Democrats in Congress gird for fight over highway funding

[alp227]

Source: The Washington Post

Democrats are preparing to wage a major Capitol Hill battle over highway funding this week — a fight that even they admit might not be necessary.

They launched a series of preemptive strikes last week intended to deter House Republicans from the same sort of political maneuvering that resulted in a partial shutdown of the Federal Aviation Administration last month.

While Republicans have given no indication they plan to use similar tactics in extending funding for all surface transportation programs, the Democratic fears are another measure of how deep and bitter the partisan divide has become.

“I don’t count on anything going smoothly anymore,” said Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), who chairs the Environment and Public Works Committee. “For years we’ve had consensus on certain bills. Now, suddenly, with this new House and this new ideology that’s come into the Congress from the right, every single thing is a battle.”

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/democrats-gird-for-fight-over-highway-funding/2011/09/02/gIQA5m6a2J_story.html

[TwilightGardener]

1. Don't fight. Let them sink it all.

Let shit crumble, let there be layoffs. Let people taste pure, true, unopposed Republicanism. This is what the people want.

[Brickbat]

2. Wait, what is this "gird for fight" of which they speak?

Wouldn't that hurt the Republicans' feelers?

[Rosa Luxemburg]

3. what happened to the high speed trains?

[cstanleytech]

4. Those were for limited

areas largely for people I thought?

[russspeakeasy]

5. Democrats preparing to wage a major battle ?

This I gotta see. Try not to forget your spines this time.:argh:

[tularetom]

6. Why bother, if the bill makes it to Obama's desk

He'll either veto it or find some way to tie it to cuts in Social Security benefits.

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

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[No Elephants]

8. Take a page from Eisenhower's book. Yell Terra! Terra! Terra!

Because he so loved General Motors and Standard Oil, he built them the national highway system in the first place.

After all, what if a town or a state suddenly had to be evacuated because of a nuclear attack from Russia....er, I mean a terrorist attack?

Only instead of using the National Defense budget as did Eisenhower, I guess today we'd use the Homeland Security budget, or both.

Get that booga booga mojo working for Mr. and Mrs. Six Pack and their families for a change.

Terra! Terra! Terra! Repair those roads, bridges and tunnels FAST.