Senate debating before vote on extending unemployment benefits. Dorgan is speaking.

[flpoljunkie]

Republicans are trying to add amendments to keep Bush tax cuts in place and on eliminating the 'death tax' entirely. Those requests are 'pending.' Al Franken is presiding.

Dorgan is on the floor setting the Republican straight on what has caused our deficit problems.

[flpoljunkie]

1. Dorgan: Whose side are you on or whose side are they (Republicans) on?

The other side is doing everything they can to stall the vote on extending unemployment benefits while at the same time trying to rid us of the 'death tax' once and for all. Unbelievable!

[flpoljunkie]

5. He also pointed out, if Obama had done nothing first year, he still had to deal with 1.3T Bush debt!

[Better Today]

2. Then Dems need to be trying to re-add the amendments that were

stripped out of the bill that would have stimulated hiring and retained teachers and helped states with Medicaid funding.

Oh, and they need to unanimously vote down the tax breaks the Repubs are trying to insert.

[flpoljunkie]

3. Sadly, they don't have 60 votes to do any more than they are doing today.

This is the dysfunctional Senate, you know.

[Better Today]

7. Amendments offered at this point need 60 also? WTF? There's truly just

no hope for the Senate. It's just waste of time and space.

[flpoljunkie]

9. Sixty votes are needed for further legislation because R's filibuster everything.

[karynnj]

13. They will likely try to add those provisions onto another bill, but they really want this to pass

today. If it amended, they would need another cloture bill to pass it out (which could work if all 60 stay on board) but at minimum it would add another 30 hours before the vote could happen.

[flpoljunkie]

17. R's delaying vote extending unemployment benefits,trying to end 'death tax' for their benefactors

Showing us all who they are and what they do!

[karynnj]

4. I just came because I was listening and had the same reaction as you

Dorgan is destroying DeMint, who just spoke in favor of eliminating the "death tax" (aka to sane people as the estate tax. The Democrats need to get out that while all the Democrats are speaking of the hardships of the unemployed, DeMint was speaking about the need to make the estate tax back. Dorgan even hit the silly usage of "death" tax".

Scott Brown, proving he is the very very junior MA Senator in every possible way, spoke of the need to pay for the unemployment extension - It will be interesting to see how he votes on the estate tax. (Actually, Brown does have a bigger ego than Kerry - so it's only in intelligence, compassion, and all other positive things that Brown is the lesser Senator)

They are voting now on whether to allow a Republican amendment, but DeMint has to be brain dead to try to add a NOT offset tax cut for people with over $7 million at death when they have been voting against adding the unemployment costs to the debt.

[flpoljunkie]

8. I do not know if votes on these Republican amendments will be allowed or tabled with 51 votes

Republicans are showing their true colors today--or I should say 'color.' Green, the color of money--for those who stand to gain with the elimination of the 'death tax.'

[karynnj]

10. They need 67 votes to even have the votes if I am interpreting the CSPAN 2 scroll correctly

So far few have voted and it has been completely party line.

[flpoljunkie]

12. You are indeed correct. Thanks!

[Better Today]

6. Ooops, wrong reply to, see above.

[elleng]

11. Voting on whether to allow a repug amd at this stage.

67 votes needed for motion to pass.
Lincoln just voted Yea.
Lieb, No.

Motion NOT agreed to. Franken presiding.

[flpoljunkie]

14. Vote was 42 Ayes, 56 Nos. Who voted with the R's? Missed it.

[karynnj]

15. I missed who did too, but here's the link that will have it within about an hour.

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=2&vote=00210

That vote seems specific to Brown's amendment. They are voting on another that does seem to be getting many Democratic votes, but nowhere near enough to pass it because they need 67. (from memory - both Nelsons, Pryor, Webb) It doesn't say which amendment this is for - and I missed the beginning. 49 to 49 (I think it was Coburn)

They are now voting another Coburn amendment

(His amendments are like his usual disingenuous amendments that speak of cutting waste.

[flpoljunkie]

16. It was both Blanche Lincoln and Ben Nelson. No surprise there!

Evan Bayh, who supports keeping all the Bush tax cuts in place, did not vote.

[karynnj]

18. Demint's death tax is now - this should be an interesting vote

"It's immoral to take what people worked for all their lives" - so says the demented DeMint. The first $7 million is not taxed. I think the heirs will be ok. Sanders says it iss a huge amount of money a trillion over 10 years to only the top 3 tenths of a percent. Stabenow says it is a vote to show what side everyone is on.

(DeMint is brain dead putting this on now - not offset - when they are whining about not paying for a much smaller amount of money for a huge number of really hurting people)

[flpoljunkie]

19. Evidently it needs 67 votes, as well.

[karynnj]

21. fortunately

Nelson of Nebraska voted for it! Does anyone in NE have a $6 million estate! Not to mention it is beyond hypocritical. Collin, Voinivich and Snowe voted no. Brown of MA voted yes - showing his idiotic patronizing speech to be hypocritical as well.

(I wonder if Voinivich, Snowe and Collins votes here suggest that they could be open to not continuing them - after all it doesn't jeopardize this bill as they are nowhere near 67.)

39 yeses and 59 noes (Will be interesting to check the roll call.)

Now, a law to prohibit any federal money to be spent against the Arizona law. Is this even constitutional?

[flpoljunkie]

23. I expect it is not constitutional, but what can you expect from 'demented' DeMint?

Any hope the evening news shows will cover this Republican charade on the Senate floor tonight?

Nah!

[karynnj]

24. It would be great if they did

Imagine them saying that nearly every Republican voted for having a vote on adding another 1 trillion dollars to the debt for 10 more years of no estate taxes - something that per Sanders affects just 3 tenths of one percent of the population ---- whicle arguing that they weren't against giving money to the unemployed - who they have left without money for over a month and a half as they filibuster - they just want it paid for.

I noticed a clearly animated conversation on the floor just now between Kerry and Sanders (who is taller than I thought) - wonder if they were speaking of Sanders' outrage on this.

[Cha]

20. Thank you!

[bigwillq]

22. K and R (nt)

[flpoljunkie]

25. Evidently they are voting on a substitute to 4213, the House bill to extend unemployment benefits.

They need only 51 votes-----at long last!

[flpoljunkie]

26. Final vote 59-39.