PDA

View Full Version : Republicans block American Jobs Bill 2nd Time



Harpr33t
24 Oct 2011, 08:22pm
Republicans in the US Senate have blocked President Barack Obama's jobs bill in a procedural vote.

Forty-six Republican senators joined with two Democrats to filibuster the $447bn (£287bn) package.

Reacting to the vote, Mr Obama said: "Tonight's vote is by no means the end of this fight."

Republicans oppose the measure citing its spending to stimulate the economy and its tax rise on millionaires. The US unemployment rate is jammed at 9.1%.

The package failed by a vote of 50 to 49, short of the 60 votes it needed to advance in the 100-member Senate.

The president has spent several weeks promoting the jobs bill in a campaign-style tour across the country.
Continue reading the main story
“Start Quote

I think they'll have a hard time explaining why they voted no on this bill - other than the fact that I proposed it”

President Barack Obama

But despite his efforts, he did not pick up a single Republican vote in the Democratic-controlled Senate on Tuesday.

Democrats Ben Nelson of Nebraska and Jon Tester of Montana, facing re-election next year in conservative states, also voted against the measure.

The American Jobs Act includes $175bn in infrastructure spending and aid for local governments to avoid layoffs, as well as Social Security payroll tax cuts for workers and businesses.

Adopting a defiant tone after the vote, Mr Obama said he would work with Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to see that individual proposals in the bill gained a vote as soon as possible.

The president told a union audience earlier in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. "I think they'll have a hard time explaining why they voted no on this bill - other than the fact that I proposed it."

Mr Obama has cited independent economists as estimating the American Jobs Act could create up to 1.9m jobs.
Job seekers line up outside a job fair in Washington state Long queues at jobs fairs, like this one in Washington state, have become a common sight

Analysts say that among the elements of the bill which might be salvaged are a payroll tax cut which Mr Obama wants to extend.

Another part of the package that could that attract bipartisan support could be extending unemployment benefits for the long-term jobless.

But the package's proposals for increased highway spending and aid for cash-strapped states are deemed unlikely to pick up Republican support.

After Tuesday's appearance in Pennsylvania, Mr Obama travelled to Florida for fundraising, and a beer with four unemployed construction workers to discuss jobs.

The president told the group - three pipe-fitters and a plumber - at an Irish pub in downtown Orlando that he was trying to figure out how to help the building industry.

The tradesmen drank Budweiser and Mr Obama had a Guinness as they all toasted: "To more jobs!"

Democrats say that Republicans are more interested in defeating Mr Obama than helping the country recover from the deepest recession since the 1930s.

But Republicans, who back a job-creation agenda focusing on loosening business regulations, say Mr Obama's jobs bill is a re-run of his 2009 stimulus.

Almost 45% of the 14 million jobless Americans have been out of work for six months or more.
75% of the American people support this bill. They blocked this bill mainly because of it raising taxes for people making over 1 million dollars a year. A jobs plan that would put people back to work and boost the economy isn't passing...

Korean Ninja
25 Oct 2011, 05:07am
sad day

PotshotPolka
25 Oct 2011, 07:13am
What'd you expect? Any Republican who voted on this would have his head on a stick thanks to the PACs that witchhunt "RINOs" these days.

Harpr33t
25 Oct 2011, 11:18am
What'd you expect? Any Republican who voted on this would have his head on a stick thanks to the PACs that witchhunt "RINOs" these days.

I like how the Moderates are being pushed aside in the party every other day to make room for people like Bachmann

Tweezy
28 Oct 2011, 12:49pm
I would actually love Barack Oboma if he said "Is it cuz I'm black?"

But yeah, bloody ridiculous, I tend to think the members who voted against his Bill are boycotting him for the next election, you can see it in a years time;

"vote us as we promise to do SOMETHING"

The only reason nothing has really happened is because the Republicans want to get there foot further into the hall way (Excuse my pun)

Jazzyy
28 Oct 2011, 05:27pm
What'd you expect? Any Republican who voted on this would have his head on a stick thanks to the PACs that witchhunt "RINOs" these days.
but this is what obama wants, because when re-elections roll in, he's going to use this as ammunition, he'll keep trying to pass it, making republicans look even worse. the bill name is great, so it's just making the gop look even worse when it hits the news.

feel free to look at front page of fox news, even they tried to avoid commenting, they purposely put their audience in the dark, it's great.