Priceless: GOP asks Hoyer for aid on budget vote

[jefferson_dem]

GOP asks Hoyer for aid on budget vote
By: John Bresnahan

April 14, 2011 01:55 PM EDT

Fearing failure of a landmark budget deal that averted a government shutdown, House GOP leaders have sought help from Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and top Democrats on the Appropriations Committee to pass the measure.

House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) contacted Hoyer on Wednesday and asked for his help, said GOP and Democratic sources.

McCarthy’s outreach to Hoyer shows how much opposition Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) has run into convincing his own GOP Conference to support the deal with President Barack Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.). The agreement would cut $38 billion from government spending levels projected when Republicans took over the House in January, but the impact on spending between now and the end of this fiscal year is minimal, amounting to only $352 million by Sept. 30.

Hoyer may be able to bring 40 to 80 Democratic votes for the measure. Hoyer was handing out “whipping cards” on the floor early Thursday afternoon, Democratic aides said.

Rep. Norm Dicks (D-Wash.), ranking member on the Appropriations Committee, is also backing Hoyer’s effort, according to Democratic lawmakers and aides.

Neither Hoyer nor McCarthy’s office would comment on their conversation. Hoyer has now come out in favor of the budget deal.

<SNIP>

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0411/53207.html

[DrToast]

1. They want our votes? Attach the debt ceiling vote to it.*

*

[zipplewrath]

3. I was thinking the same thing

Get something for scaring up the votes. Doesn't even have to be something big. Extend the 99'ers to 100 or something.

[daa]

4. Me too Get something from those turds nt

[calimary]

6. And demand that they call us by our party's proper name. It's the Democratic Party.

Not the Democrat Party or the Democrat budget or the Democrat president or the Democrat Congress or the Democrat caucus or the Democrat Bill. It's the Democratic (fill in the blank here).

After all, they make themselves look like they're uneducated - they don't understand or never learned proper English grammar, so they'd be able to tell the difference between nouns and adjectives, for example.

I would ABSOLUTELY extract some sort of quid pro quo from boner. Squeeze as much blood out of that blood-orange face as possible!

[rufus dog]

7. I like the way you think

There is only one way to negotiate with assholes.

When they feel they have the upper hand they always push for a win/lose resolution. If you have to take it once, you take it and move on, when the shoe is on the other foot you rip thier fucking heart out and let them know if they ever pull the shit again you will get your chance and you won't be reluctant to rip thier hart out again. It is the only thing they can comprehend.

[polichick]

9. Absolutely - never give them anything for free!

[Proud Liberal Dem]

2. Ha-ha!!!!

:rofl:

Not only did they not get any of their "riders" added to the budget bill, not only are the actual cuts substantially lower than promised, but now they have to rely on the *Democrat Party* to get the compromise budget bill passed. You're right, it is incredibly priceless! Good way for Boehner to learn a little humility there.
:nopity:

[former9thward]

8. You seem to think riders that affect DC don't count.

DC is prohibited of using any local money for abortions and a school voucher rider for DC was added in the bill. DC is part of this country last I looked.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

12. I must confess I missed those. That sucks.

I don't know about what the school vouchers entails but how is DC using local money for abortions? Does the funding for the district come from Congress? If it does, then that would run afoul of the Hyde Amendment, right? I had no idea DC had even been able to use local money to fund abortions? :shrug:

All in all, it still sounds like we won far more than we lost and Boehner's the one who's going to have to answer to the teabaggers (which can only be fun to watch).

[Recursion]

14. We get some money from Congress

And that always comes with strings. The riders aren't part of that, though; they're based on the Constitutional provision that gives Congress full legislative authority over the District, a provision that needs to be amended (and give us voting representation in Congress, while you're at it, please).

[flpoljunkie]

5. House vote on budget coming up about 2:30. Hoyer just he's voting for it.

Guess Boehner needed his vote-- and other Dems.

[Ikonoklast]

10. Guess that imaginary Teabagger rift within the Republican ranks isn't quite so imaginary.

Looks like Boner has lost control of his membership.


Hmmm.


I wonder if Cantor will use this vote against Boner in his next bid to be Speaker.

[polichick]

11. So the people who made the deal so sucky aren't even voting for it? Let's renegotiate.

[Recursion]

13. This means a primary challenge for Boehner

He can probably win, but it will be fun to watch.