Of the 219 Republicans in Congress, they were the only three to back the bill.

Stimulus bill snag worked out, sources say...

He praised the three "brave" GOP senators who broke ranks to support the bill: Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine and Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania. Watch Reid and Collins describe the deal »

Of the 219 Republicans in Congress, they were the only three to back the bill.

"Today we have shown that, working together, we can address the enormous economic crisis facing our country," Collins said.

She said the compromise bill has a price of $789 billion, less than both the House and Senate versions.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/11/stimulus.plan/index.html

..come election time.

They get reelected, time after time, by DEMOCRATS. These voters, though, they're the kind of Democrats some people here don't like much...you know, the hunting, fishing, gun owning Democrats who live in a state that has some towns that feel like "the deep south of the far north."

It's a world of difference between Portland ME and Presque Isle, ME. You might not know you were in the same state. One feels like a suburb of Boston, the other feels like a small town in, oh...Alaska at times.

I'm talking about the Republicans in general, sorry if I gave the wrong impression.

She actually meant bipartisanship and was clear on why she joined with the majority to fashion a bill that passed. And Inouye was as clear on his reasoning as a Dem. spokesman, as well. They both made sense to me. Collins I thought was more a "player" in the presentation, a little bit of grandstanding. But, hey, it was a vote we needed. And we got it.

This is not the end of it all by any means. There's a big energy bill coming up, iirc, and the TARP II thing to fix, along with other appropriations considerations.

Snow and Collins aren't stupid. And isn't the rather antique Specter up for reelection in two years? In a state that really NEEDS a little stimulating?

I think the GOP wanted it to pass, but only by a minimum number of votes--they just wanted to make a show of opposition. IF a fourth vote had been needed, I'm guessing someone else from a not-too-fundy locale would have seen his way clear to vote for the thing.

obstructing just enough

it passed.

That said, I think they will pay for it in 2010. Posing obstructionism as principle works some times, but in this financial situation, folks seem to see it for just what it is.

.

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/vote.xpd?vote=h2009-46&sort=party


11 House Democrats that voted NAY on the original H.R. 1 on Jan 28, 2009:

Bright, Bobby (D-AK)
Griffith, Parker (D-AK)
Boyd, Allen (D-FL)
Minnick, Walter (D-ID)
Cooper, Jim (D-TN)
Ellsworth, Brad (D-IN)
Kanjorski, Paul (D-PA)
Kratovil, Frank (D-MD)
Peterson, Collin (D-MN)
Shuler, Heath (D-NC)
Taylor, Gene (D-MS)

that pissed off pelosi; can't remember at the moment. ed: its probably THIS!

I did like the way he conducted himself at SEC hearing and WJ interview; hadn't seen him before. Sounds like he has a valuable brain.

Can we grassrooters let these folks know something? Or should we leave it to pelosi, and concentrate on senate reps?

They already hated him, and called him a "Democrat" - and Obama a communist - and they want to get him out of office. He is taking a LOT of shit about his vote, and he knew he was going to before he did it.

mark

Supposedly in 2004 Specter barely won the primary by 2%. Now that all the moderates have left the GOP to become independents and democrats, Specter will likely lose the primary in 2010 as only the wingnuts are left to vote. This vote by Specter will only energize the wingnuts in the 2010 senate primary.

On one hand its good because then unions can offer him their support to win the primary & general in exchange for help on healthcare and EFCA. But I personally don't think he will be the GOP nominee in 2010, it'll be some wingnut. But because Pennsylvania is moving to the left (democrats now outnumber republicans by 1.2 million, and Specter barely won in 2004 anyway) that means we will have a democratic senator from PA in 2010.

http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/20081017_Pa__Democrats_now_outnumber_GOP_by_almost_1_2_million.html

one of the losers. But he certainly has had a long run in government, and has managed to piss off both sides at one time or another, so I guess he was doing something right.

mark

Obama can now spend the next few months bashing the entire Republican Party with the clue-by-four of justice - the Rethugs just made themselves look like galactic-sized assholes because of their partisan shit.

He knew they wouldn't compromise.

to be stripped down the way it was to satisfy THREE republicans. The Dem Senators should have went with the House bill and made them use the filibuster, it would have shown them for the fools they are.

really! Pandering to three by sacrificing so much was shameful and wasteful considering the filibuster option! great point again I say!:applause: :pals:

they will be on the right side of history.

As for the rest of their party they see it's demise coming faster and faster and they are getting off before it derails.