Posted by Tina
Pork ruled the day in the House stimulus bill and Republicans declined to go along with it. Seems they learned their lesson after all. The bill passed without a single Republican vote and with eleven Democrats jumping ship as well. They didnt want or need bipartisan support:
House Passes Stimulus Plan Despite G.O.P. Opposition, by Jackie Calmes
** Without a single Republican vote, President Obama won House approval on Wednesday for an $819 billion economic recovery plan as Congressional Democrats sought to temper their own differences over the enormous package of tax cuts and spending. **
** As a piece of legislation, the two-year package is among the biggest in history, reflecting a broad view in Congress that urgent fiscal help is needed for an economy in crisis, at a time when the Federal Reserve has already cut interest rates almost to zero. *** But the size and substance of the stimulus package remain in dispute, as House Republicans argued that it tilted heavily toward new spending instead of tax cuts. *** All but 11 Democrats voted for the plan, and 177 Republicans voted against it. The 244-to-188 vote came a day after Mr. Obama traveled to Capitol Hill to seek Republican backing, if not for the package then on other issues to come. **
And what kind of pork are we talking about?
Economic-stimulus bills allot millions for STD prevention, by Stephen Dinan
** The two sides of Capitol Hill appear to be engaging in a bidding war to see who can put more money toward the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases in its version of the economic stimulus bill. *** The House included $335 million in its package. But the Senate, not to be outdone, provided $400 million in STD spending in its bill. **
Gee doc, you treated one problem but the patients are still sick…wonder how come.