Posted on 02/06/2009 1:14:41 PM PST by MaestroLC
Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio) has pulled out of negotiations on a bipartisan compromise on the Senate’s economic stimulus bill.
Three Republicans — Sens. Susan Collins (Maine), Olympia Snowe (Maine) and Arlen Specter (Pa.) — continue to negotiate with Democrats, but Voinovich’s departure could make it more difficult for Democrats to reach the 60 votes they need to pass the bill.
Voinovich left a meeting in Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-Nev.) office around 2:30 p.m., saying he did not believe there was a deal he could agree to on an amendment that would cut as much as $100 billion from the more than $920 billion measure.
“I’ve really tried to work on this, but the three things that it should be timely, that it should be temporary and it should be targeted, that was something that I looked at,” Voinovich said. “It just doesn’t meet my criteria, and I feel very sorry because I think the Majority Leader has his responsibility, and he’s got his Members that he has to take care of.”
“Hope” burns eternal.
Called Spectors office. They asked for my zip code. I told them I was stuck in Michigan with no one to represent me and to vote no.
“Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio) has pulled out of negotiations on a bipartisan compromise on the Senate’s economic stimulus bill. “
Before the three names were release, there was a lot of GV bashing on other threads. I hope he will get some calls thanking him.
Is it even REMOTELY possible that the GOP..even the 3 or 4 RINOs are running a game on Obama...leak that they can be had..show up at the meetings...then one by one even THEY say they can’t support it?
Then it can be spun in this way “If Obama can’t even get THOSE Republicans, it must be a bad bill”
Too much to hope for I know.
WOOHOO!!
Call the district offices of Specter and Snowne if you can’t get through to DC!
http://specter.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.OfficeLocations
http://www.snowe.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactSenatorSnowe.DistrictOffices
Well I got through to Collins’ office to urge her not to support this. No luck with Specter, phone is constantly busy.
The minimum they need is 50 plus Biden. They have those. All they want is 'Pub votes for cover, plus enough to invoke cloture. So we either filibuster or let the roll be called and have only the ''Rats support it. When it crashes and burns, we don't hesitate to say "I told you so" and tie it around their pencil necks like an anchor and sink the 'Rats with it.
The bill was $819 billion when it was approved by the House. Cutting $100 billion out of the $920 billion version only gets it back to the crap bill that Nancy Pelosi sent the Senate. If the GOP Senators consider that a victory, we are all screwed.
Thank you for this, Sen. Voinovich.
100 billion does nothing. This thing needs to be cut down to at least 400 billion - and not an ounce of the "new white meat"!
They just cut the Fla. water park - wooopteedoo! 2 million dollars! KRAPOLA!
Exactly. The Senate WILL pass this bill when it comes time to vote but the Pubbies should be running away from it...fast.
Make it a 100% Democratic Debacle so we can pound them for the next 2 and 4 years.
For those who are trying to call senators & getting busy signals, just keep hitting redial - you’ll eventually get through. It’s kind of like a radio contest but without the pressure of having to be the nth caller (but with a lot more at stake).
Since my NY senators are pretty much worthless, I called Collins & Specter so I’d have a shot at making a difference. It took about 10 minutes to get through to Specter’s office. I called Collins at around 9:30 AM, and got right through. (I gave Gillibrand a call too, on the off chance she still has a small portion of upstate common sense left in her - took less than 5 minutes to get through.)
Good idea.
I say that any Republicans who vote for this should be expelled from the party. We want 100% NO votes on this.
I wonder why the Dems could just set aside the filibuster rule.
Too much history of them actually voting with the dems to buy that one..lol. But it would be funny if they were doing that!
YOU ROCK!!!
God Bless You!
Collins is dropping out(for now) according to a post up thread! It’s working folks!!
Keep calling.....fax..email..whatever you have to do!
There are NO moderate Democrats. Look up their voting record.
I sent Collins staffer an email.
Also Mitch McConnell
I also emailed my hopelessly liberal Senator Ben Cardin who will vote for anything put under his nose by Harry Reid.
He might as well know some of his “constituents” are watching him and will be counting the jobs his spending vote produces.
Done with all of the amendments. Now keep pushing the final vote on these amendments back.
This is because they can’t vote until after Obama’s Monday Night Plea on TV!
Maybe we should call his office and say thank you
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.