Scott Brown to back Democrats' jobs bill

[MicroBalrog]

Scott Brown to back Democrats' jobs bill

By Ben Pershing
Newly elected Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) will vote to advance Democrats' $15 billion jobs bill Monday evening, breaking with his party and giving Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) one of the two votes he needs to move the measure forward.

Democrats have sought to pressure Brown into backing the measure, pointing out that he captured the late Sen. Edward Kennedy's (D) seat by promising to be an independent voice. With Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) absent following his cancer diagnosis, Democrats need at least two Republican votes to reach the 60 necessary to move to final passage later this week, and so far no other GOP senator has announced plans to support the measure.

"I came to Washington to be an independent voice, to put politics aside, and to do everything in my power to help create jobs for Massachusetts families," Brown said in a statement issued by his office. "This Senate jobs bill is not perfect. I wish the tax cuts were deeper and broader, but I will vote for it because it contains measures that will help put people back to work.

"I was disappointed with the continuation of politics-as-usual in the drafting of this bill, as it was crafted behind closed doors, without transparency and accountability. I hope for improvements in that process going forward. All of us, Republicans and Democrats, have to work together to get our economy back on track. I hope my vote today is a strong step toward restoring bipartisanship in Washington

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2010/02/scott-brown-to-back-democrats.html?wprss=44

Micro Sez: At least he stopped healthcare reform, I suppose?

[taurusowner]

Well so much for that.

[Matthew Carberry]

Yep, he did one thing he thought was right that we disagree with.

Time to hang him in effigy or some nonsense. 

Screw this party line bullcrap and screw the idiots who keep insisting on it.

Both political parties can go straight to hell.

[taurusowner]

I'm not a resident of his state.  But when I vote for Republicans, it's to have them oppose Democrats, not join them.

[Ben]

Other than his opposition to health care, weren't people expecting this from him though? At least that's what I was reading on most of the interwebz politics sites I browse.

In my opinion, this is one of the reasons people do stuff like give Ron Paul the win at CPAC straw polls. They may not buy into the full Libertarian philosophy, but they're sick of Reps and Dems being big machines with slightly different programming. People are sending a message, and neither party is listening.

[HankB]

Most of us who paid any attention at all recognized early on that Brown was far from ideal . . . but the hope is still alive that he'll turn out to be an improvement over what he replaced.

[AZRedhawk44]

I expected it the second he started robo-calling for McCain, rather than backing Tea Party candidates.

He's a tool.

[Balog]

I think anyone who was paying attention saw this coming. Scotty serves to oppose the healthcare bill and remind the powers that be that they aren't safe. That's it. He's a Taxachusett's poli-critter ffs, not Barry Goldwater reborn. Let's take what we can get...

[longeyes]

We've been "taking what we can get" for forty years.  Now look where we are.  Obviously the push-back is going to have to be far more dramatic than just the symbolic gesture of capturing "the Kennedy seat."

[Balog]

We've been "taking what we can get" for forty years.  Now look where we are.  Obviously the push-back is going to have to be far more dramatic than just the symbolic gesture of capturing "the Kennedy seat."

 

If you think MA is going to elect someone who actually supports the values of most of the people on here you're dreaming. Someone like Brown is the best we can hope for.

Now, on a larger scale I agree that we need to stop settling for the infamous lesser evil, but let's be realistic...

[HankB]

If you think MA is going to elect someone who actually supports the values of most of the people on here you're dreaming. Someone like Brown is the best we can hope for.

Now, on a larger scale I agree that we need to stop settling for the infamous lesser evil, but let's be realistic...

Agreed . . . remember, it's the people of Massachusettes who kept re-electing a killer to be their senior senator, I hold NO hope for them to actually elect someone good. "Less bad" really IS the best we can hope for from there. (And that applies to past and possible future Presidential candidate Mitt Romney as well.)

[longeyes]

My point was to not get too carried away by Brown's election.  I'm familiar with Mass. politics, by the way, and, yes, it's better than the usual by a good margin, but the frothy talk of Brown as a possible 2012 candidate is obviously not only premature but delirious.

[Balog]

My point was to not get too carried away by Brown's election.  I'm familiar with Mass. politics, by the way, and, yes, it's better than the usual by a good margin, but the frothy talk of Brown as a possible 2012 candidate is obviously not only premature but delirious.

I've not heard anyone saying anything like that. But then I don't live in CA. You should seriously move to a free state longeyes, I bet it'd improve your outlook on life... 

[AZRedhawk44]

I've not heard anyone saying anything like that. But then I don't live in CA. You should seriously move to a free state longeyes, I bet it'd improve your outlook on life... 

I've heard it.

Mostly from MSM sources that want to try and co-opt a REAL conservative candidate for 2012.  CNN, PMSNBC and so on.

[RocketMan]

I remember being assured on this very board by more than one poster that Brown really was a conservative.  Go figure...

[AZRedhawk44]

I remember being assured on this very board by more than one poster that Brown really was a conservative.  Go figure...

HTG has not chimed in on this thread yet.

So far as I can tell, most of us here digging at Brown are consistent in our digs.

http://www.armedpolitesociety.com/index.php?topic=22697.25

[Perd Hapley]

I think anyone who was paying attention saw this coming. Scotty serves to oppose the healthcare bill and remind the powers that be that they aren't safe. That's it. He's a Taxachusett's poli-critter ffs, not Barry Goldwater reborn. Let's take what we can get...

After this comment, the thread was over.  Some of you just don't know it yet.

The significance of Brown is that he ran as the anti-Obamacare candidate, and he took Ted Kennedy's Senate seat on that platform.  In Massachusetts.  A failure to toe the line on various issues doesn't take that victory away from us, and by "us," I mean anyone who opposes Democratic health deform.  Heck, he could turn around and vote for Obamacare, and his victory would still be a Very Good Sign for our side. 

[Salty1]

This bill was going to pass anyway so why should he vote against it just to toe party lines? Remember that he is from a very liberal state and is only filling in for the remainder of Kennedy's term. Since he will soon have to run again for a full term why get the liberals in Mass screaming for his head? He may just be the smartest person in the senate, voting for what he feels is right for the state he represents rather than be dictated to by a party. Personally I believe moderate candidates are what is needed to get this country back on track...

[AZRedhawk44]

Personally I believe moderate candidates are what is needed to get this country back on track...

 

Yep. 

Half-health care.  Half the additional taxes.  Half the magazine capacity.  Half the 1st amendment.

Yep.  Moderate candidates are the bulwark of unaccountable legislative mediocrity.

[Jamisjockey]

This bill was going to pass anyway so why should he vote against it just to toe party lines? Remember that he is from a very liberal state and is only filling in for the remainder of Kennedy's term. Since he will soon have to run again for a full term why get the liberals in Mass screaming for his head? He may just be the smartest person in the senate, voting for what he feels is right for the state he represents rather than be dictated to by a party. Personally I believe moderate candidates are what is needed to get this country back on track...

Here's a novel idea:
Howabout politicians who worry less about being reelected, and instead focus on upholding thier integrity and word?  Scott Brown was elected on the backs of the Tea Party, and even if the bill would have passed anyway, should vote against it.  Instead, he's slapping them in the face in a bid to be reelected.  Figures.

[Perd Hapley]

Here's a novel idea:
Howabout politicians who worry less about being reelected, and instead focus on upholding thier integrity and word?  

Wrong answer.  A politician should first of all do what the voters want him to do (thereby helping his chances of reelection).  Doing "the right thing," against the will of the voters, has its place but shouldn't be the norm.