Reid: Breaking on MSNBC: They've reached an agreement

[eleny]

"Negotiators have reached a deal on economic recovery bill"

Conference report could be ready by tomorrow.

[rurallib]

1. I hope some money's in there for the states and the poor and real

projects that will put folks to work.

[kestrel91316]

24. Well, it's not like no other legislation is going to be passed in the next 4 years.....

If it's not in this bill, we keep their feet to the fire until ALL this country's issues are adequately addressed.

[rurallib]

70. yur right.

[babylonsister]

2. I'm really shocked at the speed of this. I guess they all wanted

to hightail it out of town this weekend. :D

[eleny]

5. Me too - Harry now thanking Pelosi

[Parker CA]

6. They really did get things together fast considering the previous quarrels.

That "we want the conference to be transparent and out from behind closed-doors" argument really lost all the wind it had in its sails for five mins yesterday, huh pukes?

[Proud Liberal Dem]

7. Yeah

Remember how much the GOP hate the new "slave driving" schedule the Democrats imposed when they regained control of Congress in 2007 ;-)

[eleny]

10. Reid said they worked into last night

Roll em roll em roll em
Keep them doggies rollin'!

:D

[babylonsister]

17. I think I heard it was Reid, Pelosi, and Emanuel-would have

loved to be a fly on that wall!

[eleny]

3. Collins speaking now

Thanking the other Repubs who participated and Joe L.

Increased the amount for infrastructure.
Overall, 150B towards that in total.

Significant tax relief. 35% of the bill.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

4. That *may* be good news

But given that it's Harry *strongly worded letter* Reid I'd like to see the finished "product" before deciding whether or not it's a *good* thing. If the Republicans (or at least more than a few of them) have signed onto it I doubt it's much of a reason to celebrate -the inevitability of some compromises notwithstanding

I'll wait and see...........................................................................

[bunkerbuster1]

19. Hey! It's not "Harry 'Strongly Worded Letter' Reid"

It's "Give 'em Head, Harry."

Please make a note of it.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

72. *LMAO*

So noted. Thanks!!!

[Clio the Leo]

8. Well said about Specter, Snowe and Collins....

... Reid congratulating them on putting their countries first.

We should all write their offices and thank them.

[Cha]

33. Thanks for the report, Clio.. I caught this on buzzflash

regarding Spector..

"Get off it, Laura"

"Ingraham then suggested that Specter is supporting the package because he has been “wined and dined at the White House,” saying that he gets “treated pretty well when you’re a Republican bucking other Republicans.”

“Oh, get off it Laura,” he responded. “I’m not drinking any wine at the White House and I don’t dine at the White House. If the president wants to talk to me, I talk to him. I make my own independent judgments, don’t give me this wine and dine baloney young lady.”

We need a few choice comments like that coming from the Dem side, do we not? The correct answer is "yes". Yes, we do."

http://thepoliticalcarnival.blogspot.com/2009/02/audio-arlen-specter-to-laura-ingraham.html

[eleny]

48. Cool beans!

[Cha]

49. Very~ I'm glad

you caught it, eleny! Almost surreal:)

[bdamomma]

44. shouldn't we find out what was axed first, but something is better

than nothing.

[tekisui]

62. They deserve no thanks, they stomped and held their breath

until much of the bill was gutted and changed.

I am still happy that something passed, it is needed and a step in the right direction, but the repuke obstructionist deserve no credit.

[eleny]

9. Spector speaking now

Strong action needed to be taken due to foreclosures and job loss.

Quoting economists about a depression if no action taken.

His preference would have been McCain's bill. but in the legislature you don't get all you want. He's content with the amount in the bill.

[scheming daemons]

11. Stock market is rallying on the news...

[Parker CA]

12. So, now this goes back to the Senate for another vote to confirm before landing on Obama's desk?

[jenmito]

15. Yes. probably tomorrow.

[Parker CA]

18. Is there another vote required in the House now as well? Vote, vote, vote, vote, vote, vote vote.

[jenmito]

29. I'm 100% certain that I don't know.

:)

[Parker CA]

32. HAAHHAA Nice, Jenmito! It's so much back and forth. At most, one more vote from each House and

Senate and then onto Mr. President's desk!! This must be making Obama pretty happy today.

[jenmito]

40. Right. They just said so on MSNBC. I edited my post but them re-edited it back so

people will know what you were laughing at. Yes-this is a victory!

[onenote]

64. yes. the conference report has to be approved by both houses

typically (but not always) the house that agreed to the conference goes first. in this case, that would be the House, since it was the Senate that asked for the conference and the House that agreed to it. However, the leadership can get together and decide to reverse the order, which sometimes is done when the House is concerned that the Senate might kill a conference report with a filibuster (and the House leadership doesn't want to force a vote on a compromise bill that might not become law anyway).

[Baikonour]

20. No. This agreement is between the House and Senate.

Once finalized, it hits Obama's desk. Not sure if could realistically be signed into law today, but anything's possible.

[jenmito]

26. But I think the Senate still has to formally vote on it.

[MadMaddie]

30. No that happened yesterday

This meeting was between the House and the Senate, Reid and Pelosi were both there.

This is it.

Next stop: President Obama's desk....and a pen

[jenmito]

36. No-they just said on MSNBC that this agreement will be voted on by the House and then by

the Senate and THEN to Obama's desk. But it has been worked out. The votes will formally make the agreement so.

[Baikonour]

38. I read somewhere that voting deadline is this afternoon.

I hope they can get voting done by 5 pm.

