34 GOP Senators Oppose the Recovery Plan, Caving to Their Demands is Useless

Just as House Republicans did, GOP Senators are now pretending they'll vote for the economic recovery package if only those unreasonable Democrats would toss them a bone or two. For the most part, they are lying. They will kick and scream for every concession possible, creating a new faux outrage every few hours. Foolishly, Democrats will likely cave to some of these demands. Then, Republicans will vote against the bill overwhelmingly. It is difficult to imagine anything more sinister than this. They are essentially weakening the bill as much as possible, making it less likely to work. Then they'll bail at the last second, in case it does fail, so they can point their fingers and assign all of the blame to Democrats.

At least 34 Republican Senators are on the record in opposition to the plan. They have their talking points, and message discipline is almost absolute. If you watch the talking heads shows today you'll see that the full press to discredit this package is well underway. Two lone voices of sanity in the GOP stand out in support of the economic recovery package: Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe. Martinez, as far as I can tell, is actually undecided. I need your help verifying this information and finding/soliciting statements from the other Senators. If you can find a statement that indicates support or opposition from Barrasso, Johanns, Lugar or Specter - or a better statement from any Republican Senator - post it in the comments.

President Obama and Democrats in Congress have a responsibility to push through the strongest bill possible. Caving to unreasonable Republican demands at the last minute - in a hapless attempt to pick up votes that can't be picked up - is counterproductive and irresponsible. I really hope they have enough political courage to cut those who don't negotiate in good faith out of the discussions, and advance the strongest bill possible. We're told elections have consequences. It is time for Democrats to prove that they understand this.

Update: Much more on this from Chris Bowers, Kagro X, Nate Silver, Digby and Jason Rosenbaum.

Comments

[BEHM777]

Well, if the Republicans succeed at weakening the stimulus bill THEN decide not to vote for it, the offending parts can be hacked out when the House and Senate get together to reconcile the bills that come out of their respective chambers.

[PocketWatch]

President is playing the equivalent of three-dimensional chess, while everyone else is playing tic-tac-to­e... As any 5th grader can tell you, tic-tac-toe can be played to a draw every time, and the Republicans are trying that because they don't know any other way. I think we will see what the real game is once they've exhausted their whole repertoire of obstruction (which was VERY predictable, BTW). They will be left holding the blame bag, you just wait and see.

[PocketWatch]

Even Alan Greenspan admitted in front of a Congressional committee about 5 years ago that his data showed that only 70% of tax break dollars got back into the economy, and admitted he didn't know why.

Now, if even Mr. Greenspan admitted this years ago, why are we still talking about it? It is well known that by creating jobs of ANY kind, whether they are from so-called pork-barrel spending or not, have a multiplying effect in the economy (as much as $7 returned for every $1 spent), what is the argument?

Let's see... 0nly 70 cents of returns per dollar spent (a 30% loss on investment), or as much as a 700% gain on investment­... hmmm... how to choose, how to choose...

[research]

And That was before people started hording their money.

[BPCentrisAmerican]

I'm waiting for theses gas bags to flip on the next Iraq war appropriations bill. Are they gong beat chest, sing Glory Holier, shine up there flag pins and call there fellow Americans defeatist and traitors, or are they going to proclaim fiscal conservatism and fall on there principles, oh I forgot they have no principles.

[ThePeacemakers]

Also, Obama needs to get on tube (LIKE YESTERDAY) and explain that the trillions in bullsh - - money (deriviatives) is still out there waiting to make an economic recovery longer.
Wall Street wants to be covered for their bad bets. Wish I had that good, I'd be in Vegas every day if the government would cover my gambling losses.

[JimR]

This bill, in its current form, is a bloated, obnoxious mess, and not just because of the Republicans.

[research]

Get over it. War stimulates the economy, Domestic spending won't?????

[JimR]

I'm not a Republican. I hate Bush. So you can stop that line of thought, if that's where you were going.

And to answer your question, historically, these types of bills have not stimulated the economy. It didn't work during the Great Depression. What makes you think it's going to all of a sudden work now?

