By fitsnews – October 11, 2011
Forget the Republican-controlled House … U.S. President Barack Obama’s so-called “jobs” plan couldn’t even make it through the Democratic-controlled U.S. Senate.
Obama’s $447 billion “second stimulus” fell nine votes shy of receiving the sixty votes it needed to overcome a Republican filibuster.
Two Democrats – Nebraska’s Ben Nelson (of “Cornhusker Kickback” fame) and Jon Tester of Montana – joined all forty-six Republicans in opposing the measure. Another Democrat – Barbara Boxer of California – did not vote. Meanwhile two other Democrats – Virginia’s Jim Webb and West Virginia’s Joe Manchin – opposed the legislation but joined their colleagues in voting to allow it to the floor, as did Independent Joe Lieberman.
What was in Obama’s plan?
Well, it included an extension of existing payroll tax relief ($175 billion) – something we don’t necessarily oppose, but which clearly hasn’t stimulated the economy.
Obama’s plan also included a $55 billion extension of long-term unemployment benefits – another perpetuation of the status quo that has proven unable to stimulate the economy.
Beyond these items, Obama’s plan proposed pumping another $105 billion in borrowed money into public schools and another $60 billion into “infrastructure” projects.
You know … since such “stimulus” efforts have worked wonders in the past.
Nonetheless, Obama continued to beat the populist, class warfare drum in support of his proposals – pleading on behalf of the state and local governments that have already blown through billions of “stimulus” funds.
“In the coming days, members of Congress will have to take a stand on whether they believe we should put teachers, construction workers, police officers and firefighters back on the job,” Obama said in a statement. “Because with so many Americans out of work and so many families struggling, we can’t take ‘no’ for an answer.”
Actually, when it comes to this pile of crap “yes we can,” dude. “Yes we can.”
Obama enjoyed two years in the White House during which a socialist-controlled U.S. Congress gave him everything he asked for – and he asked for a lot. In fact, he’s asked for more than $1 trillion in deficit spending every year he’s been in Washington.
Oh, and Obama also voted for all of the “stimulus” spending of his predecessor – one of many people he continues to blame for the sorry state of our economy.
In passing his first “stimulus” two-and-a-half years ago, Obama’s administration pledged that the plan would keep America’s unemployment rate below 8 percent. Unfortunately, that rate has remained above 8 percent for the last thirty-one months (and above 9 percent for 26 of the last 31 months).
OBAMA “JOBS” PLAN ROLL CALL VOTE
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