And now it's in the Senate

[NickCole]

Washington Post seems to be happy with where we are:

The gang of 20 or so moderate Democrats and Republicans, led by Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) and Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), heeded the president's call for bipartisanship and hunkered down to produce the bill announced Friday night. Though the details of the package still need to be examined, the senators' effort was an admirable one -- one that aimed at providing the quick and large injection of funds into the economy experts say is necessary, while modifying or removing parts of the bill that were too long-range or complex for an emergency bill, or which blatantly served special interests.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/06/AR2009020603236.html?hpid=topnews

I would submit, however that we didn't elect Senators Nelson and Collins or the others in the "gang of 20 or so" to run the country or lead the plan out of this economic crisis. No disrespect to their effort but Susan Collins and Ben Nelson and the "20 or so" others don't have a fucking clue what we need in these economic times and they didn't take the time to figure it out. They combed through a bad bill and started redlining stuff that had less popular support or less lobbyist support. From what I've seen there's no cohesive plan or principle to what they did, no intelligent thought, just "bipartisan" "centrist" politics. That's not the way to create a monumental piece of economic stimulus legislation that'll set our collapsing economy back on track.

We needed an FDR and this is what we get because so many Americans were fooled by Yes We Can.

 

[NickCole]

The bipartisan deal was cut after two days of talks and would cut more than $100 billion from the $920 billion bill, dropping its cost to about $820 billion, if amendments added on the Senate floor are retained. ...

Obama endorsed the moderates' effort and brought its leaders --Sens. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) -- to the White House to discuss their proposed cuts. White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel attended the final meetings in Reid's office last night to work out lingering differences. Before Emanuel arrived, Collins said, Democrats were advocating $63 billion in cuts. "Then Rahm got involved, and a much better proposal came forward," she said. ...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/06/AR2009020602097.html?wprss=rss_print

Um. Wow.

Obama betrayed Congressional Democrats.

 

[Kulindahr]

Um. Wow.

Obama betrayed Congressional Democrats.

What that article really shows me is that Pelosi is an arrogant bitch who ought to be popped out of the launch tube of a nuclear attack submarine at about 1200 feet depth, for the good of the country.

She must know by now that the OMB folks say the bill as the House passed it will end up with the country worse off five years from now than it is today. She's probably thinking only of the next elections, though... and I wouldn't put it past her to hope Obama and Biden die in the next year or two.

But I also have to admire how Obama is putting together an Economic Recovery Advisory Board after this bill is in the pipeline, and just love the way Sen. Conrad can say "education took a big hit" when education is still getting a monstrous [STRIKE]boondoggle[/STRIKE] bundle -- kind of the way politicians talk about "shrinking the budget" when what they mean is they're not expanding it as much as had been projected or planned.

Overall, it sounds to me as though the Senate is improving the mess -- though it's still a mess -- so of course we get House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.)saying "I don't think much of what the Senate is doing."


Maybe the best stimulus for the country would be to auction all our congresscritters on eBay, and get a new batch.

 

[Kulindahr]

Um. Wow.

Obama betrayed Congressional Democrats.

It just hit me, Nick: if Obama sticks by the Democrats, you complain that he's partisan and is just being a typical politician with no change. Now when he doesn't stick with the Democrats, you whine about that.

I'm growing more convinced that if Obama walked on water out to the middle of the Reflecting Pool and had a conference with Jesus Christ, Benjamin Franklin, Adam Smith, and John Pierpont Morgan, and came back with a plan guaranteed to not only end the economic crisis but pay off the debt by 2020, you'd find a reason to complain.

 

[NickCole]

It just hit me, Nick: if Obama sticks by the Democrats, you complain that he's partisan and is just being a typical politician with no change. Now when he doesn't stick with the Democrats, you whine about that.

I've whined about nothing. More of your gratuitous personal attack language.

Look. Obama's a Democrat.

He could talk to Congressional Democrats and convince them to broker a deal with Republicans. Or he can betray Democrats by going behind their backs and brokering a deal with Republicans through his Chief of Staff.

Two ways to the same end, one is working with his party and the other is betraying them.

And he betrayed them to broker a deal that will not do the job that a stimulus bill should do.

That is who Barack Obama is.