Yesterday Senate Republicans voted in lockstep AGAINST infrastructure spending.

[Barack_America]

Despite previous highlighting a lack of infrastructure spending as grounds to oppose the stimulus. But hey, I guess anything's game to hold hostage for more corporate tax cuts, eh?

From the following article from the Washington Post:

Senate Lacks Votes to Pass Stimulus

The momentum to cut spending became apparent in votes on several amendments. First, the Senate fell two votes shy of the 60-vote threshold needed yesterday to add $25 billion for highway projects and transit programs.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/03/AR2009020304024_2.html?hpid=topnews&sid=ST2009020304030&s_pos=

Here are the votes:

Amendment Number: S.Amdt. 110 to S.Amdt. 98 to H.R. 1 (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009)

Statement of Purpose: To strengthen the infrastructure investments made by the bill.

Vote Counts: YEAs 58
NAYs 39
Not Voting 2


Grouped By Vote Position

YEAs ---58
Akaka (D-HI)
Baucus (D-MT)
Bayh (D-IN)
Begich (D-AK)
Bennet (D-CO)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Bond (R-MO)
Boxer (D-CA)
Brown (D-OH)
Burris (D-IL)
Byrd (D-WV)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Cardin (D-MD)
Carper (D-DE)
Casey (D-PA)
Conrad (D-ND)
Dodd (D-CT)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feingold (D-WI)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Hagan (D-NC)
Harkin (D-IA)
Inouye (D-HI)
Johnson (D-SD)
Kaufman (D-DE)
Kerry (D-MA)
Klobuchar (D-MN)
Kohl (D-WI)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lieberman (ID-CT)
Lincoln (D-AR)
McCaskill (D-MO)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Merkley (D-OR)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murray (D-WA)
Nelson (D-FL)
Nelson (D-NE)
Pryor (D-AR)
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Sanders (I-VT)
Schumer (D-NY)
Shaheen (D-NH)
Specter (R-PA)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Tester (D-MT)
Udall (D-CO)
Udall (D-NM)
Warner (D-VA)
Webb (D-VA)
Whitehouse (D-RI)
Wyden (D-OR)

NAYs ---39
Alexander (R-TN)
Barrasso (R-WY)
Bennett (R-UT)
Brownback (R-KS)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burr (R-NC)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Collins (R-ME)
Corker (R-TN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Graham (R-SC)
Grassley (R-IA)
Hatch (R-UT)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Johanns (R-NE)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Landrieu (D-LA)
Lugar (R-IN)
Martinez (R-FL)
McCain (R-AZ)
McConnell (R-KY)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Risch (R-ID)
Roberts (R-KS)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Snowe (R-ME)
Thune (R-SD)
Vitter (R-LA)
Voinovich (R-OH)
Wicker (R-MS)

Not Voting - 2
Gregg (R-NH)
Kennedy (D-MA)

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=1&vote=00033


A special "f* you" goes out to Landrieu, the only Dem to vote against and Gregg, way to thank your new boss there chief. And props to Specter who has been calling for increased infrastructure spending and had the guts to be one of two Republicans to vote in favor (along with Kit Bond).

[global1]

1. I Heard A Number Of Repug Senators Yesterday Call For More Infrastructure Spending And......

then they don't vote for it?

And somebody needs to take Landrieu to the woodshed.

[Barack_America]

3. She claimed that she held out because the bill didn't include enough...

...spending for the Army Corps of Engineers and levee rebuilding. Important, to be sure, but no reason to hold up infrastructure spending, in general.

[Thrill]

2. Should Kennedy maybe let his wife start voting for him by proxy on something?

His vote is going to be important on some of this stuff

[RaleighNCDUer]

4. Huh?

Last time I looked at the constitution, 58 'yea' votes was enough to pass legislation.

[ellacott]

5. They keep using the number 60 because it's filibuster proof

Another shell game by the media. There have been no indications that the Repubs would try and filibuster this bill.

[RaleighNCDUer]

6. Hey, if the Repubs want to filibuster let them try.

It must be a terrible dilemma for the media - a filibuster in the Senate would make for a GREAT news day - all kinds of drama and punditry opportunities. But then, a filibuster would make the repubs look like assholes, in holding up the stimulus bill which a solid majority would pass.

[ellacott]

7. It WOULD be a terrible dilemma

They would be blamed for further downturns in the economy.