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Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY)

A Second Look | CONGRESS — WHEN ASKED FOR GOP ALTERNATIVES TO OBAMA’S BUDGET, McCONNELL COMPLAINS WE’RE ‘GETTING DOWN IN THE WEEDS’

Mar 16th, 2009
by Tom.
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The Progress Report wrote:

A Pain In The AIG


From: The Progress Report [progress@americanprogressaction.org]
Sent: Monday, March 16, 2009 9:12 AM
To: Tom
Subject: A Pain In The AIG
CONGRESS — WHEN ASKED FOR GOP ALTERNATIVES TO OBAMA’S BUDGET, McCONNELL COMPLAINS WE’RE ‘GETTING DOWN IN THE WEEDS’:

Since President Obama unveiled his budget last month, Republicans have been relentlessly attacking his comprehensive proposals. Yesterday on ABC’s This Week, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) kept up the drumbeat, saying in reference to Obama’s budget proposal, “It taxes too much, it spends too much, it borrows too much.” Host George Stephanopoulos repeatedly pressed McConnell for a comprehensive Republican alternative budget. Yet each time, McConnell simply attacked Obama’s plan. He said that he and his colleagues would be offering amendments to “reframe” what the Democrats have proposed but will likely not be offering a comprehensive plan. Stephanopoulos asked McConnell, “But shouldn’t you have a comprehensive approach that lays out the trade-offs?” “Well, we’re just sort of getting down in the weeds here about procedure,” McConnell complained. As the New York Times has pointed out, by not offering a full counterproposal, Republicans have made a decision “that will spare them from outlining potentially painful decisions required to bring federal books more in line with their call to hold down spending, cut taxes and reduce the deficit.” In many ways, the GOP’s strategy is a repeat of it did during the economic recovery package debate — opposing Obama’s plan for political reasons and picking out small provisions as excuses to block the entire bill.

McConnell and Boehner says, “We fervently oppose everything Democrat!” The Republican crowd behind them cheers!
Interviewer asks, “Why? Do you have something better in mind?”
“No, we just hate everything Democrat!” More cheers from the right-wing! McConnell and Boehner swell with pride from the cheers.
“What about your ‘cut taxes and borrow’ strategy from the Bush years?”
“We don’t care about that! We just hate everything from the Democrat party!” More cheers!
Interviewer sadly says, “Great debate, thanks.”

Null. Empty set. Nothing. Nada. Zip.

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A Second Look: Shameful Corporate Greed

Jan 30th, 2009
by Tom.
No comments yet

The Progress Report wrote:

Shameful Corporate Greed

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY)


From: The Progress Report [progress@americanprogressaction.org]
Sent: Friday, January 30, 2009 9:37 AM
To: tomc2322
Subject: Shameful Corporate Greed
CONGRESS — FLASHBACK: McCONNELL SAID STIMULUS WON’T HAVE ANY PROBLEM ‘GETTING OVER 60 VOTES’: On Wednesday, the House passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act on a 244-188 vote, with every Republican voting against the legislation. Now the bill moves to the Senate for debate and a potential vote next week. The Senate version of the legislation is not entirely in sync with the House’s version.McClatchy reported last week that the Senate Finance Committee has already “added some provisions desperately sought by corporate America,” such as allowing “some
companies to reduce taxes if they buy down their debt between late 2008 and 2011.” The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other business groups lobbied heavily for the measure.Even with these extra business provisions — which conservatives have complained are absent from the House bill — nine out of 10 Republicans on the Finance Committee voted against the draft. Just few weeks ago, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said that he doesn’t think the economic recovery bill will have “any problem getting over 60 votes.” He also reportedly promised that Senate Republicans “would not filibuster against the stimulus package.” On NPR yesterday, however, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) issued a filibuster threat, saying that the recovery package would need 60 votes to pass. Will McConnell keep his word? Or will conservatives continue to block the economic recovery while advocating a return to Bushonomics?

The Democrats in the Senate have capitulated so much that the Republicans in the Seante expect it to continue. Since the cloture motion to kill a filibuster requires 60 votes, and since we only have 58 at present, then my suggestion is to bring up the nuclear option. Kill the 60 vote rule to overcome fillibuster. Lower it to 51.

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