McConnell Tries to Force Vote on Obama Jobs Plan

[Freddie Stubbs]

Source: Roll Call

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) sought to vote today on President Barack Obama's $447 billion jobs package in hopes of killing it quickly.

"The president is entitled to know where the Senate stands on his proposal," McConnell said, holding up a copy of the plan on the Senate floor. McConnell told reporters he hopes the Senate rejects the package, but noted that Obama has been barnstorming across the country asking for an immediate vote. McConnell was prepared to offer the president's plan as an amendment to a China currency manipulation bill now on the Senate floor, but Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) moved quickly to block that, using a procedural maneuver known as filling the amendment tree to prevent McConnell from offering the proposal.

Reid accused McConnell of playing partisan games and mucking with the bipartisan bill to crack down on Chinese currency manipulation. If Reid does not allow amendments to the currency bill, it may lose its bipartisan backing and fail on the Senate floor.

Reid told reporters that he intends to bring up the jobs bill later in the month, possibly with modifications to how it is paid for.

Read more: http://www.rollcall.com/news/McConnell-Tries-to-Force-Vote-on-Obama-Jobs-Plan-209191-1.html?pos=hln

[kelly1mm]

1. Didn't the President say that congress should pass the jobs bill now? Isn't

this a good thing in that everyone will know if the Senate can pass the bill?

If it passes then all the pressure can be put on the House.

If it fails then we will know at least who is for it and against it.

[SlimJimmy]

2. I see it that way too, but I don't think many here will agree. The onus

will be put on the House if it passes the Senate. And if it doesn't pass, then at least we know who the players are. I say vote.

[kelly1mm]

3. I guess the downside would be if it does not pass the Democratic controlled

Senate then the R's can say that there was bipartisan opposition to the bill or that the President couldn't even get his own party to support it and continue the "Obama is week, impotent, lame-duck" meme.

I can see the danger. I think McConnell must know he has the votes to kill the bill at this time and is trying to set up a situation where Democrats are the ones dragging their feet trying to round up votes. Politics as usual.

[julian09]

7. DINOs gave Republicans control of senate by voting with Gop

against dems. The only advantage Dems have is that sen Reed can schedule votes that the Dinos can vote against.

[Firebrand Gary]

9. This Bill is NOT for show. If pressure is applied the house will have to pass it.

[kelly1mm]

12. If it passes the Senate, pressure would be squarely on the House. So I

guess McConell is doing a good thing by calling for a vote. I think though that McConell knows he has the votes to kill it at this time so is trying to call the President's bluff.

Still an overall good thing in that it puts everyone on the record.

[karynnj]

10. I would bet they know it can't get 60 votes in the Senate

Having the Senate vote first takes the heat off the Republican controlled House who would then say that the DEMOCRATS in the Senate could not pass it - and they would say this if every Democrat voted for it.

This should not be a game, but to some degree it is.

We need to do something, but our government is broken.

[kelly1mm]

13. I don't think it has the votes right now to get to 50, let alone 60. nt

[karynnj]

17. Agreed - that seems to be why Reid (and others) is working with Senators to

see what changes they need to get their votes.

[DallasNE]

21. I Don't Think You Understand

McConnell would attach it as an amendment to an unrelated bill. In other words, he is using it as a poison pill amendment to kill both the bill and the attachment. Reid is right to block it from being attached to another bill in this manner.

[SoapBox]

4. Jellyfish GOPBagger, Chinless Mitch...up to those old Bagger tricks...

I hope to make you, TurtleMitch, a FORMER Senator!!!!!!

[kelly1mm]

6. Didn't the President make a mistake by demanding action before having the votes?

If it is a trick, it is one that the administration set itself up for by demanding action soon. McConell is giving the President what he demanded, a straight up or down vote. What is the trick in that?

I still think it is a good thing. Get everyone on the record.

[AndyTiedye]

8. He Will NEVER Have the Votes

He is fighting for it, as best he can, even though everybody knows it is a losing battle.

That is what you have all been begging him to do, isn't it?


The Repigs control the media, and given that control their "Party of NO" strategy is a winner.
They will not abandon that strategy no matter what O does. Why should they? It is working.

[kelly1mm]

14. Nope, I personally have not begged him to fight losing battles. nt

[red dog 1]

18. "Everybody knows it is a losing battle"?

Who exactly "knows it is a losing battle"?
Who are 'everybody"?
Names, please!

[blackspade]

19. not straight up or down.

Mitch wants to attach it to the China currency bill.

[Muskypundit]

5. The biggest thing thats going on here

Is not trying to block the jobs bill. It is trying to kill the currency manipulation bill. His corporate masters tasked him to destroy that above all. And it looks like he might have just gotten that killed

[Firebrand Gary]

11. So the jobs bill has a currency manipulation component? Really?

[Muskypundit]

15. If you read the article

It says that the rethugs are trying to add a currency manipulation component to the jobs bill. The anti-china bill has bipartisan support except among the elite of the elite politicians, and the jobs bill.... will never pass. So McConnell is trying to kill a bipartisan bill by putting it on a bill that will never pass, so that china may always trade fuck us to death.

I really hope you are not being condescending.

[Firebrand Gary]

16. Hahahah, I don't know you but I lova ya!

I needed that giggle today. No, I was not being condescending, I just had not read the article yet but thank you for the heads up! Go figure on McConnell, I sure hope that we get our ducks in a row and shine a spotlight on his motives.

[Muskypundit]

20. phew thank you

It gets a little hot in here sometimes, sorry for thinking that way lol