When Sweet Isn’t Sweet Enough
Heeding the call of the White House and their conservative inklings, Senate Republicans yesterday killed a Democratic effort to pump $204 billion of borrowed cash into the ailing economy over the next two years. The move marked an enormous victory for President Bush and the GOP leadership, who support a much smaller package, but the real consequences for the party may still be eight months away. That’s when Americans will head to the polls to choose the 35 Senate seats up for grabs this year, and the Republicans have the unenviable task of defending 23 of them.
With that in mind, Senate Democrats loaded their stimulus package with provisions designed to woo several of the more vulnerable GOP incumbents. The Senate bill, for example, contained language ensuring that illegal immigrants receive none of the stimulus benefits. It also contained about $1 billion in heating aid for low-income folks — bolstering a program favored by northeastern lawmakers.
A few Republicans bit, including Sens. Norm Coleman (MN) and Susan Collins (ME). But New Hampshire’s John Sununu, who had voted against a smaller bill (ie, minus the heating aid) from his new seat on the Finance Committee, remained opposed during the final vote. (It proved to be the deciding factor: Democrats came one vote shy of passing their stimulus plan.)
Whether New Hampshire voters remember that decision in November has yet to be seen. But you can be sure that someone from across the aisle will be there to remind them.
Related
Rep. Patrick McHenry: Please, Conservatives, Fill Out Your Census Forms!
The conservative congressman from North Carolina, a constant critic of the census -- one of the people who sounded the alarm about politicization when the
Rep. Paulsen allies with medical device industry to relax FDA oversight
Source: Flickr; Republicanconference (www.flickr.com/photos/republicanconference) On the heels of the Minnesota Independent story last week about U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen’s cozy financial relationship with the medical device industry, the New York Times reported Tuesday that some health professionals are alarmed by Paulsen’s push to relax Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversight
Rep. Parker Griffith (R-Ala.)
One of the most conservative Democrats in the House -- a freshman who said he couldn’t support Nancy Pelosi again -- is going to switch over to the GOP. Josh
Rep. Paulsen touts balanced budget constitutional amendment
In a post for the conservative blog True North , U.S. Rep
Rep. Paulsen, Karl Rove the latest to get ‘glittered’
Rep. Erik Paulsen and former Bush staffer Karl Rove were both showered with glitter at the Midwest Leadership Conference Friday
Rep. Paul Ryan to deliver SOTU response
Chairman of the House Budget Committee Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) will deliver the Republican response to the State of the Union Tuesday, according to Mike Allen
Rep. Perlmutter criticizes House measure that would eliminate 800K federal jobs
Congressman Ed Perlmutter today issued a scathing statement criticizing the House of Representatives for passing a spending bill that could put nearly a million federal employees out of work. The Colorado delegation voted strictly on party lines, with all four Republicans voting in favor of the bill and the three Democrats voting in opposition. Perlmutter’s statement: “My number one priority is to get people back to work because that’s the best thing we can do to pay our debt and move forward toward economic stability
Rep. Perlmutter to hold constituent meet-up in grocery store
Colorado Congressman Ed Perlmutter will hold a Government in the Grocery constituent meet-up this evening from 5-7 at the Safeway at 38th and Wadsworth in Wheat Ridge. The address is 3900 Wadsworth. The meeting, where Perlmutter typically sits at a folding table and talks to whomever shows up, is free and open to the public
Rep. Peace, ACLU seek investigation of soldier’s allegations of racial discrimination in Afghanistan
Both Rep. Steve Pearce (R-NM) and the American Civil Liberties Union agree: There needs to be an investigation into Spc.
School of Hock
A growing number of college grads are defaulting on their student loans as the economy worsens.
