Booman Tribune ~ A Progressive Community

House GOP to Obama: Go Eff Yourself

by BooMan
Wed Jan 28th, 2009 at 06:50:58 PM EST

Not a single Republican in the House voted for the stimulus package. And guess what? No one gives a crap what the House Republicans think. They wanted to prove that they could hold their caucus together but that means nothing unless they can bring Blue Dogs along with them. Only eleven Democrats defected on this vote. Rush Limbaugh hopes Obama fails, and now the entire House GOP is forced to hope for the same.

Update [2009-1-28 19:22:11 by BooMan]: Aah. I think I have this figured out.

CNN reported that about 30 Republican House members wanted to vote for the stimulus but were convinced to make this a unanimous rejection of 'Pelosi's bill'.

However, this is not the final bite of the apple for the House Republicans. The House version has to go to conference and be reconciled with the Senate version. At that point, the House will vote again on the final version of the bill which will then be signed by the president and become law.

So...those 30 Republicans will have an another opportunity to vote for the stimulus bill and two years from now, when they are up for reelection, no one is going to care that they voted against the stimulus today.

Why do Boehner and the other leaders want today's vote to be unanimous? Because they still want to extract concessions in the conference. They want to bitch and moan about Pelosi's bill. In the end, I suspect that a couple dozen Republicans will vote for the final stimulus bill. But they sent a message today that they have discipline.

The real action, however, is still in the Senate, and the Senate Appropriations Committee has already signed off (with four Republicans voting with the majority) on their version of the stimulus.

House GOP to Obama: Go Eff Yourself | 19 comments (19 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: House GOP to Obama: Go Eff Yourself (4.00 / 2)

Can I ask why tax cuts were included when we knew this was going to happen? That 250 billion cap Obama discussed on tax cuts could have gone so much farther on real job creation. Now we're stuck with tax cuts that won't do a goddamned thing.

I realize the President is running at a higher political level than I am, but the optics of the past few days look really bad after the vote. It was like a waste of time, or at least appears so.

Recommended by Hideo Kojima

by robertdsc on Wed Jan 28th, 2009 at 06:56:18 PM EST

Re: House GOP to Obama: Go Eff Yourself (none / 1)

Because Obama made his middle class tax cut a centerpiece of his campaign.

I thought we wanted politicians to keep their campaign promises?

by lauramp on Wed Jan 28th, 2009 at 07:00:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: House GOP to Obama: Go Eff Yourself (4.00 / 3)

Eliminating the Bush tax cuts for the rich was also a centerpiece and that was put off. Health care was even more of a centerpiece, and not only is it not in the stimulus, which is arguably legitimate for a permanent change, but there is also not preparation for it. We're going to need many more doctors, hospitals, nurses to treat the entire population than to treat 3/4 of it, and that will be a surge. None of it in the stimulus. This is what is disturbing: not the optics of Obama reaching out to the Republicans, but his willingness to dilute the substance. This stimulus will fail, we will need another, and it will be much harder to get it through.

by bento on Wed Jan 28th, 2009 at 07:29:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: House GOP to Obama: Go Eff Yourself (none / 0)

And, no, eliminating the tax cuts would not have been contractionary, just as Clinton's early tax increases were not. But if Obama concerned with that, he could just add that money to spending, getting to increase spending in a revenue-neutral way.

by bento on Wed Jan 28th, 2009 at 07:30:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: House GOP to Obama: Go Eff Yourself (none / 0)

I get that part, but I've read that not all of the tax cuts were related to his campaign promises, but were intended to garner Republican support.

Separately, tax cuts as stimulus are Dubya-era tactics. Did they work? Of course not. Tax cuts may be fine when people are working, but people aren't working. A national-level jobs program of any kind would have been better, IMO.

Or maybe I'm just stupid. I don't know.

Recommended by Hideo Kojima

by robertdsc on Wed Jan 28th, 2009 at 07:09:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: House GOP to Obama: Go Eff Yourself (4.00 / 2)

During the House debate, Obey called out the Republicans for exactly this strategy.

