Originally published by Mike DeVine, Legal Editor for The Minority Report and inspired by Redstate’s Moe Lane.
In his Washington Post column today, President Barack Obama throws down the gauntlet of a major change in strategy to pass the non-Stimulus bill now being debated in the U.S. Senate. The change: He is abandoning the 80-vote consensus strategy for a 60-vote strategy.
The key line that is the best proof yet that it will be critical that the GOP remain united against the ultimate bill no matter how many puny pork items are removed and no matter the less than optimal tax cuts that are added is this:
“In recent days, there have been misguided criticisms of this plan that echo the failed theories that helped lead us into this crisis — the notion that tax cuts alone will solve all our problems…”
Of course, Republicans have never said tax cuts solve “all” our problems. History shows that the right kind have rescued the nation from past recessions and spurred economic growth.
But what Obama is saying here is that supply side tax cuts, that are the only sweetener that could win over substantial GOP support, are off the table.
As I have pointed out in two recent columns, this is a GovermentGrowthulus Trojan Horse being protected by dispensable porkulus trips of bacon.
Obama’s statement here makes it more likely we will not fall for this danger mentioned by Obama:
“What Americans expect from Washington is action that matches the urgency they feel in their daily lives …”
Action to match feelings? The failed liberal way.
What the Senate Minority Leader (pictured) Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and the GOP must also do is craft a truly bold alternative amendment to replace the plan.
They should abandon the piecemeal amendments (like Senator Vitter’s) that would try and improve the bill to make it palatable to a few Republicans.
This bill is a clear and present danger to future American prosperity in both the short and long term. Our only hope to defeat it is unity against the core, permanent 30% growth in government provisions.
We must not aid and bet Obama and the Democrats in their 60-vote strategy to pick off a few Republicans for so-called “bi-partisan cover” with puny improvements.
The only way to accomplish this is to hold firm against the core of this bill and insist upon actual stimulus provisions. If we fail, then at least we will re-brand our party as the one that cares enough about economic suffering to propose proven result accomplishing stimuli, rather than signing on to proven failed liberal Democrat feel good do something crap whose only real accomplishment is to grow government.
Most of Obama’s voters signed on to his promise to create jobs in the provate sector they could get hired to do, rather than jobs they have to pay taxes to fund.
Mike DeVine’s Charlotte Observer, Examiner.com and Minority Report columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson
Moe Lane
Dan McLaughlin
Neil Stevens
Steve Maley
Agreed.
Steph C (Diary) Thursday, February 5th at 9:46AM EST (link)We’re better off with no action than being made to take on this bill they’re pushing.
“[I]f the public are bound to yield obedience to laws to which they cannot give their approbation, they are slaves to those who make such laws and enforce them.” –Candidus in the Boston Gazette, 1772
Hillbilly Politics
Too Many Squishes
George Neitz (Diary) Thursday, February 5th at 9:57AM EST (link)The problem with our Senators is there are too many squishes that will vote with the Democrats just so they will appear as the good friend they would like to be to them.
#1 on Squish list is John McCain followed closely by Collins, Snowe,Graham , Chambliss, and Martinez.
“Socialism only works
in two places:
Heaven where they don’t
need it and hell where they already have it.”
-Ronald Reagan
It looks like the list of squishes are at 4
mbauer (Diary) Thursday, February 5th at 5:30PM EST (link)http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=1&vote=00038
The above is the voting outcome of an attempt by Demint to change the stimulus to tax cuts only. 36 voted for the change, all republicans. 4 republicans voted against it: Snow, Specter, Collins, and Voinovich. Gregg didn’t vote. These are the ones we need to target, it looks like the other 36 have principles.
OK folks. Take a really hard look at this
mbecker908 (Diary) Thursday, February 5th at 5:42PM EST (link)and try to convince me that “60″ is some kind of a magic number for Obama and Reid.
