Why (and how) Specter voted for the Stimulus

The New York Times ^ | 2/13/09 | Gardiner Harris

[malkee]

Democrats began to press Mr. Specter, saying he would get the $10 billion increase only if he promised to vote for the eventual bill. Mr. Specter pushed back, saying he was concerned about the size of the bill and its mix of tax credits and spending.

“I really do not make deals,” he said. And while he had promised Mr. Durbin nothing, the Illinois senator had made him a promise. As Mr. Durbin recalled, at a Super Bowl party at the White House on Feb. 1, “I told him, ‘I’m keeping my word.’ ”

More hard bargaining was ahead. Mr. Specter’s support was in doubt until the very end. And once he voted for the bill, Mr. Durbin said that he made sure that the additional $10 billion for the N.I.H. was protected in conference negotiations with the House.

Pat White, vice president for federal relations at the Association of American Universities, said that the past week had been one of most important in the health institute’s recent history, and that the credit went largely to Mr. Specter.

“He turned his support of N.I.H. into the fulcrum of the entire stimulus negotiations,” Mr. White said.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

I suspect that one of the reasons Arlen cares is because he recently went a few rounds with cancer.

[sobieski]

There’s the problem; AS has a problem so the entire country can be blown up so he can get a few bucks for -— Maryland. The Constitution does not give our representatives to appropriate our money for their own pet causes.

[ReneeLynn]

Have you seen a county-by-county breakdown for Obama? The Philly area and Allegheny county, I believe it was.
Hey, I live here. Think what you want.

[PalmettoMason]

Have you seen a county-by-county breakdown for Obama?

Yep. Looked at the map of U.S. Congress Critters from there, too:
Robert Brady,(D) 1st District
Chaka Fattah,(D) 2nd District
Kathy Dahlkemper,(D) 3rd District
Jason Altmire (D), 4th District
Joe Sestak (D), 7th District
Patrick Murphy (D), 8th District
Chris Carney, (D), 10th District
Paul Kanjorski (D), 11th District
John Murtha (D), 12th District
Allyson Schwartz (D), 13th District
Mike Doyle (D), 14th District
Tim Holden (D), 17th District

Robert Casey, Jr. (D), U.S. Senate

Think what you want.

Fear not, "Young Lady", I do. (Not trying to be offensive there, FRiend, it was just a shot at what ya'lls Senior Senator said to Laura Ingraham.)

And yes, down here we have our own problems with "Spectre Lite", Lindsay Graham. So I do feel for you up there.

[ReneeLynn]

Hmm, my Rep. is a Republican. You overlooked him.

But, that list doesn’t answer my question. A majority of counties in Pennsylvania went for McCain.

Murtha cannot be voted out by a majority of Pennsylvanians. So, the broad brush statements about Pennsylvanians is wrong. Which might be a little encouraging to some not bent on throwing in the towel and moving to New Zealand.

I’m quite aware of the ‘democratness’ of my own state. Hahaha. But, uh, thanks for pointing it out to me?