50 states, 210 media market, 435 Congressional Districts, 3080 counties, 192,480 precincts

by TarheelDem on Wed Jan 28th, 2009 at 10:36:04 PM EST

Re: House GOP to Obama: Go Eff Yourself (none / 1)

After this election where Americans overwhelmingly voted for real change, the fact that not ONE of the republicans voted for this bill is incredible.

by Second Nature (denn1214 at gmail) on Wed Jan 28th, 2009 at 06:53:00 PM EST

Re: House GOP to Obama: Go Eff Yourself (none / 0)

No, it makes perfect sense.

If it succeeds, no one will give the Republicans any credit for it.

If it fails, however, they will use that in the next election cycle to say see, we were right.

It's a no-lose gambit for them.

"If you look for the social economic motive, you will not have to wait for history to tell you what was propaganda and what was truth." - George Seldes

by Real History Lisa (lpeaseRemoveThis@gte.net) on Wed Jan 28th, 2009 at 08:13:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: House GOP to Obama: Go Eff Yourself (none / 0)

On to the Senate. And then ... we'll see.

I'm less interested in the vote than in whether he can get the economy going again.

by maryb2004 on Wed Jan 28th, 2009 at 07:05:42 PM EST

Re: House GOP to Obama: Go Eff Yourself (none / 0)

The argument is that if he (Obama) strips out stuff to get more useless GOP votes it WON'T get the economy going.

by MNPundit on Wed Jan 28th, 2009 at 07:36:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: House GOP to Obama: Go Eff Yourself (none / 1)

There are lots of arguments.

The proof is in the results.

by maryb2004 on Wed Jan 28th, 2009 at 08:47:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: House GOP to Obama: Go Eff Yourself (none / 1)

the bottom line is Republicans don't care about Americans, they only care about wealthy Americans. there is not other way to frame their party line vote than that.

The stimulus bill was a vote for average working American, probably no capital gains tax cut so Republicans voted against it.

by americanforliberty on Wed Jan 28th, 2009 at 07:07:18 PM EST

Re: House GOP to Obama: Go Eff Yourself (none / 0)

Your update is right on!

by ask on Wed Jan 28th, 2009 at 07:25:02 PM EST

Re: House GOP to Obama: Go Eff Yourself (none / 0)

Is it? When the Republicans are not able to win the vote with 100% party unity, what kind of pressure can they really exert to extract concessions? Granted, Boehner is stupid enough to think he can extract concessions after demonstrating the House GOP's complete impotence, but even the most capitulation-prone House Democrats cannot be numb to the obvious message here: not one Republican vote is needed for victory, so not one concession need be given.

Sure, if the Democrats want to throw in some meaningless measure just to be able to claim that they reached across the aisle, that's okay. Beyond that, however, there's no reason not to shove it through any way they please and pass around the popcorn when Boehner starts to cry again.

by corvus on Wed Jan 28th, 2009 at 10:32:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: House GOP to Obama: Go Eff Yourself (none / 0)

And now, the lesson of everything you need to know about the House of Representatives:

Republicans bravely mustered their ranks and in a show of pure legislative will and obstructionist discipline unanimously rejected the President's stimulus package.

They still lost by fifty-six votes.

Here endeth the lesson.

More at Zandar vs. The Stupid.

by Zandar1 on Wed Jan 28th, 2009 at 08:06:18 PM EST

House Dems to House GOP: Go Eff Yourself (none / 0)

The Underground Railroad

by Oscar In Louisville on Wed Jan 28th, 2009 at 08:12:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: House GOP to Obama: Go Eff Yourself (none / 0)

The House Thugs just made a very big tactical mistake. At this point in the cycle, I would not want to be on the wrong side of Obama and Rahm. They just put themselves on the wrong side. There are a lot of little things that can go wrong when you are on the wrong side, the the thuglicans are about to find out exactly how many they are. Earmarks, anyone?

Knut

by Knut Wicksell (b_didnn@hotmail.ca) on Wed Jan 28th, 2009 at 10:24:04 PM EST

Re: House GOP to Obama: Go Eff Yourself (none / 0)

Meh. If they were in touch with reality, they wouldn't be right wing extremists to begin with.

