Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Why (and how) Specter voted for the Stimulus
The New York Times ^ | 2/13/09 | Gardiner Harris

Posted on 02/14/2009 12:13:58 AM PST by 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.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Government; Politics/Elections; US: Pennsylvania
KEYWORDS: arlensphincter; congress; pork; porkbarrel; porkulus; rinopurge; scottish; sellout; specter; stimulus; superbowl; welfare
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100101-105 next last
To: psjones
He sold his vote for 10 billion dollars. I hope he loses big next year.

He was sooooo "concerned" about the size of the spending bill that he passed it anyway because a $10B earmark was added for a project HE (along with is money backers) wants. What a hypocritical POS.

81 posted on 02/14/2009 9:13:31 AM PST by Mad_Tom_Rackham (The committed will surely dominate the complacent.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: malkee
Specter is scum, for sure, as are Collins and Snowe.

But we can't forget that every single Democrat (and "Independent") voted for this Bill too and are scum as well.

They should be as high on the target list as the RINO "Republicans".

82 posted on 02/14/2009 9:18:41 AM PST by Gritty (With Obama, we've crossed the line from civil politics to civil war disguised as politics-Alan Keyes)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SkyPilot

Specter’s legacy will be that he was one of only three Republicans who voted for the massive faqilure known as the “No Pork Left Behind Bill of 2009”.


83 posted on 02/14/2009 9:20:36 AM PST by Mad_Tom_Rackham (The committed will surely dominate the complacent.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 42 | View Replies]

To: malkee

Specter is toast after this vote. He will be primaried and he will lose. He has sealed his fate.


84 posted on 02/14/2009 9:32:38 AM PST by St. Louis Conservative
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: malkee

“Mr. Specter’s support was in doubt until the very end.”

The hell it was.

“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.”

POS was bought off. I am personally going to donate money to the conservative that opposes him in the primaries or failing that, the Democrat that runs against him.


85 posted on 02/14/2009 9:49:21 AM PST by Grunthor (All men are frauds. The only difference between them is that some admit it. I myself deny it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: malkee

Spectre is being blackmailed. It’s that simple.


86 posted on 02/14/2009 9:51:03 AM PST by Hoodat (For the weapons of our warfare are mighty in God for pulling down strongholds.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hoodat

Lets help Arlen retire.


87 posted on 02/14/2009 9:53:41 AM PST by linn37 (cue the circus music the democrats are back in charge)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 86 | View Replies]

To: PalmettoMason

When will people understand that the entire of Pennsylvania was not able to vote Murtha out? He’s a Rep., he has a district. Only that district can vote him out.

Specter gets re-elected ‘because’ he’s a RINO. Otherwise he wouldn’t have lasted this long. Old people. Old Democrats. As long as their benefits aren’t taken away, they’re happy. Specter promises not to take away those benies and he gets a vote regardless of the (R).


88 posted on 02/14/2009 9:57:38 AM PST by ReneeLynn (Socialism, it's the new black.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: JaneNC

As tight as it is to live on Soc Sec, I will send money to serious and viable candidates who run against these 3 fools.

Anyone who is keeping track of such possibilities in their respective states, private message me so I can give you my e-mail.


89 posted on 02/14/2009 10:02:39 AM PST by ridesthemiles
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: linn37

I’m still pissed off at him not standing by Rick Santorum.


90 posted on 02/14/2009 10:03:46 AM PST by Hoodat (For the weapons of our warfare are mighty in God for pulling down strongholds.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 87 | View Replies]

To: malkee

No wonder he got so mad at her... she hit a nerve with the truth! His vote was for him, not his constituents.


91 posted on 02/14/2009 10:04:12 AM PST by Arizona Carolyn
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sobieski

AS thinks he can cure cancer, just darn it, the other Senators won’t give him the money. “

The world has been “trying to cure Cancer” since I was a child and I am 69.

Far more than 10 Billion has already been spent, and we are no closer now than in 1960.