[jenmito]

41. Where'd you read that? I thought Reid just said it may be tomorrow. n/t

[Baikonour]

55. Nevermind, you're right.

The signing deadline, set by Obama, is Feb. 16

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/12/us/politics/12stimulus.html

"House and Senate negotiators were expected to adopt the changes at a formal conference proceeding on Wednesday afternoon, setting the stage for Congress to hold final votes by the end of the week and send the bill to President Obama for his signature by his Feb. 16 deadline."

[MadMaddie]

47. Yea I just heard that too

It actually goes back to both the House and the Senate for votes....this will be interesting.

[eleny]

13. Bacchus up now

Work together for those who put them in office.

Showing the world that we're standing up and leading.

[Starry Messenger]

14. Crossing fingers.

[eleny]

16. Snowe up now

Key to the stimulus is to insure job creation and assist people who are displaced by job loss.

President is right when he says job stimulus is needed.

Preserving jobs is the lifeline to jump start the economy.

[ej510]

21. The democrats caved to quickly.

[eleny]

37. Yesterday, Arlen S. sounded like he had his feet dug in pretty well

He and Collins were interviewed on Hardball last night. He spoke softly but it sounded like a threat to me. He expected no changes to what was hammered out.

[eleny]

22. Lieberman

Leadership - president, house, senate - all gave something for good of the country and the people.

[Parker CA]

23. Lieberman just called out reid on his "soft leadership" and then followed up by calling it "tough."

[eleny]

25. I didn't hear anything about "soft leadership"

Did he say this just now?

[Parker CA]

27. Yes. "Working together under under Harry Reid's usually soft, but occasionally quite tough

leadership, we came a long way."

[eleny]

31. Thanks, I didn't catch that sentence

[Parker CA]

34. No worries, Tivo is my friend. ;)

[eleny]

43. The tv in here isn't on a cable box with a DVR

I went cheapskate since I mostly watch news in my office room. I ought to rethink that!

:hi:

[eleny]

28. Governor Nelson

Some people, in the face of staggering job loss, will say to do nothing.

But that's not one of the choices. You have to decide what to do.

It's a jobs bill.

The people want us to work together and not work against one another. <zing!>

[babylonsister]

35. Now we get to hear the rethugs kvetch.

:popcorn:

[Parker CA]

42. Extra butter please!! Here they go. Ensign is rambling about how he had a plan that would work

better than this, that he wanted the sessions open-door, and that it should have focused mainly on houses. This guy sounds like a complete tool, but what would one expect? HAHHA, and now he says, "I hope that this bill works." BULLSHIT, he hopes this fails miserably, that's transparent.

[jenmito]

46. I JUST ate a bag of "extra butter" microwave popcorn.

It was good. :)

[eleny]

51. They're cranking up the Kvetch Kalliope as we type

Pass the popcorn!

[bdamomma]

39. I hope President Obama goes through this with a fine toothed comb.

http://c-span.org/special/econ_stimulus2.aspx

I bet none of those repig senators will vote for it, except for the three. they will continue to be obstructionists.

[Starry Messenger]

45. Republican (Ensign) whining now about "housing"

Code for poor people broke the system. Claiming that Japan "did this (stimulant) in the 1990's and it didn't work because there were too many bridges to nowhere." !!! Because Japan's economy is clearly in the toilet...:sarcasm:

[flpoljunkie]

54. Ensign looked a little worried, though still carrying water for mortgage brokers, and the top 1%.

Wonder how many Rethugs will ride this baby down and vote no on the compromise bill--hoping the economy will not be fully recovered by the 2010 mid-terms.

Ain't they something!

[rufus dog]

61. My favorite were his metrics to define an improved economy

1. Increased household income
2 Increased consumer purchasing power


Hmm, when did that happen over the past 25 years?

[jenmito]

50. CNN just reported that some House Repubs. may vote for the final bill. n/t

[eleny]

52. That would be very cute of them

:D

[jenmito]

56. Whatever angers those at Faux makes me happy. :)

[eleny]

58. Their power is slip sliding away

[jenmito]

59. Yup. I turned to Faux when a deal was reached in the Senate and Hannity and Coulter were together

whining about how this is the end of America as we know it, it's the beginning of Socialism, get ready to be a 3rd world country, it's NOT a good day, etc. I could've watched that all night. Almost.

[eleny]

71. "I could've watched that all night. Almost."

I know what you mean! This morning I was going around the radio dial and listened to a few minutes of Gallagher griping about Obama's press conference answers being too long. It proved he wasn't ready to lead. Oh, brother. There was a time I couldn't listen to Gallagher's voice. But this morning it made me laugh. Schadenfreude.

[jenmito]

53. I'M happy because Hannity and Coulter are miserable. n/t

[Phoonzang]

57. Great so now can we move on to the next disaster we can pull our hair out over? nt

[Dawgs]

60. Exactly.

:hi:

[eleny]

65. Fasten your seat belt!

:hi:

[Phx_Dem]

63. Great news! Now McCain, Kyle and the rest of the obstructionists

are left in the cold looking like the jerks that they are.

Even though I live in Arizona, I think any state who's elected representatives ALL voted no on the simulus should not get a dime. Further, the percentage of stimulus money a state receives should be based on how many of its elected reps voted for the stimulus. Fair is fair and if the state's citizens don't like that, they can remember it when their representatives are up for re-election. Life's a bitch. Keep electing stupid, obstructionists who don't give a shit about helping the economy and pay the price.

[FatDave]

66. I kinda like that.

Or "OK, you want us to cut out some spending? We'll cut it from your state."

[Phx_Dem]

67. Yep, why force taxpayer money down their throats if they don't it?

Plenty of other cities want it and can use it.

[Thrill]

68. CNN is reporting Pelosi hasn't signed off on this yet. Still working on it

There is a reason no House Members were at the Presser

[HOLOS]

69. Praying it Helps