GOP Fallback: When In Doubt Blame Pelosi
Do you hear a fiddle? Because it sure feels like Rome is burning.
It's no huge surprise that the Bush Administration's massive economic rescue bill wasn't passed in the House of Representatives. Know anyone who approves of this thing? No, it is a deeply-flawed piece of legislation and even the reworked version, which includes greater taxpayer and consumer protection, cost too much and will likely accomplish too little.
But after watching the reaction of leading House Republicans, who are responsible for killing this bill, it's hard to believe that Congress can come up with something more worthwhile.
Why?
Because hardcore GOP opposition is preoccupied with petty and stupid political matters--primarily the conduct of some House Democrats, who support this wildly unpopular bailout bill served up by the GOP's own wildly unpopular president .
Instead of saying "this bill sucks, let's kill it and draft another, pronto", GOP leaders and obstructionists are ranting that the proposed bailout just went down in flames because of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's tart tongue.
To the GOP's collective horror, Democrat Pelosi got up before the lower chamber, prior to the vote, and stated the obvious: This financial crisis occurred on the GOP's watch and during President Bush's nearly eight years of mass destruction.
Well, boo, friggin' hoo. Yeah, that's the first time Republicans have ever heard that one.
If the ultra-conservative GOP wing has a real plan for rescuing this economy then let's see it. If not, then let's go with this plan and move on. But don't insult the country, or waste its time, with this political nonsense and talk of bruised feelings. Save it for Fox News.
This economy is in deep trouble and, like it or not, a bailout plan is needed. So stop fiddling around.
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This is the same move the GOP pulled with the drilling offshore. They polled the public and found out the vast majority of the people want to drill, except this time the public wanted no part of a bailout plan for big banks in the United States. The GOP is trying to broaden their appeal to potential undecided or easily swayable voters. By killing this bill they can go back and get reelected by their districts, or so they think. They offer up no different solution; they just listen to the trade winds of public opinion and go with it. There is no real easy solution to this problem, and the GOP is taking the easy way out. The Blaming Pelosi is sending a message to the American people that the Democratic leadership and the Democrats at large are out of touch with the American people. These moves by the GOP are also making it hard for Democrats, running against Republican incumbents, to address the bailout issue. These Democrats want the help of the Democratic Party and actively seek its resources, but also have to distance themselves from this bill if they want to win their races (e.g. Kay Hagan North Carolina Senate). You have to hand it to them; they always find a way to make it harder for Democrats but it should be a Republican blood bath in November.
95 Democrats voted No on the bill.
95.
Only 12 or so votes were needed. Could have been Democrat or Republican, just needed the votes.
95 Democrats voted No.
Which one of them did you vote for?
I don't blame Pelosi. She's just a stick figure with a small shadow that will barely taint the history books. I blame House majority Whip Jim Clyburn for not whipping up more support from Democrats. If ever there was a time for solidarity in the House, this was it.
Clyburn should be cast out and shunned.
The representatives who voted against the bailout, republicans AND democrats, did the right thing. The cover story blaming ultra-conservative republicans for the bill's defeat is crap. A majority of representatives of various political affiliations listened to their constituents and voted against the bailout. The mad rush to approve the bailout is like the rush to approve the war in Iraq. The fact that Pelosi was only able to deliver 60% of the democrats says it all. The democrats who voted against it were not the conservatives but the liberals.
The Repubs will pay for this moment as they are beginning to look a bit foolish in regard to their hurt feelings. Poor babies! The Republicans are pathetic and very weak in one sense and the cracks in the bathhouse wall are beginning to show.
Pelosi is in no way to blame for the bailout not passing. On the other hand, she has been an ineffective Speaker and should be replaced.
Excellent points.
Republicans put thier stupid philosophy first not country.
So let me get this straight. The Republicans that voted no were stupid but the 95 Dems. who voted no were???????
I love the crying baby graphic.
Me too!
Excellent Blog
I agree with your point, "If the ultra-conservative GOP wing has a real plan for rescuing this economy then let's see it. If not, then let's go with this plan and move on."
But you should also be asking then, why didn't the House leadership turn around and pass the bill with its majority? I'll tell you why, we don't have leadership in Washington. PELOS didn't want the Dem's to be blamed if this deal turns out to be bad.
This economy is in deep trouble... everyone is to blame and we need real leadership to get us through this.
"PELOS didn't want the Dem's to be blamed if this deal turns out to be bad. "
Damn right, and a damn good idea.