There are so many people employed in the “Fight Against Cancer” that a real breakthrough will never occur.
It would put about 15% of the world into the unemployment lines.


92 posted on 02/14/2009 10:08:00 AM PST by ridesthemiles
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 49 | View Replies]

To: St. Louis Conservative

Specter is toast after this vote. He will be primaried and he will lose. He has sealed his fate.”

How do we know that his Cancer does NOT have him circling the drain already?

He might be doing this as a last gasp kind of thing.

Remember Alan Cranston wanting the Death Valley Monument that affected millions of acres and thousands of people?

Still off limits all over that place for everything, and no real Park Rangers doing anything. No money for real tourist stuff.


93 posted on 02/14/2009 10:11:26 AM PST by ridesthemiles
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 84 | View Replies]

To: malkee
“I think it’s scandalous that we haven’t done more to cure cancer,” Mr. Specter said."

So that's the reason for Specter's strong push for an extra 10 billion for the N.I.H. Of course, it's all about HIM.

94 posted on 02/14/2009 10:17:21 AM PST by TAdams8591 (When Obama FAILS, America SUCCEEDS.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Grunthor

**I am personally going to donate money to the conservative that opposes him in the primaries or failing that, the Democrat that runs against him.**

Thank you ... I got a good Butt Chewing because I said the same thing in another thread the other day. I held my nose and voted for McLAME. All we did was keep the GOP from suffering a MONDALE ‘84 Style TROUNCING, which I believe the GOP Needed.


95 posted on 02/14/2009 11:09:25 AM PST by gwilhelm56 (MULLAH OBAMA - which part of "Congress shall make no Law" - do you NOT UNDERSTAND??)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 85 | View Replies]

To: ReneeLynn
When will people understand that the entire of Pennsylvania was not able to vote Murtha out? He’s a Rep., he has a district. Only that district can vote him out.

You're right, of course. The "entire of Pennsylvania" went for Obama by ten points, so it cannot be a statewide mindset, or anything like that./s

96 posted on 02/14/2009 11:18:19 AM PST by PalmettoMason ("an empty limousine pulled up in front of the White House, and Barack Obama got out")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 88 | View Replies]

To: gwilhelm56

**I am personally going to donate money to the conservative that opposes him in the primaries or failing that, the Democrat that runs against him.**

Thank you ... I got a good Butt Chewing because I said the same thing in another thread the other day. I held my nose and voted for McLAME. All we did was keep the GOP from suffering a MONDALE ‘84 Style TROUNCING, which I believe the GOP Needed.


I have no problem with a moderate Dem replacing all three liberal Repubs that voted for Porkulus. The difference between them and an actual Democrat is nominal at best anyway.


97 posted on 02/14/2009 11:30:28 AM PST by Grunthor (All men are frauds. The only difference between them is that some admit it. I myself deny it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 95 | View Replies]

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

Cancer could be cured, Mr. Specter said, if the government spent $335 billion for the research — a total he said he was “working on” getting. But for now, he said, future budget discussions for N.I.H. will begin at $40 billion, not $30 billion — more fodder for complaints from House Republicans. And if the Republicans win back control of the Senate, he promised that that number would go considerably higher.


Specter needs to be marginalized for now and defeated in 2010. He will break the bank with just this one pet project. He's already signalled his starting fee is $10 billion, but the price will rise for his vote.
98 posted on 02/14/2009 12:09:41 PM PST by Girlene (Happy Valentine's Day)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mad_Tom_Rackham

Nope. Only Specter. He was the only republican there.


99 posted on 02/14/2009 2:12:11 PM PST by malkee (Actually I'm an ex-smoker--two and a half years-- But I think about it every day.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 80 | View Replies]

To: malkee

I would say, however, that the three Democrat Senators with R’s after their names have been unequivocally identified for revocation next election cycle.


100 posted on 02/14/2009 2:21:49 PM PST by Mad_Tom_Rackham (The committed will surely dominate the complacent.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 99 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100101-105 next last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson