Senate Stimulus Bill: Go shopping--buy more cars and trucks. Infrastructure? Short 2 votes.

[chill_wind]

"Buy American"? Not so much.

Senate Adds Tax Break for Automobile Buyers to Stimulus Bill


By Brian Faler

The U.S. Senate voted to give tax breaks to new car buyers while turning aside a bid to increase funding for infrastructure projects as lawmakers debated economic stimulus legislation sought by President Barack Obama.

An amendment added yesterday to the Senate’s draft of the plan aims to help the auto industry by temporarily allowing some buyers of new cars and light trucks to deduct sales taxes and interest payments on car loans from their tax bills.

The proposal was approved on a voice vote after clearing a procedural hurdle, 71 to 26. The amendment’s sponsors estimated it would cost $11 billion, which would push the cost of the stimulus to about $900 billion.

(...)


In another vote yesterday, Senate Republicans blocked a Democratic bid to increase infrastructure funding in the plan by $25 billion. The proposal by Senator Patty Murray, a Washington Democrat, to boost funding for highways, mass-transit programs and water projects fell two votes short of the 60 needed for it to proceed.

(...)

As the Senate debated the stimulus package, Obama announced he opposed the “Buy American” provisions included in the measure. The restrictions are a “mistake” that could trigger a “trade war,” Obama said in an interview with ABC News.

U.S. Iron, Steel

The provisions would require iron and steel used in projects funded by the bill to be American-made. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat, said he heard objections to that requirement from European Union officials and the Canadian ambassador.

the rest:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601070&sid=aW3f38XcAyMs&refer=politics

[maxsolomon]

1. NO FUNDING FOR NEW HIGHWAYS

how the hell does washington think we got in this mess? repair the bridges, but NO EXPANSION OF THE HIGHWAY SYSTEM.

patty, you know better. de-link mass transit & highways.

[Why Syzygy]

3. You're going to need a new car

after driving through all the potholes. They give us the car, but nothing to drive it on. No Child Left Behind?

[sinkingfeeling]

2. How do you buy a car without a job? The Republicans are making a mess of this.

[dbackjon]

4. Only helps the rich

The poor/middle class get screwed again

[w4rma]

5. The Buy American provisions are the most important provisions in the bill for job creation. (nt)

[Dervill Crow]

6. My 15-year-old car's second transmission just died yesterday.

Buying a new car doesn't sound like a bad idea.