St. Louis region House members march party line on stimulus vote
Illinois Rep. Jerry Costello
WASHINGTON — Just seven Democrats – none from our region — and no Republicans strayed from their party caucus positions when the House passed the economic recovery package 246-183 a short time ago.
Barring snafus, the Senate will take its vote on late this afternoon, completing work on the compromise stimulus proposal by President’s Day as President Barack Obama had hoped.
After the last round of negotiations, the Congressional Budget Office recalculated its cost at $787.2 billion over the next ten years.
When it’s signed — handing Obama the first big victory of his presidency — Americans will be watching closely to see if the president was right this morning when he predicted that it would “ignite spending by businesses and consumers” and save or create 3.5 million jobs.
Rep. Jerry Costello, D-Belleville, noted that the money in the legislation than what the U.S. has spent recently in conducting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“It is time we made similar investments here at home,” he said.
Rep. Todd Akin, R-Town and Country, had much the opposite view, remarking that all those billions could purchase more than 100 modern aircraft carriers if they were needed.
“This is spending beyond any we’ve ever seen. The question is: How far can we push ourselves into debt?” he said by phone on the way to cast his “no” vote.
There seems to be a lot of misunderstanding about this “stimulus” package. It was not designed to stimulate the U.S. economy. Look at the time line and focus. It is designed specifically to stimulate the parasite vote for the socialists and expand the powers of the federal bureaucracy.
The bill for our rampant consumerism came due and this legislation simply forwards it to our grandchildren. There was an interesting letter and discussion about payday loans on these pages today. Well, our federal government just took out a payday loan against our future prosperity with full knowledge it will never be repaid.
Welcome to the Great Society.
What the hell did the local dems vote ‘yes’ for? None of them could have read it, it didnt have pictures so Lacky Clay has NO clue whats in it. The dems violated their own rules on this bill, but since when do rules apply to democrats? “To Hell with reading it, to Hell with rules, I have a flight to Europe to catch.” San Fran Nan. Those who voted for this clearly are not acting in the best interest of their constituents, they are simple playing poitics. Throw them all out.
Prince Russ Carnahan was humiliated on KMOX Radio today by Charlie Brennen when he got a case of the yab a dabs when asked how he could vote for it without reading it, then denying certain pork was in it while they read it to him. If somebody doesn’t run against him next time, I give up.
Obama should just give up trying to work with Republicans. It’s very obvious that they want nothing, but for him to “appear” to be failing. They have no intention of ever working with him to make advances in undoing the damage of the last eight years. Only if it helps the corporate or religious interest they ultimately represent. Let’s face it, their is no center for the current republican leadership. Only the hate-filled fanatical fringe. Obama should get in their face and call them out.
The country has had enough - we’ve moved on to a more constructive dialogue. No one, including Obama, wants to have government proping up this economy. Obviously, we are in an economic meltdown. At least this stimulus will creat some jobs. No it’s not a perfect answer to every problem this country faces right now. We have got to start somewhere.
It’s a far shot better than the first bailout. Giving the financial industry billions with no strings attached. Not one job created! Bush never cared about the mess he created or who he hurt. Or about spending our money. Where was the outrage over creating the largest deficit this country has ever known during his tenure?
Akin is part of the problem. What has he been doing lately? Protecting the pledge of alligence! What waste. He’s a religious fanatic who will never admit that a pro-choice democrate can out perform his party.
The current version of republican leadership is appealing only to those who never got it to begin with. Now, they just can’t bend, so they must try to break everything Obama touches. Problem is, they can’t. He’s got the support of the people, the support of moderate republicans, too.
That’s ok. They can have Rush and Ann Coulter, I’ll take Obama!
God bless this country and God Bless Obama!!!
Brennan: Have you read the stimulus bill yet?
Russ Carnahan: “We are pouring over it today…”
Brennan: Are you gonna’ have a chance to read it?
Russ Carnahan: “We are pouring over it today, myself and staff…”
Brennan: How about the $2 billion for ACORN?
Russ Carnahan: “Um, I don’t… I don’t believe that kind of stuff is in here.”
Brennan: John Shimkus just read it.
Russ Carnahan: “chirp … chirp … chirp”
If you do nothing else today listen to the interview:
http://www.kmox.com/topic/play_window.php?audioType=Episode&audioId=3461506http://www.kmox.com/topic/play_window.php?audioType=Episode&audioId=3461506
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You can have him.
People, please re-read the title to this posting, “house members march party line on stimulus vote”. Now, who or which party is more guilty of rubber-stamping this proposal? How does the PD possibly know that this is the first BIG victory for the president, or do the Dems have the ability to see into the future and know absolutely, positively for sure that this largess is successful? I hope for everyone’s sake that this is a “GOOD” thing, but to go silly over it because Obama says that we need this, is pathetic.
THE SIGNS ARE CLEAR
Obama and his gang deceived the public,’since moment one’… and the practice continues.
Because the elocuency IS so convincing the many people still swallowing the PROMISES …NEVER ACCOMPLISHED - AND NEVER WILL BE !
A president that do not comply with what he said. A cabinest loaded with CORUPTEND ELEMENTS, private asset,census, free speech,and other socio-factors dynamics, going under the SAME TWISTED ANTI-AMERICAN/OR UN-AMERICAN VECTORS.
WHAT IF one day there is an statement from White Howse in this manner?
“PEOPLE OF UNITED STATES, EFFECTIVELY IMMEDIATELY, WE ARE A DICTATORSHIP/TOTALITARIAN NATION, WITH SOCIALILSM-MARXIST REGIME SPECTRUM…..NO FREE SPEECH, AND THE AS WE STARTED PREVIOUSLY, NOW THE GOVERNMENT OWNS ALL THE PRIVATE ASSET, AND IN DOING SO WE START THE NEW ORDER!…NEXT STOP, COMMUNISM !”
So, Sen Gregg pull out from the ‘game’ right?,….I wander,…did he see/discover something VERY BAD (going on and more forcoming) that scared him to chills, and do not want any part on it?
We are talking CORRUPTION, RIGHT?
I wander IF exist the POSSIBILITY that Specter, Snowe, and Collins, did receive BRIBE FOR TO SUPPORT THIS STIMULUS YUNK,….COULD IT BE? OR NOT?
How abott that people?;…..did anyone vote for this in the past fraudulent elections?
Yeah, Akin yaps on about uneeded aircraft carriers while the voters of the Missouri 2nd Congressional District lose their jobs, retirements, health insurance, and their homes!
There is so much that is disappointing about this whole endeavor. First, the President promises that legislation will be posted on the web for 5 days so citizens can read it before it is voted on. Then the House unanimously passes a resolution that there will be 48 hours between the agreement on the comprise and the vote so members can read the bill and it can be posted on the web. Both promises were broken and ignored. This is the largest spending bill not only in the history of the country, but in the history of the world and it is rushed through without an opportunity for members and their staff to read it? Not only have several promises been broken by the Congress and the White House, but we must wonder why? What is in the bill that they don’t want to be exposed to the light of day? The President has left Washington and won’t sign the bill for several days.
For 4 years congressional approval ratings have been below 25%, and we must ask ourselves why the same people continue to be elected? I for one am VERY tired of an ‘imperial’ congress that seems to do whatever they please, despite election promises and the limits of the Constitution. In this country, doctors have often been accused of having a ‘God complex.’ Compared to members of congress, most doctors are much closer to the example of humility set by Mother Theresa.