Republicans had a grand scheme to blackmail America by attaching a provision to strip a $1 billion loan guarantee program for fuel efficient hybrid cars to the continuing resolution to temporarily fund the government in the absence of a budget. Democrats held the line against it, and John Boehner, aka, could not control his own party. The measure failed.
The threat of a government shutdown intensified as the House surprised its Republican leadership and rejected a bill to fund the government that required cuts in programs to pay for aid for victims of Hurricane Irene and other disasters.
The legislation was narrowly defeated Wednesday after a tense afternoon of vote counting. Conservatives voted against the bill because they thought its spending level was too high, and Democrats rejected it because of the requirement for cuts.
The spending bill is needed to keep the government running through Nov. 18; current spending authority stops at the end of September.
House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) had hoped to avoid another budget battle in the wake of the summer’s debt ceiling fight and a near-shutdown of the government in April that caused voters to sour on Republicans and Democrats in Congress.
The rebuke gives new currency to Senate Democrats’ efforts to fund disaster aid without cuts elsewhere. Congress has just days to resolve the impasse as lawmakers are expected to recess Friday for the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashana next week.
"They’re threatening to shut down the government to get what they want," Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.), the majority leader, said of the GOP-led House.
House Republican leaders huddled late Wednesday to consider their options. It is unlikely they will be able to persuade their right flank to support a bill with spending levels higher than they want. Instead, Boehner will probably be forced to rely on Democrats for votes… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <LA Times>
The spending levels, that the InsaniTEA wing of the party thinks are too high, are the spending levels already agreed to when Democrats caved-in the last time Republicans committed economic terrorism. In short, they are reneging on the agreement they already made.
The solution for Agent Orange is simple. Take out the blackmail, and the continuing resolution will pass with bipartisan support.
14 Responses to “Republican budget blackmail fails”
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Here we go again!
I think they will have to get a clean resolution out there so the Dems will vote for it. Otherwise the Insani-Tea will prevail.
I agree.
This idiocy will not stop until constituents wake up and realize how much their “heroes” are screwing them over. Until then we all get to just suck it.
And we get ti inform, inform, inform!
These callous and inhuman bastards will pay for their unscrupulous political maneuverings BIG TIME in the next election, and rightfully so!
From Pope Jack’s mouth to God’s ear!!
Well, Boner, how is that big gavel Speaker of the House thingy working for ya?
LMAO!!
The graphic says it all! The GOP is screwing with the heartland of America, the everyday people that work to support family and communities. If the polls noted in today’s Open Thread remain the same or go up in favour of the Democrats, look out John Boehner because the unemployment line is getting closer.
“… Boehner will probably be forced to rely on Democrats for votes… ” but hopefully he won’t get them. Boehner has to realise that ‘gi’me, gi’me never gets.’ He has to play nice in the sandbox or he’ll get kicked out. He is such a repulsive twit. How ever did he get elected?
Congress has just days to resolve the impasse as lawmakers are expected to recess Friday for the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashana next week. I have a question — Why is the government taking a recess for Rosh Hashana? This is a holiday in Israel, but why the US? If members of congress who are Jewish want to celebrate the holiday, fine. But to have the whole Congress come to a grinding halt seems ludicrous.
I think Boehner will cave.
A boner cave!
LOL!
“Congress has just days to resolve the impasse as lawmakers are expected to recess Friday for the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashana next week.” Yeah, they need the extra day for some AIPAC ass-kissing.
It’s one they have taken for decades, because many legislators are Jewish.