Within a few election cycles, the electorate will produce a crop of opposition politicians who aren't completely out of touch. In the meantime, we should take advantage of the window of opportunity afforded by facing an opposition composed completely of clowns.

by corvus on Wed Jan 28th, 2009 at 10:34:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: House GOP to Obama: Go Eff Yourself (none / 0)

Also see Greenwald today: all that partying with Republicans has resulted in MORE opposition to the Obama plan!

by whenwego (when@wego.com) on Thu Jan 29th, 2009 at 11:04:34 AM EST

House GOP to Obama: Go Eff Yourself | 19 comments (19 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Go to: [ Booman Tribune Homepage : Top of page : Top of comments ]

. Home
. About
. Contact
. Advertise
. FAQ
. Search

Username:
Password:

. Make a new account
. Reset password

Gift Cards * New Arrivals

NOTE: Overstock bests Amazon's prices and is "blue."

THE BOOKS WITH "BUZZ":
______________

Senator Edward M. Kennedy tells his extraordinary personal story:

True Compass: A Memoir
by Edward M. Kennedy.

Read Barack Obama's vision for America:

The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream
by Barack Obama

Boran2 and maryb2004 recommend:

The Big Over Easy: A Nursery Crime
by Jasper Fforde

Must-have information for all presidents-and citizens-of the twenty-first century?

Physics for Future Presidents: The Science behind the Headlines
Richard A. Muller

rae recommends:

Dark Ages America: The Final Phase of Empire
by Morris Berman.

On BooMan’s shelf:

Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln
by Doris Kearns Goodwin

This looks interesting:

Adventure Divas
by Holly Morris

Here’s a good one from
Elizabeth Gilbert:

Eat Pray Love
by Elizabeth Gilbert

"Crash" * Best Motion Picture, Academy Awards * Only $11.79 at Overstock * 2006 SAG Winner, Best Ensemble

Check out
Powell's new section:
NEW FAVORITES
Selected new arrivals at 30% off

Recommended by Indianadem and ejmw:
The Conscience of a Liberal
by Paul Wellstone

From northcountry’s bookshelf:

The New Golden Age:
The Coming Revolution Against
Political Corruption and Economic Chaos by Ravi Batra

A novel about contractors in Iraq from the woman that runs The Spy That Billed Me:

Outsourced: A Novel
from RJ Hillhouse.

Great Deals
----- * ^ * -----

Find mystery novels by Nancy Pickard ("Kansas")

Challenging Empire: How People, Governments, and the UN Defy US Power by Phyllis Bennis (interviewed on DN!)

Featured by Keith Olbermann, New (Powell's Sale): Rogue State: A Guide to the World's Only Superpower by William Blum (whose other books merit serious consideration)

"Explosive" State of War: The Secret History of the CIA and the Bush Administration
by James Risen

The book the CIA doesn't want you to read: Jawbreaker: The Attack on Bin Laden and Al Qaeda: A Personal Account by the CIA's Key Field Commander
Larry Johnson's review

BT's all-time best seller:

PERMACULTURE:
A Designers' Manual
$79.95 * Sale: $59.95

Unequal Sisters: A Multicultural Reader in U.S. Women's History (Third Edition)

The Undercover Economist: Exposing Why the Rich Are Rich, the Poor Are Poor And Why You Can Never Buy a Decent Used Car!

The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl
by Timothy Egan

Green Press Initiative
----- * ^ * -----

Journalistas: 100 Years of the Best Writing and Reporting by Women Journalists by Eleanor Mills * NYT review

Bury Me Standing: the Gypsies & Their Journey

1491: New Revelations of the Americas before Columbus

Brokeback Mountain
by Annie Proulx
----- * ^ * -----
Check out Powell's
"At The Movies"

Imperial Ambitions: Conversations on the Post-9/11 World by Noam Chomsky (Power & Terror: Post 9-11 Talks)

The Price of Privilege:

How Parental Pressure and
Material Advantage Are Creating a Generation of
Disconnected and Unhappy Kids
by Madeline Levine

Save 35-70% on
name brand clothing,
footwear, and outdoor gear
at SierraTradingPost.com
:

We listened to PEN American Center's "State of Emergency" and found 1940s books by Curzio Malaparte only at Alibris. (Selection (MP3) excerpted from "The Skin.")

Banned Books * Are you a fan of Film Noir, Art House, Documentaries or Hong Kong Action? * Searching for a long-lost children's book or a first printing of Miles Davis' Kind of Blue on vinyl? Find it at Alibris!

:
:

Booman Tribune Homepage
admin@boomantribune.com
powered by Scoop

More blogs about Blogs at Technorati.

Technorati Profile