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ProSense

(116,464 posts)
Sat Jul 27, 2013, 12:25 PM Jul 2013

Republicans are blocking $100 billion in immediate infrastructure spending.

The Senate Democrats' budget includes $100 billion in infrastructure spending.

<...>

The budget includes $100 billion of immediate infrastructure spending designed to boost the economy and raise $975 billion over the next decade through tax reform, which would eliminate various loopholes and tax expenditures.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2013/03/senate-passes-budget-after-all-night-debate.php


Republicans have been blocking this budget for more than 120 days as of today. This was early July.

Republican Obstruction Of Budget Process Hits 100th Day

By Alan Pyke

Monday marks 100 days since the Senate passed a budget amid bipartisan praise of the open process. But initial Republican eagerness to work on a budget has given way to the obstructionism that’s defined the Senate minority under Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).

Over the past hundred days, Republicans have blocked 15 separate attempts to go to a budget conference with the House of Representatives. Now that the House and Senate have passed their own versions, each is supposed to appoint representatives to a committee that reconciles them into one bill that can be passed by each body and signed by the president.

The handful of Republicans who are blocking a conference on the 2014 budget cite a variety of reasons, including fears that the conference agreement would include a deal preventing another debt ceiling crisis. Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Mike Lee (R-UT), and Marco Rubio (R-FL) have insisted that the conferees be barred from addressing the debt ceiling, which needs to be increased by this fall to avoid a catastrophic default on U.S. obligations. McConnell, who has praised the use of the debt ceiling as a pressure point for extracting spending cuts despite the tactic’s negative impact on the nation’s credit rating, is one of many prominent Republicans who demanded “regular order” on the budget. In January, he called for a speedy budget conference because “that’s how things are supposed to work around here.”

Yet McConnell has joined the Cruz/Paul/Rubio wing of his caucus in blocking progress on the budget over the past 100 days. Spokespeople for the Republican Senate leader did not respond to multiple requests for comment on Monday, but by joining with members like Paul he’s wrapped his arms around the obstructionists’ spin. According to a sign Paul’s staff whipped up for a May floor speech, they’re “Preventing A Back Room Deal To Raise The Debt Limit” and counting the days without budget conferees as a mounting victory.

- more -

http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2013/07/01/2241941/republican-obstruction-of-budget-process-hits-100th-day/


35 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Republicans are blocking $100 billion in immediate infrastructure spending. (Original Post) ProSense Jul 2013 OP
Republicans should change their logo to a collapsed bridge. JaneyVee Jul 2013 #1
Yes, they should. nt ZombieHorde Jul 2013 #27
Maybe Hillary will have better negotiation skills n/t leftstreet Jul 2013 #2
Skills or skin? DevonRex Jul 2013 #8
Two things, he's a democrat and he's a black man madokie Jul 2013 #20
iYep. And he's DevonRex Jul 2013 #24
So true madokie Jul 2013 #26
It's not "spending." It's "Investment." n/t Ian David Jul 2013 #3
Exactly. thank you, Ian Cha Jul 2013 #31
But I thought all Obama had to do was commit and they'd cave. DevonRex Jul 2013 #4
You mean he's *not* a dictator? I thought that was an established fact here. 'It's fucking magic!' freshwest Jul 2013 #6
Wow. The best article ever. Really. DevonRex Jul 2013 #11
I post it just in case someone hasn't seen it. Magick is popular these days. freshwest Jul 2013 #15
"Obama's a Cha Jul 2013 #32
With this new era of privatization. mick063 Jul 2013 #5
K & R Scurrilous Jul 2013 #7
k&r for exposure. n/t Laelth Jul 2013 #9
even tho they have a senate majority democrats allow republicans to control things. sad nt msongs Jul 2013 #10
You ever not give Republicans a pass? great white snark Jul 2013 #14
Buh buh... BumRushDaShow Jul 2013 #12
Kicked and Recommending! sheshe2 Jul 2013 #13
"Obama should just raise the money himself" as one of your "fans" chided you with yesterday. great white snark Jul 2013 #16
"Obama should raise the money himself"?! Cha Jul 2013 #33
If it can't go to their war profiteers, they don't anyone to get it. nt valerief Jul 2013 #17
K&R!!! Thanks for posting!!!! hue Jul 2013 #18
K&R flamingdem Jul 2013 #19
Mean while our cars are falling to pieces after hitting the holes in the roads and our sewers are jwirr Jul 2013 #21
Alan Grayson 90-percent Jul 2013 #22
We need to get them out of there! They no longer represent us. Initech Jul 2013 #23
Fine. Let's let the "free market" fund the infrastructure. zbdent Jul 2013 #25
Any reason why Obama cannot counter this by removing every high-level Repub in his Admin? AnotherMcIntosh Jul 2013 #28
It's not going to help. Those Reeps aren't blocking this spending. riqster Jul 2013 #30
how about $100 billion reduction in military spending instead putitinD Jul 2013 #29
GOTV 2014!!!!!!!! Cha Jul 2013 #34
Boink. Scurrilous Jul 2013 #35

DevonRex

(22,541 posts)
8. Skills or skin?
Sat Jul 27, 2013, 12:58 PM
Jul 2013

The GOP is blocking. The GOP is trying to repeal what's already been done. They have not intention of passing anything, according to Boehner.

