Senator Says Progress Made To Cut Billions From Education And Add 13 Billion For The Pentagon!

[Better Believe It]

Progress made on stimulus, key senator says
Democrat on bipartisan team says deal reached to cut $100 billion
NBC News

WASHINGTON - A bipartisan group of moderate senators reached a deal Friday to cut about $100 billion from the $937 billion stimulus package, a development that could win enough GOP support to get the 60 votes needed to pass the bill, the group's Democratic leader said.

"The hope is we'll pick up two more Republicans, and if we're able to do that then I think we'll have sufficient numbers to get a vote and pass the alternative," Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., told reporters as he walked into a meeting with other Democrats.

Sen. Susan Collins, a Maine Republican and the other bipartisan team leader, circulated a roster proposing $88 billion worth of net cuts from the measure. She proposed eliminating money in the bill for K-12 education while boosting funding for Pentagon operations, facilities and procurement by $13 billion.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29050187


Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and other Republicans in an early morning meeting told CNN Radio that they've handed over a list of potential cuts to Democratic leaders and are waiting for a response.

"The ball's really in their court," Collins said. A few hours later, Collins walked out of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's office smiling and told reporters, "We're close."

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/06/stimulus/index.html

This conservative free marketeers "bi-partisan" agreement needs to be rejected by the Senate.

And why are Democrats once again claiming they need 60 votes in order to pass a recovery bill? The last time I looked 51 votes in the Senate are needed. And if the Republican wish to act as obstructionist by filibustering the bill, let them!

All filibusters end. And how many days do you think the public will stand for a Republican roadblock against a plan to prevent an economic depression?

[Bleacher Creature]

1. The words "progress" and "cutting education funding" should never be used in the same sentence. NT

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

2. Not only is it insane, it's insanely bad policy.

The k-12 money will alleviate many of the burdens facing state governments. The defense money, because of the M-I Complex, will never trickle its way into the economy the way that this bill should be doing. It would be an epic failure to back that, and fortunately, I can never see House dems falling for it.

[Doctor_J]

3. Harry should be removed from his SML position

he's a weak, rightist appeaser and can't "lead" anything more than a one-car funeral.

[jsamuel]

5. Reid didn't do this, Nelson did. Reid just did something awesome.

He made a bill with his own cuts while the moderates were conferencing for their cuts.

[Better Believe It]

12. ??? Do you have a news link regarding Reid's "bill"?

[ecstatic]

4. yuck. What do those rethuglicans have against

educating our children? :puke: They are disgusting. Times like these I understand where hyper partisans like Maddow, etc. are coming from.

[DCBob]

6. Books into swords.

Sickening.

[bigdarryl]

7. HOLD ON !!!!!!! I though the republicans didn't believe in GOVERNMENT

the Pentagon is the government so there willing to increase this form of government. what a bunch of shit heads and yet they don't want education funding this should not be signed.

[City Lights]

8. Strange definition of "progress."

Let the fucking pentagon hold a bake sale. x(

[Thrill]

9. NO. Why do we need more defense spending? Stop trying to change the package this much

for 2 votes

[Enrique]

10. NEA is fighting this -- let's support them!

constact your senators and tell them education funding MUST be included in this bill. If the bill is too big, get rid of the tax cuts instead.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/glennthrush/0209/Education_groups_mobilize_against_CollinsNelson.html?showall

February 5, 2009
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator:

Investments in education offer an effective approach to stimulating the economy, saving and creating jobs, and shoring up distressed communities. Education funding reaches every community in the nation and is targeted to those areas with the greatest needs. This amendment would significantly reduce funding allocated to these essential purposes thereby jeopardizing the impact of the package in creating and saving jobs and helping struggling communities.

Specifically, the amendment would cut one-half of the funds allocated for:

• The State Stabilization Fund ($39 billion)
• Special education/IDEA ($6.8 billion)
• Title I ($6.5 billion)
• Head Start ($1 billion)
• Teacher Quality grants ($50 million)

These cuts will be seriously undermine the intent of the package to take pressure off state budgets stretched to their limits and infuse critically needed resources immediately into local communities.
We strongly urge you to VOTE NO on the Nelson-Collins amendment.

Sincerely,
Diane Shust Randall Moody
Director of Government Relations Manager of Federal Advocacy

[liberalsince1968]

11. Fuck those assholes. When the "moderates" get through with this bill,

it might as well be a repug bill.

How come the more things change, the more they stay the same?

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

13. Doesn't sound like progress to me. Where are the Dems with a spine?

[Neecy]

14. If this is the end result....

Obama should veto the damn thing and tell them to start over. Totally unacceptable.

[MasonJar]

15. I think that they worry that the public is turning against the bill.