Some of the republicans who voted against the bailout said it was because it was 'socialist'.
well, Mccain supported it, are they calling him a socialist? Bush supported it, are they calling him a socialist? Paulson supported it, are they calling him a socialist ?The republican leadership supported it, are they socialists? Some explanation is needed here.
I do not believe as you have said that everyone is to blame. I certainly did not vote for or support anything that would have led to this crisis. I am enjoying the turmoil however in that most people do not deserve what they have anyways and it will be good for people to lose what they got so that they could appreciate what they had before they screwed it up by voting for Bush. I think they should put Bush, administration, and other banksters in jail for economic terrorism.
Representative Darrel Issa, said he was "resolute" in his opposition to the measure because it would betray party principles and amount to "a coffin on top of Ronald Reagan's coffin."
So much for looking out for the "little guy"! Dan Issa and the Republicans wouldn't know an Average Joe if they sat on one in their limosines.
Thank goodness for your having a blog that says it in a nutshell..
Republicans think it is SEXIST to criticize a woman. So my question is why do they criticize Pelosi so freaking much?
Because they are sexist...
'Cuz she can't keep her mouth shut...pre
Good God, the Republican Party becomes more pathetic with each passing day.
Here's what I don't get: If so many Repubs hated this bill and sent it down to defeat, shouldn't they be spinning this as a victory "for the people" whom they pretend to care so much about? Shouldn't the Speaker actually be THANKED for her alleged part in ensuring the bailout's demise?
In other words, why would they blame Mrs. Pelosi for sinking a bill that they themselves wanted sunk?
Call me silly, but could it be due to putting politics ahead of country. "Touché, Pot," said the Kettle.
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I agree. I usually vote Republican, but no longer. I am not a PELOSI fan, but she is not the issue here. The Republican need to voted out of office along with any Democrats who voted against the bailout.
I am a Repub also, and I agree w/ you 100%...oth
Is that how you cover up the fact that the Dems did not need one GOP vote. Nancy is the worst house leader in my life time.
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That's a foolish argument and you know it.
The Republicans have turned on their President.
They are willing to risk economic chaos to protect their ideology.
To use the old cliche, they are between a rock and a hard place.
Many of them will lose their jobs in a matter of weeks.
And they deserve it.
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Republicans are economic terrorists.
Have you been in a cave for the past week?
Both sides were trying to craft a bipartisan bill. The negotiating team thought they had a bill that would be supported by both parties in congress and the president. McCain AND Obama both supported it.
Pelosi promised democratic support and delivered it.
Republican leadership promised support and failed. They admitted afterwards that they thought they had twelve more votes than they ended up with. And they used the pathetic excuse of "she was too partisan!".
It's pretty ridiculous to blame the democrats when a majority of them voted for the bill and most republicans voted against it. It's completely insane that the REPUBLICANS are the ones making that accusation.
Why are you so ignorant? This was a bipartisan bill, which meant that it included things Demcorats didn't want, and things Republicans didn't want. Pelosi told the Bush adminstration she could get a majority of Dems to vote in favor, and Boehner said he could get enough Repub votes to put it over the top. Pelosi delivered 60% of the Dems, McCain and Boehner said they had enough votes until they got their feelings hurt and changed their mind. Why are Republicans such crybabies?
You really, really have no idea what you are talking about. I feel sorry for you.
Pelosi delivered on her promise. Boehner and McCain failed miserably as leaders of their Party.
good grief, Republicans act like the was a Democrat president who wanted this bill done or else our economy was doomed.
Because they are the majority, they should have all approved it and let Reuplicans have no accountabilty on their part.
Problem: parties historically support their party's legislation. But the Dems take the responsiblity when Pelosi's point was that this was the Republicans asleep at the wheel.
No one can have their cake an eat it too. We can't assess blame, and McCain who fallaciously stalled his campaign (a joke) to delieve a message by phone, in Washington, where blame is do. FAILED REPUBLICAN ECONOMIC POLICY. So since we can't blame the actual thing at fault, let blame Barack Obama, as McCain and his surrogates have proclaimed. The dems got 60% of a questionable bill, the deal was 50-50 and Reps including McCain as leader, said they could deliver. They didn't. Instead they blamed the Democrats.
THIS ECONOMIC TORNEDO IS NOT THE DEMOCRATS FAULT...
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Let the GOP throw their last temper tantrum. This is like Newt Gingrich stuff. They are going down in flames. Get out the vote in November. Tell your friends, neighbors and relatives: Vote for the Democrats. Fix the mess and CRUSH the Republicans.
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A-men...th
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