Stimulus Bill Hits Snag in the Senate: Filibuster Likely

By Albert N. Milliron, Editor Politisite.com, Iron Mill Interactive Media inc

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) stated early in the evening Wednesday night that the debate on the floor would continue throughout the entire night until all amendments were exhausted. Meanwhile some twenty bi-partisan Senators were behind closed doors working on a compromise that would shave nearly 100 billion dollars from the H.R.1. Five of those senators where said to be moderate Republicans, Senators Murkowski (R-AK), Collins (R-ME), Snowe (R-ME), Voinovich (R-OH), Specter (R-PA)and Martinez (R-FL). Based on some sources the talks broke completely down and a compromise could not be reached.

Concerned that Senator Reid could not get the 60 votes needed for a Filibuster proof majority, he began making statements that if the bill would not pass, ‘markets around the world would react’. Shortly after he made these statements that appeared to be used to cause fear among the Seantors and the American people, he abruptly adjourned for the night.

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) made it clear that the bill, as he raised it about his head, was full of pork and political paybacks for the democratic party. He quoted Preisident Obama’s own campaign statement, “If this is the change we can believe in,” Graham said on the Senate floor, “America’s best days are behind her.” Stating that Obama assured voters that he would govern from a bi-partison perspective

Stimulus hits snag in Senate

A bipartisan coalition of senators withheld support Thursday for President Barack Obama’s economic recovery package, leaving the scope and timing of his first major initiative in doubt as they sought to cut more than $100 billion from the legislation.

Despite growing concerns from Republicans and Democrats about the cost of the plan, senators did not reach agreement on which programs to trim. Instead, as the chamber has debated the bill this week, its cost has grown by almost $40 billion, with the tab now at more than $920 billion.

Senate leaders had hoped to vote on the measure Thursday, but after a series of meetings among nearly 20 senators did not yield a deal

Senator Nelson was greeted by more then 20 reporters asking if there can be a Bi-partisan Stimulus Win?

“Senator, Is your coalition growing at all?” “Hahaha, I wish.”

“What is the majority leader saying to you guys?” “He’s saying giddy up,” Nelson quipped to chuckles.

“Will you draw Republican votes?” “There are people on the other side of the aisle who want to be for something and we’re trying to deliver something for them to be for,” the Democrat deadpanned to more laughter. (Read “What Is Real Stimulus and What Isn’t?”)

President Obama was on his way to Williamsburg, Va., to speak off the cuff to House Democrats. This meeting was not on the Televised schedules but Obama appeared on a Pool satellite feed that was then carried by the major news networks. This decision came as support for the Stimulus Bill began dwindling to less then 37 percent following the American people getting wind of what was in the plan. Folks started wondering how Sand for a beach in NJ and a water park in Miami was something that would stimulate the economy. Others reported that skilled workers were going to be shut out of construction jobs and unskilled workers would be retrained to do jobs that professional American workers could do. Some even reported that money would go to illegal Immigrants if they used illegal documents and filed tax forms.

The White House has its signals crossed. President Obama flew to Williamsburg, Va., tonight to address the House Democrats. Originally the speech was supposed to be off the record. But the White House decided to let the cameras in so that the president’s appeal for the economic stimulus bill could be heard around the world.

And what an appeal. Obama lambasted Republican critics of the stimulus and heaped scorn on the Bush administration for piling up the national debt. He said the stimulus bill could end the “tyranny of oil,” whatever that means, and made fun of Republicans for questioning whether some of the spending in the bill is actually stimulative. “What do you think ‘stimulus’ is?” Obama said. “It’s spending — that’s the whole point! Seriously.”

Democrats angerly stated that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s pledged “I don’t think this measure’s going to have any problem getting over 60 votes.” He further said, “It could well have broad Republican appeal and make it much more likely that the measure passes with broad bipartisan support, which is what the new president would like and what we would like.”

The problem was when the Minority leader stated that he was assured by the Obama administration that there would be Bi-Partisan Amendments taken in to consideration and the Bill would be written and passed with the republicans in the mix. To date nearly every Republican Amendment has been voted down leaving Republicans to understand that Bi-Partisan to President Obama means something entirely different then the Webster dictionary definition.

Sen. McConnell stated he wanted to get a bill passed and was optimistic that one would be passed but as the night wore on it became crystal clear that the majority has no intention on hearing from the Conservatives in the Senate.

Consequently, Grass roots organizations are now campaigning heavly to Congress that the stimulius bill as it stands today should be Filibustered. The Groups are chanting: No Compromise, No Deal, Filibuster Now.

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Stimulus Bill Hits Snag in the Senate: Filibuster Likely

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President Obama January 27 2009 | Photo 02

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