Senate puts off vote on huge spending bill

[biopowertoday]

Source: ap



Senate puts off vote on huge spending bill
By ANDREW TAYLOR, Associated Press Writer Andrew Taylor, Associated Press Writer 16 mins ago

WASHINGTON – Senate Republicans, demanding the right to try to change a huge spending bill, forced Democrats on Thursday night to put off a final vote on the measure until next week.

The surprise development will force Congress to pass a stopgap funding bill to avoid a partial shutdown of the government.

Republicans have blasted the $410 billion measure as too costly. But the reason for GOP unity in advance of a key procedural vote was that Democrats had not allowed them enough opportunities to offer amendments.

Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., canceled the vote, saying he was one vote short of the 60 needed to close debate and free the bill for President Barack Obama's signature.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090306/ap_on_go_co/congress_spending/print

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russ feingold, who I respect very much says he will not vote this bill.

[w4rma]

1. This particular bill is a bad one. It's a holdover from when Bush was in office. (nt)

[msongs]

2. simple - purge everything that goes to a republican district :-) nt

[WriteDown]

3. Go Russ! nt.

[mbperrin]

4. $410 billion for government operations is "huge", but

$700 billion for banks is not worth discussing, and $210 billion for ONE COMPANY, AIG, is okay.

But actually fund government operations for the next few months? Fugeddaboudit!

Change the rules so that the MAJORITY party can get things done. Thank you.

Bipartisanship? Why, yes, I do believe the pubbies should be cut into two parts (at least).

[ohheckyeah]

5. This bill puts Obama in a terrible predicament...

he said he wouldn't sign a bill full of earmarks and this bill has 7991 earmarks. Congress put him in the position of going back on his word or letting the government run out of money. A stop gap bill is a good thing and the Democrats need to get rid of the earmarks.

[Stellabella]

6. Yeah, um, a little bit about those 'earmarks'.

President Obama said he would reduce earmarks to 1994 levels, which were 7.9 billion dollars. He has kept that promise; this bill has earmarks lower than that. And the last time repukes offered up a bill, earmarks were $29 billion dollars.

Oh, and HALF of those earmarks are from REPUBLICANS. They may make up only 41% of the Senate, but they certainly do act like they own it. THREE of the top FIVE Senators with the most earmarks in this bill are REPUKES.

Who's the hypocrite here? It certainly isn't the Democrats, and it certainly isn't President Obama; it's the repukes.

[ohheckyeah]

7. Good points....

the dollar amount is $5.5 billion. I didn't realize he said he would reduce to 1994 levels. Thanks for the information.

[Stellabella]

8. You're quite welcome - and welcome to DU!

Watch Keith Olbermann on MSNBC - he's on at 8 PM Eastern, I think. He has tons of good information and exposes Fox lies all the time.

[ohheckyeah]

9. Thanks, I never watch Fox News, ever.

Thanks for the welcome.

[No Elephants]

18. Neither do I. Welcome.

[ohheckyeah]

10. .............

He also informed Congress he expected the budget to contain no earmarks just like the recently passed economic stimulus package, which brought laughs and hisses from the Republican side of the House chamber. Republicans have contended that the stimulus contained too many pet Democratic projects and not enough tax cuts.

“I’m proud that we passed the recovery plan free of earmarks, and I want to pass a budget next year that ensures that each dollar we spend reflects only our most important national priorities,” Obama said.

http://www.federaltimes.com/federal-times-blog/2009/02/24/obama-promises-budget-reform-no-earmarks/

Those comments were made about the 2010 budget and the budget they are voting on is the 2009 budget. I honestly confused the two so how likely is it that the Republicans will purposely confuse the two and use this against him?

[Stellabella]

11. Oh, very likely.

They try to make every single issue into 'it's the end of the universe as we know it!'; 'stretch' the truth (lie) and hype things that just do not make a difference.

Did you hear Bill O'Reilly raging on and on about how Democratic Senators didn't read the stimulus package before they voted on it?

They NEVER read the bills. Never have, never will. Their staffers read the bills and summarize them for the Senators. If the Senators had to read through every bill, that's all they would ever do. But that faux outrage gets Billo quite a bit of mileage.

[stillcool]

13. where did you read he expected..

the budget to contain no earmarks? That said, I hope they out-law the practice of loading up bills, and have to vote on every 'earmark'.

[ohheckyeah]

14. Here:

He also informed Congress he expected the budget to contain no earmarks just like the recently passed economic stimulus package,

http://www.federaltimes.com/federal-times-blog/2009/02/24/obama-promises-budget-reform-no-earmarks/

[stillcool]

21. He didn't say that...

here is what he said...

“I’m proud that we passed the recovery plan free of earmarks, and I want to pass a budget next year that ensures that each dollar we spend reflects only our most important national priorities,” Obama said

[ohheckyeah]

22. Yes

he did say that according to the quote at Federal News.

Look, I'm not bashing Obama.....I posted a quote that I read.

[stillcool]

24. I didn't think you were bashing Obama..

I just don't like when people report supposed quotes that don't exist.

[No Elephants]

20. Your quote does not support your assertion. If Obama says that he would LIKE something, that

does not mean that he expects it, is promising it, etc. It means simply that he would like it. Telling Congress what he would like is appropriate, even if Congress does not heed him. Also, an earmark CAN reflect a national priority. And spending is absolutely necessary to get out of a Depression. And in a Depression is exactly where I think we are, despite all the efforts on the part of govt. and the media to avoid that term.

[ohheckyeah]

23. it's not my quote

it's Federal News quote from Obama:

He also informed Congress he expected the budget to contain no earmarks just like the recently passed economic stimulus package,

http://www.federaltimes.com/federal-times-blog/2009/02/...

[No Elephants]

19. Every reporter should be exposing lies. (I hate the media anymore.) And Dems should

be getting out the story that benefits them and calling out the media when they report only the Pub criticisms.

[Pastiche423]

12. Did Senator Feingold say why he wouldn't vote for it?

(I know zip about this bill.)

[ohheckyeah]

15. Yes

Feingold said he wouldn't vote for it.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/03/04/spending.earmarks/index.html

[Pastiche423]

16. Thank you!

[biopowertoday]

17. That is a good summary of what is going on with this spending bill. thanks