We have the poster bill for really, really bad legislation. Public opinion is decidedly against it. Every time anybody looks at the details – damn things – it gets more laughable (in a sardonic sort of way) and more obvious this is not about “stimulating the economy” it’s about stimulating the Democratic base with reward cash. IF REPUBLICANS CAN’T UNITE TO OPPOSE THIS PIECE OF CRAP, THERE WILL NEVER BE A BILL THEY WILL UNITE ON. Or nomination, for that matter – see the recent vote on Eric Holder.
This is going to be a very long year. Passing this piece of dung will energize the Dems who will have rightly shown that the “StupidParty” should be renamed to the StupidestParty.
I’ll throw down a glove here for Senator McConnell – that will of course go unanswered – Gonna discipline any of these idiots, Senator?
Oh, and don’t think for one second the “other 36″ have principles. John McCain and Lindsey Graham are in that group.
Don't worry the Great Se.......oh forget it...
speciallist (Diary) Thursday, February 5th at 5:50PM EST (link)5
60 is magic from the standpoint of reality, i.e. becoming law
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Thursday, February 5th at 8:08PM EST (link)It was always a longshot to prevent that. But don’t you agree that it is vital for the re-branding of the GOP that our fallback position be that MOST, i.e. the overwhelming majority vote against it?
This is vital. Yes, we should discipline, but there is not much to discipline with.
The fact is that if we get 36+ votes in the Senate against the bill, we will have done the major thing we need to do to make a comeback in 2010.
The main test will be if we can actually fire the 600,000 hired under this bill when we get majorities back?
This is DeVine echoing Becker, eh?
Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com, Charlotte Observer and The Minority Report columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson
My point is, once again, that the Dems don't "need" 60 votes.
mbecker908 (Diary) Thursday, February 5th at 8:25PM EST (link)In reality, on 95% of all issues – including and especially nominations – they probably only need 54 or 55. On the most contentious of issues – Porkulus being the current PosterBill™ – 58 would be plenty. Senate Republicans have – as a group – no spine, no principles and stand for nothing other than election every six years. I utterly detest them.
Can we fire the 600,000 when we have the majority? Absolutely. We can. We won’t, but that’s another story altogether.
And yeah, we’re singing off the same page. I sing bass, you’re a tenor.
Check your facts
SteveLA (Diary) Thursday, February 5th at 8:18PM EST (link)Dear George
You might want to check your facts before you further show that you are not keeping up with facts. McCain came out against the PorkStimulus bill before the House voted on it.
While I realize that it’s knee jerk to bash on McCain, and lord knows he deserves some beating, at this point in time he is fighting against this bill. Snow and the others are making noise about the amount of pork in the bill, and it remains to be seen how strong her resolve will hold up.
Knock yourself out in forming that circular firing squad, but consider that it’s going to be a long four years and some of the collateral damage inflicted by beating up Republicans is going to make stopping Democrats in the future a lot harder.
______________________________________
Competency over ideological purity and litmus tests
It is NOT kneejerk to BASH McCain IF he had NOT...
JadedByPolitics (Diary) Thursday, February 5th at 8:30PM EST (link)voted for the first 700Billion dollar BS BILL which we find today bought assets over 78Billion worth their value he would not have to be the “loyal” opposition to this travesty he could be the guy who signs it!
McCain is exactly what he is and if he were President he would be signing this BS himself as he said the last time the country NEEDED it!….please this is not a circular firing squad this is a GET RID of the idiot squad WE WILL STAY ON TOP OF IT! You continue to defend it!
Unified Patriots – How-To:
Activists Taking Action
Speaking of fools
SteveLA (Diary) Thursday, February 5th at 9:15PM EST (link)Do you have a list of “approved” useful idiots that you approve of, or is it just limited to McCain?. Seems to me that quite a few Republicans voted for that first bill, how did Sam Brownback or any of the other stalwarts of the conservative movement vote on the first bill?
I realize that logic or actually looking at FACTS is not something you’re very good at, but hey when you’re busy being in charge of the circular firing squad, who needs to look at FACTS….
“The Queen had only one way of settling all difficulties, great or small. ‘Off with his head!’ she said, without even looking round.”
Think happy thoughts!
______________________________________
Competency over ideological purity and litmus tests
Exactly off with their heads!
