lines and email inboxes. NOW.

[kabar]

It looks like the Reps are caving. They are moving the vote up so it can be voted down and go on to the real deal that has already been concluded.

Just heard the Moody's met with the Rep Tea Party group today. Presumbably to give them cover to support this deal. We are being sold out with this phony kabuki political theater.

[antonico]

They wouldn't be voting on it Friday if it had any chance to pass. Doesn't this suggest a deal has already been winked & nodded into agreement with both parties? I don't care what Boehner told Limbaugh today. He has no more commitment to Cut, Cap & Balance than he does to his own used toilet paper. In fact that's very likely what he, Cantor, McCarthy and all the rest of the House Leadership (as well as the RINO Trolls in the Senate) think of CCB. This whole charade was a red herring for both Tea Partiers: Representatives & Constituents alike. The House Leaders remember all too well the revolt they got from the newcomers on the CR battles back in the spring, and they hated it. And we can't forget that Kyl was the RSCC head recruiting candidates last year but if it was left to he & McConnell we would have no Rubio, no Paul, no Toomey, no Johnson, and no Lee like we have now. TheHouse & Senate Leaders despise the Tea Party because it thwarts their Ruling Class status, no matter how much their status is spent sucking up to Democrats. I can't help but think this whole exercise is the Republican Leaders attempt to marginalize Tea Party reps in both chambers. Especially if Boehner supposedly met with Pelosi privately last week. If he did, he likely spent time there shoring up enough House Dems to sidle up to the real deal he's now making. With enough Democrats in the House to vote for something like the Gangrene of Six Plan or the McConnell Treachery Bill - or something worse - the leaderships in both chambers will be just fine to let the Tea Party reps stomp their feet, lambaste on the Floors and cry to Talk radio, voting their consciences with We The People. What McConnell, Boehner & Co have already done is make sure none of their votes for the right thing will matter. We've been outflanked and outmaneuvered by The Political Class.

[kabar]

Yep, the fix is in. The 47 Reps in the Senate can vote for cut, cap, and balance and it will go down to defeat. Then the real deal that has already been agreed to will be proposed. These a$$holes must think we are really stupid.

Time for a third party.

[Brett11]

“Reid is ready to start floor action on a compromise plan worked out with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., as soon as this weekend.”

McConnell is just aweful. His plan would give unfettered power to the President, and it’s actually a worse plan than passing a clean increase in the debt celing.

[kristinn]

From the Washington Times' Emily Miller via Twitter:

Harry Reid just filed a motion that will kill "Cut, Cap, and Balance" on Friday before it gets a Senate vote. #fb 24 minutes ago via TweetDeck

[almcbean]

Democrats/Independents seeking re-election (17 seats)
Dianne Feinstein of California
Tom Carper of Delaware
Bill Nelson of Florida
Ben Cardin of Maryland
Debbie Stabenow of Michigan
Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota
Claire McCaskill of Missouri
Jon Tester of Montana
Ben Nelson of Nebraska
Bob Menendez of New Jersey
Kirsten Gillibrand of New York
Sherrod Brown of Ohio
Bob Casey, Jr. of Pennsylvania
Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island
Bernie Sanders of Vermont
Maria Cantwell of Washington
Joe Manchin of West Virginia

[Rick_Michael]

One of these days we’ll get a balanced budget amendment...but I’m hoping we do a very TEMPORARY deal and then put this amendment in by itself, so it’s not connected to a bill. At this point I don’t see it passing, but we shall see.

[Zeppelin]

Democrats have denounced the bill in colorful terms. Reid on Thursday called it “one of the worst pieces of legislation U.S. history.”

For a democrat, it IS one of the worst pieces of legislation in US history.

For them, it threatens their very political existence.

[Always Independent]

They may just pass it to let BO use the veto.

[ken5050]

Manchin will vote for it....is Nelson (NE) doesn’t) he probably won’t even bother to run..McCaskill is in trouble in MO..and there are othere ..not quite sure.

[normy]

They want to vote quickly before the pressure can mount on those Senators you just listed. Friday the phones better be lighting up and their voicemail full when they show up tomorrow.

[El Gato]

would eventually cap federal spending at 19.9 percent of GDP

What happened to 18%? That's the number I'd heard.

[normy]

bump

[newzjunkey]

18% is in the balanced budget amendment. 19.9% is where cut, cap, balance starts.

[newzjunkey]

Capitol switchboard: 202 224 3121

[Jim Noble]

Reid obviously has 50 votes (at least) or this would never see the light of day.

Wonder how many Republicans will vote “no”.

[Errant]

Reckon the number could have changed and that’s the reason Reid is going to kill the bill before it comes up for vote tomorrow? NEVER trust a Liberal, they’re too liberal with their promises...

[kabar]

All 47 Reps will vote for it knowing that it will go down to defeat. This is just political theater. The real deal has already been agreed to. They are just going thru the motions to placate what they perceive are the great unwashed who are under the delusion that their representatives really represent them rather than rule them.

This vote was moved up to get it out of the way. Boehner has sold us down the river.

[CincyRichieRich]

They wouldn’t be voting on it Friday if it had any chance to pass. Doesn’t this suggest a deal has already been winked & nodded into agreement with both parties? I don’t care what Boehner told Limbaugh today. He has no more commitment to Cut, Cap & Balance than he does to his own used toilet paper. In fact that’s very likely what he, Cantor, McCarthy and all the rest of the House Leadership (as well as the RINO Trolls in the Senate) think of CCB. This whole charade was a red herring for both Tea Partiers: Representatives & Constituents alike. The House Leaders remember all too well the revolt they got from the newcomers on the CR battles back in the spring, and they hated it. And we can’t forget that Kyl was the RSCC head recruiting candidates last year but if it was left to he & McConnell we would have no Rubio, no Paul, no Toomey, no Johnson, and no Lee like we have now. TheHouse & Senate Leaders despise the Tea Party because it thwarts their Ruling Class status, no matter how much their status is spent sucking up to Democrats. I can’t help but think this whole exercise is the Republican Leaders attempt to marginalize Tea Party reps in both chambers. Especially if Boehner supposedly met with Pelosi privately last week. If he did, he likely spent time there shoring up enough House Dems to sidle up to the real deal he’s now making. With enough Democrats in the House to vote for something like the Gangrene of Six Plan or the McConnell Treachery Bill - or something worse - the leaderships in both chambers will be just fine to let the Tea Party reps stomp their feet, lambaste on the Floors and cry to Talk radio, voting their consciences with We The People. What McConnell, Boehner & Co have already done is make sure none of their votes for the right thing will matter. We’ve been outflanked and outmaneuvered by The Political Class.

---

I’m a realist, but sure hope you’re wrong...boy do I ever.