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October 20, 2005
THE SENATE HAS REJECTED THE COBURN AMENDMENTS: Mark Tapscott opines:
It appears the majority of senators think it is more important to shelter dogs and cats in Rhode Island than people in Louisiana and Mississippi made homeless by Hurricane Katrina.
Indeed. So what's a Republican Senate for, exactly?
UPDATE: Via email from Coburn's office, a correction: Those were different amendments, to the same effect. The "Bridge to Nowhere" amendment is coming up shortly. I imagine it will fail too -- though I'd love to be wrong -- but I hope that this Senate action will get a lot of attention.
Meanwhile, Patty Murray is threatening people over the Coburn cuts.
I predict a revival of interest in term limits and a balanced budget amendment. But at least we've got their attention.
ANOTHER UPDATE: Tapscott has updated with a list of how Senators voted, and observes about Patty Murray's threats: "Getting that defensive this quick is probably an indication of just how scared the Big Spenders in both political parties are that the Coburnites will succeed."
MORE: Reader Monte Meyer emails:
Just after I read your blog on the Coburn Amendments' failure, I received a phone call - AT MY OFFICE (a church) - from the Republican National Committee thanking me for my past support and asking for more money for some critical election in Florida.
I interrupted them and said "You won't get one thin dime from me, until you do something about the pork. I called my Republican Senator's (Coleman) office a couple weeks ago to talk about Pork - but barely received a response. Now they rejected the Coburn amendment. Where is the fiscally responsible Republican party I helped to elect? You won't get any more money from me until it changes."
They said they took down my comments, and thanked me. Probably nothing will happen - but at least it made me feel better - for 8 or 9 seconds.
If enough people do the same, I guarantee you that something will happen.
MORE STILL: Andrew Stuttaford writes:
It's interesting to see the identities of the thrifty thirteen who voted for the Coburn amendments. Only one Democrat broke ranks to do so, Russ Feingold. Good for him. Of the possible Republican presidential candidates McCain and Allen voted for Coburn. Frist voted against, showing, perhaps, that he's set on running as an 'establishment' candidate. In the current mood of the country (and the rank-and-file GOP) that does not look like a wise move.
I agree. Sadly, Kos's prediction that Democrats would vote with Coburn turned out to be incorrect. But Kos is hammering the Democrats
It's embarrassing that Feingold was the only Democrat voting for it. What a great way to show the country that Democrats are the party of fiscal responsibility. Sheez... This is becoming a gross failure by both parties and the institution of government.
Yes, it is. I also agree with Kos when he says: "Those who voted against these amendments have zero credibility on issues of fiscal responsibility. Zero. And by the way, Feingold is starting to look really good for '08."
posted at 01:31 PM by Glenn Reynolds
Here's how each senator voted. A Yea vote was to kill the Coburn amendments:
Grouped By Vote Position
YEAs ---86
Akaka (D-HI)Alexander (R-TN)Allard (R-CO)Baucus (D-MT)Bayh (D-IN)Bennett (R-UT)Biden (D-DE)Bingaman (D-NM)Bond (R-MO)Boxer (D-CA)Brownback (R-KS)Bunning (R-KY)Burns (R-MT)Byrd (D-WV)Cantwell (D-WA)Carper (D-DE)Chafee (R-RI)Chambliss (R-GA)Clinton (D-NY)Cochran (R-MS)Coleman (R-MN)Collins (R-ME)Conrad (D-ND)Cornyn (R-TX)Craig (R-ID)Crapo (R-ID)Dayton (D-MN)DeWine (R-OH)Dodd (D-CT)
