Six Republicans Vote Against Deficit Bill They Sponsored

[The Straight Story]

Six Republicans Vote Against Deficit Bill They Sponsored
Thursday, January 28, 2010

Congress often is loath to make tough fiscal decisions that may spur anger from constituents, which is why a plan was devised to create a special bipartisan commission that would craft a solution to reduce the nation’s ballooning deficit. But when the legislation creating the commission came up for a vote on Tuesday in the Senate, it fell six votes short of avoiding a Republican filibuster—the same exact number of Republican co-sponsors who changed their minds and voted “no.”

The turnabouts were Republicans Sam Brownback of Kansas, Mike Crapo of Idaho, John Ensign of Nevada, Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas, James Inhofe of Oklahoma and John McCain of Arizona. Almost all of them said they changed their minds because of concerns that the commission might result in tax increases, although many believed the vote-switching was more political than fiscal.

As conceived, the commission was expected to produce a package of tax increases and spending cuts designed to bring down what is now a nearly $2 trillion hole in the budget. Members of Congress would have had to approve the recommendations without making amendments.

http://www.allgov.com/ViewNews/Six_Republicans_Vote_Against_Deficit_Bill_They_Sponsored_100128

[BrklynLiberal]

1. Calling them assholes is an insult to rectums everywhere.

[spanone]

2. i think the world got a good look at the do-nothing republicans last night

they couldn't even applaud tax cuts they stand for nothing

[wryter2000]

3. Let me see if I have this right

Six Republicans sponsored something and then filibustered to kill it? Is that what this says?

[Lord Helmet]

4. that's strategery!

[Me.]

5. IF This Is The Commission Conrad Wanted

and used blackmail to get, I'm against it too. He was headed straight for ss and medicare with his clipping shears imo.

[unblock]

6. "honey, we should study our outrageous bills, but damned if i'm gonna get a job to pay 'em off!"

we REALLY need democrats who will laugh in their faces any time they talk about "fiscal responsibility" or any other preposterous claim they keep making.