Gee, I wonder what's different about Obama? Especially since you guys say he's one step to the right of the Koch bros. The GOP ought to be passing everything Obama proposes, since he's so corporate and all.

Or, they should be passing everything he proposes because he's blackmailing them with evil NSA information.

DevonRex

(22,541 posts)
24. iYep. And he's
Sat Jul 27, 2013, 03:12 PM
Jul 2013

obviously not the "evil dictator" of the "evil U.S. Empire" some like to fantasize about.

DevonRex

(22,541 posts)
4. But I thought all Obama had to do was commit and they'd cave.
Sat Jul 27, 2013, 12:37 PM
Jul 2013

You mean that Mother Jones article was silly??

 

mick063

(2,424 posts)
5. With this new era of privatization.
Sat Jul 27, 2013, 12:47 PM
Jul 2013

I think it is worthwhile to question the details of all government spending.

If infrastructure investment is wisely spent, I am 100% behind it. If it amounts to a taxpayer giveaway to corporations collectively fleecing us, I'm against it.

What I am saying is that just appropriating money doesn't go far enough. The corporations that provide the services we collectively pay for must have legitimate government oversight. Remove the government oversight, and soon, federal spending is what the corporatists will be championing. In the future, after the restraints are gone, we will see a big change in the "small government" mantra. Corporate socialism, forced consumerism is the next big step for the corporatists. Folks on DU will be declaring victory as taxpayers feed the coffers of unethical money grubbers.




Having said that, our infrastructure is in dire need of help.

great white snark

(2,646 posts)
14. You ever not give Republicans a pass?
Sat Jul 27, 2013, 01:19 PM
Jul 2013

Are there such things as Libertarian bots? Not accusing you I just figured you'd know.

BumRushDaShow

(129,117 posts)
12. Buh buh...
Sat Jul 27, 2013, 01:12 PM
Jul 2013

there's no such thing as "Congress". The President can haul off and demand that the Treasury print the check right fucking now!!!!!111!!!!! Yeah, that's the ticket!!!!111!111!!1

great white snark

(2,646 posts)
16. "Obama should just raise the money himself" as one of your "fans" chided you with yesterday.
Sat Jul 27, 2013, 01:25 PM
Jul 2013


Frustrating news ProSense.

jwirr

(39,215 posts)
21. Mean while our cars are falling to pieces after hitting the holes in the roads and our sewers are
Sat Jul 27, 2013, 02:23 PM
Jul 2013

failing to hold the storms. We are not doing anything about our energy grid or the need for internet access in rural areas. And as all of you know this is just a small part of the need.

90-percent

(6,829 posts)
22. Alan Grayson
Sat Jul 27, 2013, 02:26 PM
Jul 2013

is using his wits and intelligence to slowly and modestly recraft legislation to be favorable to dems and palatable to repubs. He's getting stuff passed in this era of Repub obstruction and sabotage of our government.

He is reinventing how to be effective in Congress, and without selling out his Congressman with Guts sound bites. Actually, he's not doing too many; Republican Health Plan: Die Quickly, stuff as much as he used to? Probably because he's a big thinker more focused on advancing a progressive agenda than getting unfairly edited in the evening corporate news.

-90% Jimmy

Initech

(100,081 posts)
23. We need to get them out of there! They no longer represent us.
Sat Jul 27, 2013, 03:11 PM
Jul 2013

They represent big wealthy business interests, the billionaires, and the war machine. Time for them to go!

zbdent

(35,392 posts)
25. Fine. Let's let the "free market" fund the infrastructure.
Sat Jul 27, 2013, 03:17 PM
Jul 2013

ha ha ha. toll roads/bridges (especially bridges). Least of the issues. Where are the "free market" businesses going to get the capital to buy the materials needed? Are they going to be able to hire workers to do the work that won't get paid until the company turns a profit on the venture? (If it ever "turns a profit", according to the books that nobody but the company is allowed to see).

No police ... you have to hire your own security. How about that fire department where the guy was begging to pay double the fee that he didn't pay before his house caught fire?

Pure "free market" forces there ...

 

AnotherMcIntosh

(11,064 posts)
28. Any reason why Obama cannot counter this by removing every high-level Repub in his Admin?
Sat Jul 27, 2013, 03:27 PM
Jul 2013

Send them back to their own party.

riqster

(13,986 posts)
30. It's not going to help. Those Reeps aren't blocking this spending.
Sat Jul 27, 2013, 04:59 PM
Jul 2013

The Reeps we have to de-job are the ones who have the power to block Dem policies, or enact Reep policies. None of the rest matter.

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