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.”
The magic number is 60 for, not 41 against.
If all the Dems vote for it I think that leaves them at 57, with Ted Kennedy absent.
They would then need 3.
Sorry that's not who he has to take care of.
His job is to take care of us, the American Citizens.
And polls show that over two thirds don't want this multi-trillion boondoggle. Yep, multi.
With the continuing funding for most of this pork, and the interest it's somewhere around 5 trillion and growing.
Next Harry's "member" comment withheld for common decency.
What Americans want is financial STABILITY. ANY stimulus package will do nothing more than postpone the inevitable. We need to cut government spending and make it easier to make money in this lousy economy without taking tax dollars to do it.
As long as we trash talk the economy with all this doom and gloom stuff about the economy, Americans will have no confidence in the future. A 5 trillion dollar stimulus package can't cure that disease.
Only a stable guiding hand on the tiller can guide this ship through this storm and give us confidence in our future.
Unfortunately Ronald Reagan is dead.
Like I said, Americans want a stimulus package that CUTS TAXES!
and cuts spending as well. Forgot to add that.
so what Dems might balk? Nelson (NE)?
I just saw my Govenor (Haley Barbour) on Cavuto. He is totaly against this pork bill. When Cavuto asked him what he thought about the water park in Fla. being cut out of the bill Barbour said it would take 64 years to cut all the pork out of this bill at that rate!!!
Right now I don't want ANYTHING. No spending increases and no tax cuts. Nothing!
We just threw away a trillon dollars last month on bailing out a bunch of mismanaged companies. Whatever THIS congress does is going to be a disaster, so I would prefer they did nothing.
I would rather continue to pay the taxes I have been paying than to try to monkey with the economy just because we are in a panic.
Call Specter here:
http://specter.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.OfficeLocations
I just got through at the Lehigh Valley office and left a message with an actual human being.
That is quite possibly the dumbest thing I have ever read on FR.
Do you think you are going to get a tax cut through this congress and with this president that does not include pork barrel spending that will more than triple whatever the tax cuts will be?
No.
I sure as hell do not want a tax cut if it is paid for by a trillion dollars in pork barrel spending. I'd rather have the status quo.
Don't spend it all in one place.
SEN. VOINOVICH DISAPPOINTED RESPONSIBLE BIPARTISAN COMPROMISE NOT REACHED
February 6, 2009
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator George V. Voinovich (R-OH) released the following statement today on the inability to reach a responsible bipartisan compromise on an economic stimulus package:
“Our nation and the world need an economic shot in the arm. After spending many days trying to construct a responsible bipartisan alternative to the Democratic stimulus plan, I am disappointed that we were unable to accomplish that.
“My criteria for the stimulus bill were the well-accepted three principles that it be timely, targeted and temporary. In addition, I looked at the package from the perspective of whether or not the items were a federal responsibility, “shovel-ready,” or whether the items should be dealt with through the regular appropriations process. And, last but not least, I focused on whether they responded to the human needs brought about by the deep recession our country is experiencing. These are needs I am familiar with, particularly from my time as mayor of Cleveland when unemployment was nearly 20 percent.
“Unfortunately, there was too much in the Democratic counter proposal that was not stimulative, and that did not provide the jump-start our economy so desperately needs. Instead of funding federal responsibilities like highways, transit and sewers, which would have put people back to work quickly, the counter proposal was weighed down with items that should be funded through the appropriations process and compete with other federal priorities.*
“I appreciate the fact that colleagues on both sides of the aisle spent a great deal of time trying to respond to the concerns of our bipartisan group but I will oppose the bill in its current form. We cannot save the present by mortgaging the future. If we’re going to impose more debt on future generations, then those generations ought to see benefits from how we use that money because they will pay for it.”
*Example: $19.5 billion in the Democratic spending plan for modernization, renovation and repair of schools and colleges. Sen. Voinovich strongly believes this funding falls under the responsibility of state and local governments. This is why he created the Ohio Schools Facilities Commission in 1997 as governor and made the rebuilding of Ohio schools a top priority. Since that time, the Commission has spent $6.9 billion and rebuilt or built 647 schools.
Good to see Arlon cares more about the Senate than he does the Country. Snow and Collins are just ditzy broads.
Pray for America, Our Troops and obama’s Guidance
All 3 numbers not taking any more calls.
Must we take down their phone systems each and every time they do something stupid??
Did you talk to someone in Collin’s office or did you leave a message? I can’t even get through to the message machine and my emails to her are bounced back.
Did he cry?
Thanks!! I’m not very Web savvy and it would have probably taken me a while to find those, lol!
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