Oct 122011
 

Last night the Senate voted on whether or not to bring the American Jobs Act to the floor and begin debate on it, a necessary step to move the bill ahead.  Republicans filibustered, requiring 60 votes to pass, to prevent a majority vote.  Democrats had a majority, but the debate failed, because Republicans goose stepped in lock step against it, joined by two despicable DINOs.

12americanjobsactPresident Obama’s $447 billion jobs plan foundered in the Senate Tuesday night, as a unified Republican caucus and a pair of Democrats joined to deny the proposal the 60 votes necessary to allow it to proceed to full consideration.

Obama will now use Republican opposition as part of a campaign to paint the GOP as obstructionists blocking his efforts to improve the economy while offering no alternative to create jobs.

Although a number of Democrats who will face tough reelection efforts next year had wavered in support, only two voted not to allow the measure to advance, a symbolic victory for Obama and Senate Democratic leaders, who knew that strong Democratic opposition would be an embarrassment for the White House.

“The president’s plan contains many ideas Republicans have consistently supported over the years, especially when their party controlled Congress, the White House or both,” said Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) “Republicans oppose those ideas now. . . . I guess Republicans think if the economy improves, it might help President Obama.”

Senior White House officials said the vote was the first step to spur action on job creation. Next, they said, Obama will work with Senate leaders to break the jobs bill down into its parts — which polls show are very popular with voters — and challenge Republicans to reject each individually… [emphasis added]

Inserted from <Washington Post>

The two Democrats who goose stepped with the Republicans are Ben Nelson (DINO-NE) and Jon Tester (DINO-MT).  They should be stripped of their committee roles, challenged in the primary, and denied party support when they next face reelection.  The voters of Nebraska and Montana deserve an opportunity to choose a real Democrat.

Rachel Maddow discusses the jobs issue and the vote with reporter John Slanton.

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Stanton was incorrect about Webb. It was Tester, and Rachel aired a correction later in the show.

Lawrence O’Donnell explains how the vote shows the difference between the parties with Barbara Boxer (D-CA)

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They are right.  There is a difference between the parties.  Republicans represent millionaires.  They do NOT represent YOU!

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  29 Responses to “Republicans block American Jobs Act”

  1. The 1% speak!  This is slightly off-topic (more directly related to OWS), but the link below is from Bloomberg News, 10/11/11 and titled “Wall Street Sees ‘No Exit’ From Financial Woes”.  Now, we are not talking about the financial woes of the actual stock market, but the financial woes of hedge fund managers, former Goldman-Sachs executives, and assorted other billionaires.  Some of the quotes are jaw-dropping.

    The GOP befuddlement about OWS is painfully apparently — “these people” (yes, I mean that in the crudest possible way) actual LIVE on a different planet than the rest of us.  F. Scott Fitzgerald “The very rich are very different from you and me.”

    http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-10-12/wall-street-sees-no-exit-from-financial-woes-as-bankers-fret.html

     

  2. In a very small way, I’m a little glad because it was going to further de-fund SS by it’s payroll tax holiday extension. I prefer it to be broken done into small parts but it does need to focus on jobs more than it does now.

    Reinstitute the CCC and WPA. They helped this country once and they can do it again!

    You can bet your boots they’ll pass the 3 free trade bills though. It helps the elitists even more.

  3. Until money and politics get a divorce neither party represents anyone but their individual selves and their next election. A sitting US senator needs to raise $15000 A DAY just to keep his office….and let the money men who have been paying child support for their lobbyists be denied visitation rights…that would help as well.

  4. So what happens now? What concrete strategies for job creation and economic recovery remain?

  5. I *really* wish the media would stop using the phrase “the 60 votes necessary to allow it to proceed” and words to that effect.

    They *really* should be saying “the votes necessary to override the obstructionist filibusters by the Republicans”. If it were repeated as many times as it actually happens, eventually the public would get the point.

  6. Republicans represent millionaires. So do the democrats. They are all sponsored by the richest.

    • Welcome Ann.

      With 100% of the  Republicans and slightly less than 4% of the Democrats voting for millionaires, your suggestion that they are the same proves incorrect.

  7. Tester and Nelson, along with the entire GOP congressional caucus, ought to stand trial on grounds of sedition for economic sabotage!

  8. You say you want a revolution, yeah well you know. We all want to change the world…..

  9. It’s unfortunate that the repubs can represent their own constituents  to vote for this bill when 90% of them support it.  A tax raise on income over $1M is very reasonable and they should be able to handle that.

  10. At least we get to enjoy the headline in the “Cincinnati Enquirer”Boehner’s hometown newspaper:

    As far as what happens next, it appears Democrats will most likely break the bill down into individual parts that have a good chance of passing – most likely including [1] Continue a 2-percentage-point Social Security payroll tax cut through 2012; [2] Extend emergency unemployment benefits; [3] Approval of at least some infrastructure spending; and [4] Tax credits for businesses that hire unemployed veterans.

     And then they’ll dare the repubicans to vote against each one of them individually.  At least it’s a decent club to beat over their pointy little heads come next fall.

  11. Washington Post“. . . Obama will now use Republican opposition as part of a campaign to paint the GOP as obstructionists blocking his efforts to improve the economy while offering no alternative to create jobs.” . . . “. . . Obama will work with Senate leaders to break the jobs bill down into its parts — which polls show are very popular with voters — and challenge Republicans to reject each individually…”

    And well he should show the voters that the Republicans are obstructionists and blocking any and all improvements.  What will be interesting is the Republican and DINO response to the constituent parts.  If they have supported them in the past and reject them now, this, in my opinion, will be clear evidence that they are are doing nothing but playing partisan politics.  They are gambling with the lives of everyday Americans.  If the Republicans vote for some parts and not others, they should be prepared to articulate clearly (no political double talk) why.  But it is certainly clear to me that the Republican riff-raff don’t give a rat’s ass about the American people — their only concern is for the 1%.  They are denying their own constituents that are not part of the 1% their representation.  Their position is so incongruous that Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer couldn’t even begin to explain it to Lawrence O’Donnell.

    And the DINOs, strip them of all rights and privileges of being members of the Democratic Party.  For them, it is time “to shit or get off the pot!”.

  12. I’m pleased to announce that this article had over 10,000 page reads. 🙂

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