JadedByPolitics (Diary) Thursday, February 5th at 10:50PM EST (link)They wrought what we have with their votes I feel about them as I feel about McCain….they will either come back to their conservative roots and STAY or get the hell out of the way!
Unified Patriots – How-To:
Activists Taking Action
I do think that the vote on the bailout was very different in kind from a vote on this so-called stimulus
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Thursday, February 5th at 11:03PM EST (link)and i did come out against the specific bailout bill, but would say that a vote for it was narrowly acceptable
not so this stimulus monstosity
Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com, Charlotte Observer and The Minority Report columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson
Also, true or false, it was claimed by our own Fearless Leader
Flagstaff (Diary) Sunday, February 8th at 1:56AM EST (link)that the first bill was absolutely and immediately necessary to prevent the US banking system from keeling over dead and falling into the East River as Wall Street disintegrated.
Not knowing as much about economics as he does about the military, McCain signed on to the da–ed thing, as did many other republicans and Democrats. If you can’t trust your Fearless Leader and his Financial Wizard in Chief, whom can you trust? And, maybe they were right. The bill was passed, and we still have a sort of banking system, while the traders still trudge into the NYSE five days a week, although perhaps not quite so merrily.
I’d be a lot happier with it if they’d used the money as they said they were going to, instead of buying preferred stock in the banks, but never mind that now. Now, we have a bill that He Who Says He Knows Little About Economics insists is imperative and urgently so. He hasn’t been right on much so far this year, so I see this bill a lot differently than I viewed the first one. And I don’t trust his Financial Wizard, either, the one who can’t figure out the tax code regarding “income.” It may well be that all we need is time and some overt act like, say, a permanent corporate and personal income tax rate cut, to calm the madness. And it wouldn’t even cost a trillion dollars, either.
“The press is so powerful in its image-making role that it can make a criminal look like he’s the victim and make the victim look like he’s the criminal. If you aren’t careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.”– Malcolm X, Audubon Ballroom, December 13, 1964
BTW the failed bank count is up to 9 according to FOX
olsmithie (Diary) Sunday, February 8th at 11:44PM EST (link)I thought Bush/Paulsen was going to save the world from ruin….
Regards
Don't defend...Attack
woodsman (Diary) Thursday, February 5th at 10:20AM EST (link)I like your idea. Bipartisanship is a way to hang this monstrosity around the neck of the GOP when it turns bad. I fully support a Conservative bill that addresses the problems and issues in a responsible manner to kick start the economy and provide more funding for the military (we are going to need them).
Once a good bill is drafted with as much support that can be mustered from the Republican leadership and members these people should be all over the TV, cable channels, and radio talking it up to get the information to the general public.
If anything is going to drive a decision it should be the people themselves. Case in point: the shootout over the immigration bill.
exactly woodsman and George Neitz - and we can see the squishes in the DeMint and Thune amendment votes - LINKS will
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Thursday, February 5th at 11:14AM EST (link)be posted here later in comments by moi!
Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com, Charlotte Observer and The Minority Report columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson
GOP should offer amendments
Kyle-MI (Diary) Thursday, February 5th at 11:33AM EST (link)I generally agree except for the part about the GOP not offering amendments to the Democratic bill. We do need to keep in mind that we are in the minority. If they wanted to, they could pass any bill by completely ignoring the GOP. There is nothing we can do short of the filibuster, and even then there are enough GOP squishes that it should be used sparingly.
Having said all that, GOP Senators should not be offering amendments with the thought of eventually voting for the Democratic bill. They should be generally honest about their motives. “This is a bad bill, but we can make it a little less bad.” GOP amendments are to mitigate potential damage, not to cave for false compromise or false bipartisanship.
How do you mitigate the potential damage
Vegas_Rick (Diary) Thursday, February 5th at 11:47AM EST (link)of an economic train wreck? You get off the train.
“God is great, beer is good and people are crazy.”- Billy Currington
“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan ‘press on’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.” Calvin Coolidge.
Mitigating train wrecks
Kyle-MI (Diary) Thursday, February 5th at 4:45PM EST (link)You slow down the train as much as possible and get as many people off as possible. Just because you can’t save everybody or even most, doesn’t mean you don’t try.
