$15 billion. As Ev Dirkson used to say, a billion here, a billion there and it soon adds up to real money.
The bill offers tax rebates for small businesses who hire the unemployed. That is a good thing. The second Lowell Conference on ending homelessness, Friday, 11 March at the UMass Lowell Inn and Conference Center, will have two presentations on that very issue. Even now there are tax incentives for hiring this or that person.
That said, I would probably have gone the other way. But, I am not in the position right now. And it is easy to make the wrong call. Just look at the Dutch Speed Skater in the 10K.
Over at The Wall Street Journal, Mr James Taranto had a column, "In Defense of RINOs".♠
One local Republican said this:
Let's think about considering this one a brilliant first vote. It was not a perfect bill for sure, none are. But in reality Scott voted for a tax break for small businesses on this one, if I read it correctly. With this vote though, no one can say he's there to just another Democrat Program spoiler. By himself, he's shut down the liberal "see, I told you so", trash talkers. Trust me on this one, the Democrats are stunned...Well, we would like to think the Democrats are stunned, but maybe not.
What this does say is that with Scott Brown around there may be some put up or shut up action in the US Senate, and that might not be all bad. With Scott Brown there the resort to the nuclear option,♥ as it used to be known, will become more dangerous.
And, maybe the Democratic Party Leadership will begin to consider some of the ideas of Republicans.
Regards — Cliff
♠ Republican in Name Only.
♥ That is to say, using reconciliation for things it was not meant to be used for.
9 comments:
Whether the vote signifies independence or vision remains to be seen. At a minimum, Scott Brown appears politically savvy enough to use his early capital to straddle the fence and keep both sides happy.
Oh how soon they forget. Not so long aqo, he was the MA eagle, soaring above the detritus that is MA state and Federal politics. Now he apparently and demonstrably just another statue. Of course, the MSM absolutely delights in finding FRESH meat and bringing them down....which in its own special way I think is an act of treason. What America needs IS fresh air in the fetid chambers of Congress, but our media and sizeable number of talking heads prefer the comfort and joy of character assasination and business as usual....its good for THEIR reputations.
I hope Scott Brown can run for President some day....and that he parks his truck under the portico. What a wonderful symbolism.
Neal
As a liberal, let me say this: I'll be so damn psyched for Brown to prove me wrong. Voting for an itty bitty jobs bill that includes tax breaks is a start - but jeez, it includes tax breaks! That's not exactly going against every republican principle ever, now is it?
It isn't about "liberal" vs "conservative" or GOP vs DNC. It is about doing what makes good sense for the folks one represents....and of course...that requires one to actually determine what the folks at home WANT represented....a characteristic that is anathema to Congress today. Does anyone actually believe that Bawney Fwank is "representing" a prevailing view......as an example? This is the guy who almost single handedly....well.....with the help of Senator Clod....created the mortgage mess that almost brought down the whole circus tent.
DC is, as usual, deaf. If they weren't, what they would hear is an unmistakable roar of anger.....folks sick and tired of policism, ideologues, and self service at the expense of society.
And the rectal invasion that is the arrogant ramming through of Obamacare at any cost is perhaps going to be the final straw.
Neal
From one reader—Hiring unemployed does NOTHING
Work must be PRODUCTIVE, it must produce something that can be sold. Just hiring bureaucrats to rubber-stamp papers all day does nothing.
Oh Cliff, you have parroted a lie.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sjJPJ2sQaw
The “nuclear option” is term put for by Senator Bill Frist (FL-R) back in 2005, when arguing whether the Senate filibuster rule should be destroyed.
http://dir.salon.com/news/feature/2005/05/12/nuclear_option_primer/
On the “newclear option,” which GOPers are spinning to mean the use of reconciliation as a workaround to republican obstructionism:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124009985
If you've ever had COBRA coverage, you had it because of reconciliation. It's the "R" in COBRA, Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act.
A History Of Reconciliation
For 30 years, major changes to health care laws have passed via the budget reconciliation process. Here are a few examples:
1982 — TEFRA: The Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act first opened Medicare to HMOs
1986 — COBRA: The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act allowed people who were laid off to keep their health coverage, and stopped hospitals from dumping ER patients unable to pay for their care
1987 — OBRA '87: Added nursing home protection rules to Medicare and Medicaid, created no-fault vaccine injury compensation program
1989 — OBRA '89: Overhauled doctor payment system for Medicare, created new federal agency on research and quality of care
1990 — OBRA '90: Added cancer screenings to Medicare, required providers to notify patients about advance directives and living wills, expanded Medicaid to all kids living below poverty level, required drug companies to provide discounts to Medicaid
1993 — OBRA '93: created federal vaccine funding for all children
1996 — Welfare Reform: Separated Medicaid from welfare
1997 — BBA: The Balanced Budget Act created the state-federal childrens' health program called CHIP
2005 — DRA: The Deficit Reduction Act reduced Medicaid spending, allowed parents of disabled children to buy into Medicaid
On posing in the Senate:
Four Republicans voted for cloture on the jobs bill. Eight new votes emerged for final passage:
Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
Thad Cochran (R-MS)
James Inhofe (R-OK)
George LeMieux (R-FL)
Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Roger Wicker (R-MS)
Plus, two other Republicans absent on the day of the cloture motion:
Orrin Hatch (R-UT)
Richard Burr (R-NC)
These folks should do a group shot with Brown.
As to comment #5, I think there's something to that. Even coming from someone who is still looking for permanent, full-time work, and would gladly take ANY position, certainly to include putting rubber stamps on things in some bureaucracy, making work up out of thin air at taxpayer expense can only kick the problem into the future. At best, it's a band-aid.
That said, if you know of any band-aids lying around, I could use one for this flesh wound.
Just because reconciliation has been used before doesn't make it an acceptable panacea for every difficult legislative process. In fact, it is highly partisan and generally used ONLY to advance a particular agenda.
More important, the anger among the great unwashed has much more to do with the arrogance of representation that doesn't, than some partisan minutae of the day. BTW, the Dems are no better or worse than the Reps.....just blue instead of red.
Much of the angst over the current health care and jobs mess is a result of the Congress simply treating ever changing symptoms rather than targeting the organic causes. An example is the creation of jobs that are governmental. Sure, you have a new job, but it is like an increasing weight around the necks of already drowing Americans. This approach is in effect and at its core, nothing more than an income redistribution scheme by making up opportunities for income at the expense of those who for one reason or another are not employed. Sure....it is WONDERFUL for the person getting an income....but the goose only has so much gold.....GM can only sell cars by making them. You can create as many administrative jobs there as you want, and the only effect is to reduce profitability by requiring a greater and greater number of cars produced and sold. Not good logic.....
Who says these jobs are rubber-stamp administrative jobs that aren't productive?
Has anyone else tried to drive anywhere on any of the highways? Road construction is going on all over the place. There is so much more infrastructure that needs repair. The stimulus jobs aren't digging and then filling holes like cool hand Luke.
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