The 12 Democratic (And 41 GOP) Senators Stifling The Economy

[napi21]

The big picture is that although the recovery started off stronger than Treasury had hoped, the broad economy is still in a pretty weak position. The Fed is doing its part to try to keep a certain amount of momentum going, but fiscal policy is harder, because it needs the cooperation of Congress. And it’s far from clear what kind of fiscal legislation can be passed at this point.

...we can’t tell how to alter the current political constraints. RIGHT NOW, NOTHING IS POSSIBLE, except maybe the small-business package. People aren’t happy with how strong the economy is, and are worried about unemployment. But moderate Senate Rs and Ds don’t believe in the efficacy of most government efforts to mitigate that. Even where they do, they don’t want to do it without paying for them. And they don’t want to pay for anything.

But this wasn't a GOP-only filibuster. This wasn't a close vote. Another 12 Dem caucus members joined the effort to kill the bill.

They were:

Evan Bayh (IN)
Mark Begich (AK)
Russ Feingold (WI)
Herb Kohl (WI)
Mary Landrieu (LA)
Joe Lieberman (CT)
Claire McCaskill (MO)
Robert Menendez (NJ)
Ben Nelson (NE)
Bill Nelson (FL)
Mark Pryor (AR)
Jim Webb (VA)

This is not even about changing the Senate rules to make minority filibusters more difficult to execute -- jobs bill supporters could not muster a simple majority to support Econ 101 deficit spending.

All progressives have left in our arsenal is to keep making our case, with the support of actual respected economists, and hope that the economy doesn't have to sink much deeper for the message to get through.

http://www.ourfuture.org/blog-entry/2010083319/12-democratic-and-41-gop-senators-stifling-economy

Once again the Pub talking points about the deficit are sinking in and there doesn't seem to be anything the progressives can do.

[Radical Activist]

1. Feingold?

That's surprising but he has always had the habit of taking off-the-wall votes now and then.

This is an important post. We need to keep the heat on the Senate.

[RaleighNCDUer]

2. Funny to see Russ Feingold in that company -

I suspect he doesn't think it went far enough, but if he thought it had a chance in hell of getting past the blue dog/DLCers he'd have backed it.

[Jackpine Radical]

5. You're quite right.

Russ saw it as an ineffectual piece of legislation that wouldn't change much, and was holding out for a full Glass-Steagall type of re-regulation.

[OHdem10]

3. Funny thing---For months I surf all networks. I see Republican after

Republican after Republican making their case and sellling their
party and their message.

Pray tell where are the Democrats making their case for the
Democratic Party and its message.

Is it any one wonder the Deficit Message has stuck???

Do not let the Dems on the Hill--lay it at the feet of Obama.
Obama is only one person. The TV Programs are only going
to give him so much time.

Those 12 Democrats listed above are DINOs . This is what happens
when people are permitted to run and never identify with the
party, actually critize the party in DC if they think it is
to their advantage. Some of them proudly announced they voted
with GWB over 75% of the time. I separate Feingold and Webb
out from the others.

[indepat]

4. And we all remember how horrified pubs were that the national debt

began spiraling from +/- $1 trillion about the time the gipper foisted his voodoo economic upon us and how pubs ringed their hands incessantly as the debt had spiraled some tenfold from that anemic $1 trillion by the time junior's reign ended: incessant hand-wrings and predictions of dire doom high-lighted all pub talking points during those 20 years of pub rule. Yeah! You betcha! :P

edited for syntax