Dole (R-NC)Domenici (R-NM)Dorgan (D-ND)Durbin (D-IL)Enzi (R-WY)Feinstein (D-CA)Frist (R-TN)Grassley (R-IA)Gregg (R-NH)Harkin (D-IA)Hatch (R-UT)Hutchison (R-TX)Inhofe (R-OK)Inouye (D-HI)Isakson (R-GA)Jeffords (I-VT)Johnson (D-SD)Kennedy (D-MA)Kerry (D-MA)Kohl (D-WI)Landrieu (D-LA)Lautenberg (D-NJ)Leahy (D-VT)Levin (D-MI)Lieberman (D-CT)Lincoln (D-AR)Lott (R-MS)Lugar (R-IN)Martinez (R-FL)
McConnell (R-KY)Mikulski (D-MD)Murkowski (R-AK)Murray (D-WA)Nelson (D-FL)Nelson (D-NE)Obama (D-IL)Pryor (D-AR)Reed (D-RI)Reid (D-NV)Roberts (R-KS)Rockefeller (D-WV)Salazar (D-CO)Santorum (R-PA)Sarbanes (D-MD)Schumer (D-NY)Shelby (R-AL)Smith (R-OR)Snowe (R-ME)Specter (R-PA)Stabenow (D-MI)Stevens (R-AK)Thomas (R-WY)Thune (R-SD)Vitter (R-LA)Voinovich (R-OH)Warner (R-VA)Wyden (D-OR)
NAYs ---13
Allen (R-VA)Burr (R-NC)Coburn (R-OK)DeMint (R-SC)Ensign (R-NV)
Feingold (D-WI)Graham (R-SC)Hagel (R-NE)Kyl (R-AZ)McCain (R-AZ)
Sessions (R-AL)Sununu (R-NH)Talent (R-MO)
Not Voting - 1
Corzine (D-NJ)
Coburn Amendment, on the floor
by kos
Thu Oct 20, 2005 at 0246 PM PDT
The Club for Growth blog is tracking the debate over the Coburn amendment that would cancel the Bridge to Nowhere and Don Young Way and use that $454 million for New Orleans reconstruction.
It's a pretty heated debate. Sen. Ted Stevens has threatened to resign if the amendment passes.
Honestly, there's no reason for any Democrat to vote against this amendment.
Another earlier Coburn amendment to revoke pork projects in Rhode Island, Washington State, and Nebraska, for a total of $1.5 million in savings, was rejected. Those voting for the Amendment:
George Allen (R-VA)
Richard Burr (R-NC)
Tom Coburn (R-OK)
Jim DeMint (R-SC)
John Ensign (R-NV)
Russ Feingold (D-WI)
Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
Chuck Hagel (R-NE)
Jon Kyl (R-AZ)
McCain (R-AZ)
Jeff Sessions (R-AL)
John Sununu (R-NH)
Jim Talent (R-MO)
It's embarrassing that Feingold was the only Democrat voting for it. What a great way to show the country that Democrats are the party of fiscal responsibility. Sheez...
Update: FYI, the reason senators would vote against these amendments is because if any of them pass, it puts every single pork project in their own states in danger. What Coburn has done is allowed a challenge to every single pork line item. As well as it should be. Let each project stand on its own.
Update: Roll call is over, and the amendment failed 15-82. This is becoming a gross failure by both parties and the institution of government.
Voting Yes:
Allard (R)
Allen (R)
Bayh (D)
Burr (R)
Coburn (R)
Conrad (D)
DeMint (R)
DeWine (R)
Feingold (D)
Graham (R)
Kyl (R)
Landrieu (D)
Sessions (R)
Sununu (R)
Vitter (R)
Update II: It was easier to keep tally of the meager few "yes" votes than write in the tons of senators which put the politics of personal pork above the national interest. A $223 million bridge serving 50 people was more important to these people than rebuilding storm-battered New Orleans.
Simply unconscionable. Those who voted against these amendments have zero credibility on issues of fiscal responsibility. Zero.
And by the way, Feingold is starting to look really good for '08.
Kathianne said:Update and commentary by, 'dare I say it...' Kos:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/10/20/172146/11
rcajun90 said:That's unbelievable. The only thing I can think of is she is trying to make a I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine deal. It still doesn't make much sense. It is certainly a slap in the face to Louisiana. Unbelievable.
theim said:This is certainly not good news, but saying the GOP shot itself dead is perhaps overreacting. I could probably tally the percentage of Americans who have heard of the Coburn ammendment on both hands.
Kathianne said:Hey, I have Durbin. I feel for ya!
