So Scott Brown crossed the aisle to support the Democrats’ $15 billion jobs package. For this, the tea party crowd is up in arms and is preparing to oppose him in his reelection bid.
So let’s examine what Scott Brown did here. He supported a bill that was dominated by tax incentives and highway spending. Tax incentives which only kick in upon hiring and road spending that, while it only creates temporary jobs, leaves behind a road!
I’ve argued consistently against the government’s ability to create jobs. But I also recognize that elected officials will not sit on their hands and ride out times of trouble. So if you allow for the certainty that Democrats facing re-election were definitely passing a jobs bill, this is the best jobs bill they could have passed. And it was less than 20% the size of the bipartisan bill.
So while the Democrats have exposed their “bipartisanship” chatter as just talk, there is no reason to attack Scott Brown (or any of the other three who voted for cloture) for supporting this bill.
If the GOP actually becomes the obstructionist party that the Democrats claim they are, much will be lost. There are a lot of bills worth the effort to stop in their tracks. This wasn’t one.
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Tea partiers/conservatives got what they voted for. I tried to tell them, but would they listen? Nooooo.
I told them to listen to the vast wisdom of the Pandora, but…
I for one am not surprised at this vote, and am a little dismayed at some of the vitriol directed at Sen. Brown. I supported his campaign, but knew that we would not be getting (nor did I want) a right-wing conservative. It is MA, after all.
I would rather have Sen. Brown 50% of the time than Sen. Coackley 0% of the time. These are the compromises we will have to make if we want to get anywhere.
Senator Brown did what he said he would from the start. He said he wouldn’t always vote with the Republican Party, and now he is being true to that promise. I don’t like his choice to vote for the “jobs” package, I don’t think it is a good peice of legislation or a good solution to our problems, but I am still glad that he was elected.
Believe it or not, people that pay attention to Glenn Beck would have known this was coming and taken it in stride like I did. It isn’t news major news, any more than Senator Carper’s or Kauffman’s votes were. Senator Brown is doing HIS job for HIS state, and I think his performance has been respectable so far.
I don’t understand the opposition to this legislation. I would have found it too timid. Tax incentives and infrastructure do help growth. The problem with it is that it is too small and targeted.
Brown was elected to be that 41st vote against health deform. He was not elected to oppose a jobs tax credit in a recession. Somehow, I do not think that he has anything to fear from someone who would make that a rallying cry in his next election.
Brown won’t be were I want him to be, but I bet that he will be there 70% of the time if his state record translates to the national. He will oppose socialism. He will be for more restraint fiscally. He will favor conscience clauses and oppose abortion funding. He will support conservative appointments. He will favor traditional marriage. He will oppose tax hikes. He will favor a strong national defense.
He is a great improvement over Ted Kennedy or Martha Coakley. It is much better to have a C student than a low F student. That has to apply to the Senate as well.
The problem is that a segment of movement would only be statisfied with Ron Paul and maybe Tom Coburn. Ronald Reagan would not have been acceptable. They will not get elected in MA or maybe even DE, today statewide. There is a point that we do not need to cross. Not filibustering every bill is vital to allowing the senate to work. If we do it, when we get control, they will. The filibuster should be used for serious issues. Is this not paid for by other cuts. I agree with Dave. This seems silly to even get upset about. That is why I didn’t even cover it. I was more interested in the Canadian official (Newfoundland’s Labor Primer).
A Canadian Labor party leader coming to America for medical care is big news. I would suggest that the engaged opposition keep its eye on the ball. Stop health deform.
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