A Couple of Victories in the Senate Today

[kerrygoddess]

Okay, very busy day today in the Senate... and we actually won a couple! The news is twittering about the Smithc -Bingaman amendment that appears to be slap in Bush's face by 7 Repub's including the one who co-sponsored the bill...

A Couple of Victories in the Senate Today

We are fighting an uphill battle in the Senate, but with a little faith and some hope, we can always look to find something to light up the darkness. We had a few of those lights shine today in the Senate that we should take a moment to be thankful for.

The Smith-Bingaman Amendment passed today by a narrow margin, but it’s heartening to see some bipartisanship in a stacked leadership. The Smith-Bingaman Amendment strikes Bush’s proposal to cut $15 billion from Medicaid funding. The Smith-Bingaman Amendment was co-sponsored by John Kerry. In a statement today about the amendment, John Kerry said, “We won an important victory today for Americans who need a voice in Washington. In a bipartisan vote, the Senate stuck up for the poor children, pregnant women, seniors and people with disabilities who are served by Medicaid.”

AP News reported that “The Senate delivered a slap at President Bush and its own Republican leaders Thursday by voting to erase his plans for cutting Medicaid, community development, school aid and other parts of next year's $2.6 trillion budget.” On NPR a while ago I heard that the passing of this bill definitely puts a damper on Bush’s plans for having it his way.

More & Links - http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/default.asp?view=plink&id=572

[HockeyMom]

1. Thanks

I needed that today.

[Geek_Girl]

2. There have been quite a few victories recently

The Clear Skies Act was stalled as well. Bush is loosing ground on Social Security and now this. I think Democrats need to spotlight their victories more often.

[Clarkie1]

3. The senate restored the programs, but took away the money to pay for them.

In a surprise, the Senate also voted to practically double the budget's tax cuts to $134 billion over the next five years, even more than Bush and the more conservative House have sought.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2005/03/17/national/w111430S76.DTL

Let's see, $134 billion in tax cuts, at least $200 billion for Iraq war (and rising) equals $334 billion, and the House leaders chide the senate leaders for not clamping down more on spending at a time of massive federal deficits.

"I'm not real pleased with what I'm hearing the Senate say" with its votes on spending, said House Budget Committee Chairman Jim Nussle, R-Iowa. He said he was looking forward to seeing what the Senate would "limp off the floor with."

"Bush proposed $51 billion in five-year savings from benefit programs, also including farm, veterans, student loans and other areas. The House wants $69 billion in such reductions and the Senate $17 billion following Thursday's Medicaid vote."

So, let's review.

$134 in new tax-cut spending plus unecessary war spending equals $334 billion in Republican waste.

Republican leadership proposes anywhere from $17 billion to $69 billions in cuts to elderly, students, farmers, and veterans in order to be what, FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE?

It's pathetic beyond description.

[cestpaspossible]

5. Anything we can do to make the House and Senate budgets

difficult to reconcile, is a plus. It would be one way to snatch victory from the jaws of yesterday's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge defeat.

[kerrygoddess]

6. It does appear they will have a tough time

The House and Senate are totally off on stuff too which makes it worse to get it reconciled...

"The Senate delivered a slap at President Bush and its own Republican leaders Thursday by passing a $2.6 trillion budget erasing his plans for cutting Medicaid, community development and school aid." - http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7221160/

[Carolab]

7. Right. Think it's deliberate? n/t

[kerrygoddess]

8. No ... there's more Repub's in the House

There's a big need to change that in '06!

[ewagner]

4. We won one..look out for the spin

Bush will spin the crap out of this to make it look like the Democrats (we) are "busting the bank" ....not fiscally responsible....

We had better be tooting our own horns loud and fast about how we "saved" grandma's medicare!!!