It is unethical not to try.
I think this is a close call and see the merit of your argument. I just fear
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Thursday, February 5th at 1:48PM EST (link)the vanity of some senators whose puny amendments are accepted.
Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com, Charlotte Observer and The Minority Report columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson
Attention John McCain, now is not the time to get all Mavericky
speciallist (Diary) Thursday, February 5th at 4:47PM EST (link)this is the LAST chance for you and your ponies……
it’s so simple…..NO REPUBLICAN YEA VOTES…..ZERO
McCain will vote no. The 36 we got for the DeMint and Thune amendments is probably the max
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Thursday, February 5th at 9:32PM EST (link)What I am interested in is Isakson, given his amendment victory.
But what is crucial is that the 36. If they vote no, we can re-brand the GOP.
Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com, Charlotte Observer and The Minority Report columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson
Here are some tidbits from the Snowe, Collins, Specter websites:
Flagstaff (Diary) Sunday, February 8th at 2:24AM EST (link)“This week the Senate started to debate a $900 billion economic stimulus package, which through bipartisan negotiations, has been trimmed down to $780 billion.”–Senator Snowe
Gee, it’s already up to about $850 billion again.
“…through true consensus building, the Senate has rightly been engaged in a vigorous and healthy debate to arrive at this monumental compromise.”–Senator Snowe
Well, it’s a monumental something.
“I explained to the President my serious concerns with the House-passed bill, which now exceeds $900 billion and includes spending for some programs that would neither boost the economy nor create jobs. That is why I am working so hard with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to forge a compromise. I also assured the President that I shared his goal of passing a recovery package as soon as possible.”–Senator Collins
So now we know what a good person she is.
“There are reasons to argue that this is a bad bill. I’m not saying it’s a bad bill; I’m saying there are reasons to argue that it’s a bad bill. But I do not believe that there is any doubt that the economy would be enormously worse off without it. That’s the kind of a choice we have to make.”–Senator Specter
Translation:
We Have to DOOOOOOO something. Quick. Don’t think, just DOOOOOO something. ANYTHING!
“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.”–Senaor Voinovich
Translation:
Those bums in my caucus don’t recognize a responsible bipartisan alternative when I throw it on their desks. Maybe it’s those CFL bulbs we mandated. They can’t read anything in this dim lighting.
“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.”–Senator Voinovich
The Flagstaff family thinks the whole bill is “shovel-ready.” And we have precisely the appropriate fertilizer to bury on top of it.
“The press is so powerful in its image-making role that it can make a criminal look like he’s the victim and make the victim look like he’s the criminal. If you aren’t careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.”– Malcolm X, Audubon Ballroom, December 13, 1964
Kowalski: Voinovich, too.
Flagstaff (Diary) Sunday, February 8th at 2:24AM EST (link)nt
“The press is so powerful in its image-making role that it can make a criminal look like he’s the victim and make the victim look like he’s the criminal. If you aren’t careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.”– Malcolm X, Audubon Ballroom, December 13, 1964
I look back fondly on the "Do Something!" play...
6eorge Jetson (Diary) Sunday, February 8th at 2:42AM EST (link)Touch football, ten years old, as QB I’d bark “Hut,” throw the ball immediately to a startled receiver on the line, and tell him to “Do Something!”
It was always good for a laugh. Of course, it never worked, but it only cost a one down, not a trillion.
My letters to Specter and Snowe
Next93 (Diary) Saturday, February 7th at 6:54PM EST (link)Dear Senator,
I’m not one of your consituents, but I wanted to let you know that if you go forward with your reported support for the “stimulus” bill, come the next election cycle I will contribte to your primary opponent(s) every last inflation-ruined dollar I can lay my hands on, and I suspect I will be joined by several thousand others. I will also be lobbying the RNC to withhold resources from any “republican” candidate who breaks ranks on this issue.
In other words, Senator, if you plan to reach across the aisle on this one, you might want to consider staying there.
Obama was The One in 2008.
He’ll be a BIGGER one in 2012.