Sen. Reid: We’ve got votes on stimulus

[kpete]

Source: The Hill

Sen. Reid: We’ve got votes on stimulus
By Alexander Bolton
Posted: 02/05/09 01:00 PM

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) told reporters Thursday that he has enough votes to pass a more than $900 billion stimulus bill out of the Senate.

Reid said he believes at least two Republicans of "good will" would support the Democratic-crafted package.

"Do we have the votes? We believe we do," said Reid, who expects a final vote on the package will be held on Thursday.

It appears the stimulus would attract only a few GOP votes, however, and Senate Democratic leaders distanced themselves from earlier hopes that the economic recovery could draw more Republican support.


Read more: http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/sen.-reid-weve-got-votes-on-stimulus-2009-02-05.html

[JayMusgrove]

1. So this means not ALL Republicans are that stupid, I guess.

Well bless their tiny hearts, they don't want a major catastrophe, or, worse, and more accurate, they don't want to be blamed for a major catastrophe!!!

But then again, is Harry Reid a good poker player here or is he telling the truth when he says "at least two Republicans"?

[tekisui]

3. The repuke lemmings are heading over a cliff.

Expect more sensible ones to break rank from here on out. Their disdain for American jobs expose them as an out of touch party. Some in the party are self-concerned enough to step away.

[cloudythescribbler]

14. The GOP are betting that the economy will remain bad, and then they can blame the Dems

which may or may not succeed as a strategy, but is hardly "lemmings"

[tekisui]

15. They are joining limbaugh in betting against American jobs.

They will lose on this stimulus bill, and nearly every piece of legislation that comes to the floor. If they continue to march in lock-step, they will own the losing side of every issue. Things will, eventually, turn around, and when they do, the Democrats will own it.

The lock-step lemmings will be dying at the bottom of a political cliff. The ones with any sense will cross the aisle and save themselves.

[Demeter]

18. I Wouldn't Trust Reid Any Farther Than I can Throw Him (That isn't off a cliff)

[drm604]

2. Is this pretty much the same bill that the house passed

or are there major changes?

[2Design]

4. they took out everything for the people and left in everything for the rich and corporations

and when it doesn't work because it has too many repukes hands on it - they will wash their hands and say - the dems failed

[sinkingfeeling]

5. Not really true. Here's a link to a side by side comparsion of the House and Senate bills..

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x4986363

[LynneSin]

6. So tell us how or are you just assuming

From what I have read there was extra items bulked into the stimulus package that gave Obama some negotiation leverage with republicans. There was no way this bill was going to get passed without the republicans throwing a stink. By bulking the bill with a few expendable items, Obama could give the republicans something to negotiate with and Obama would get most of the bill that he originally wanted.

$900billion is alot of money and everyone should benefit from this program. And anything taken out of the bill can always be brought back to congress again under another program.

[LynneSin]

7. From what I've seen, I think Obama added a few 'extras' that he knew would be bumped by republicans

There is no way the republicans were going to 'rollover and play dead' on this stimulus packages. The republicans wanted to flex their muscles and show they still had a voice in DC. Obama new this and planned the stimulus package to contain a few 'extras' that Obama knew would be targeted by republicans and expendable to the package.

He makes a few republican happy to feel like they had negotiating power to trim away stuff that probably was never really important to Obama with that bill and Obama gets his package passed.

Smart move if you ask me.

[Beetwasher]

13. Exactly

It's amazing people don't get that.

[global1]

8. I Hope He Is Right Because He'll Look Pretty Silly and Weak If He Calls For The Vote And......

he doesn't have the votes.

[John Q. Citizen]

9. He will have them if he calls it. Or someone will have flat out lied. In which case he will

punish them, for treachery.

He will keep their favorite bills bottled up or something.

[AlinPA]

16. I look for the repigs to vote in a block of 41 to stop the bill. It would give Obama

a "defeat" and the media would love it. They cannot allow this bill to move forward.

[AlinPA]

17. I doubt he would. He is a complete wimp and has no guts to follow up like that.

[MrBlueSky]

10. kpete...

This is what I want to hear... if Repubs aren't going to support the bill, then let's stop negotiating with them and pass it without them.

Kpete... did the good Senator Reid say what time this vote will be taken???? Anyone know?

[Hepburn]

11. Then, Harry, STFU and take the fucking vote and be done with it, OK?

Sheesh....:eyes:

[Political Heretic]

19. If you watch CSPAN, they have to get through all the amendments they decided to allow

It's been going on all day.

[jazzjunkysue]

12. Well, if Harry promises it, I feel SO much better....

It's in the mail with the Rove indictment and the Bush cabal subpoenas and the 9/11 investigation and Katrina and....