[bronceye]

We voted for change, repubes are quoting raygun.

[MSB]

Great post.

This is right up my alley.

There is no compromise with these people. They are NOT about helping the country. They see this as a battle of ideology and not of helping ANYONE. The particularly sinister elements of this is that they use narrow-minded religious ignorance to sell their failure to the under-informed while not really expending any capital to address the constituent concerns (thankfully), and that no matter what the consequences or results, they use their media infrastructure to sell the idea of democratic failure despite the reality or intent.

Frankly I see the republican contingent in this country as ethically and actually completely corrupt and morally bankrupt. Their positions are toxic and should be opposed vigorously by all people who believe in the ideal of America.

[BPCentrisAmerican]

Favorite Republican fear words to sell the ditto head base.

terroist

gays and gays getting married

charter schools designed to kill public ed.

ACLU

ECORN

trial lawyers, until they them themselves

unions

socialism

welfare

entitlements

poor brown people

gun registration laws, I know conservatives who have never fired or owned firearm in there lives get keyed up when this is mentioned.

ETC.

[BigKahuna09]

Not sure I can agree with your selection of Charter Schools as favorite target for the R's, I have seen them use that approach as an opportunity to promote home-schooling and a religious-based curriculum.

Teacher's union (mostly Democrats) typically advocate against Charter Schools, as it erodes their power base and access to budget monies.

Otherwise, spot on!

[ThePeacemakers]

The reason why the majority of Americans voted out as many Republicans as possible is because THEY DON'T HAVE OUR INTERESTS AT HEART.

F change.gov and all that...we did change.gov at the voting booth. When can we get some representation with BALLS????
LISTEN TO US, NOT THEM.

[vegas9999]

Dems. have your interests at heart. Just ask union members, african americans, city residents, etc. Dems have been in control of most cities in this country. Worked out great did'nt it? 50% of Detroit residents cannot read.

[nicholasjh1]

I grew up in Detroit and everyone I knew could read. Where did you pull that statistic from?

[userw014]

I like to think that Obama and Pelosi - by handing out some favors to the Republicans - are trying to set a course of real bipartisanship and governance for this Congress. However, I don't know their minds, and I'm not privy to their counsels.

Perhaps they were trying to get this bill past the Senate as fast as possible.

I think it was a good effort. I think the effort needed to be made.

But the House Republicans - by voting in a block like this - have announced that Party Loyalty and Partisanship - that preserving the Republican Party is the only value they have, despite the current State of the Union.

Blah Blah Blah.

I've got two Democratic Senators. My Congressman is a Democrat. I feel like I can't influence anything here.

[rudiy]

Obama should hear them out and then do as he thinks is best. If the paln works he is a hero, if it does not, with or without Republican support he is the fall guy. The Repubs will disavow.
Better be the fal guy because of your own actions and on your own terms then on others political demands.

[LiberalBuzz]

I just don't get this. The dems have been making more and more headway with more seats in both houses AND the White House and yet they still act like the minority party in Congress. Every time a thug party member barks they jump and pizz themselves trying to please the thugs.

WHY?

To the thug party, reaching across the aisle means slugging the opposition into submission.

The so called liberal media ain't helping much either. They let the thugs blather all they want and refuse to call them on any of their lies and obstructionism.

Obams simply has to say, "I've tried to work with the republicans but they refuse to work with democrats so from this point on they can blame no one but themselves. WE have a country to save and all they are doing is fighting it"

[sjones66]

President Obama does not appease, nor will he negotiate with terrorists, domestic or otherwise.

Sorry, GOP.

[kanester]

SoundBite for this article:
GOPsters, didn't ya hear? Uncle Mike says bipartisanship is dead. Start your own country.

[LRM216]

You want to tell me how buying cars for government employees is going to stimulate our economy? I can go on about several other large pork packages in it as well.

[VikingQuest]

Anti-Smoking programs . . . skateboard parks . . . snow making machines for Minnesota . . .

The list goes on for miles.

[noamjunior]

your deafening silence when Bush was throwing away billions in Iraq reveals your stunning hypocricy