Hoyer's right. Don't play GOP's cheap political game on the 'clean' debt limit vote.

[flpoljunkie]

Emphasis mine. Vote scheduled in the House today for 6:30PM.

Steny Hoyer Slams GOP’s ‘Political Charade,’ Urges Dems To Vote Down ‘Clean’ Debt Limit Increase
Benjy Sarlin
May 31, 2011, 2:40PM

House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) is urging his colleagues to vote down today's "clean" debt limit extension to deprive the GOP of a political win, even though he and the majority of his caucus publicly favor the legislation.

His advice underscores the topsy-turvy politics of Tuesday's upcoming vote on a Republican-sponsored bill that would raise the ceiling on government borrowing without tacking on any spending cuts or additional riders. While the legislation is exactly what most Democrats want to see pass, Republicans are bringing it to the floor with the expectation that it will fail -- likely with unanimous GOP opposition. The point of the vote is to divide progressive and conservative Democrats and bolster Republican arguments that major cuts are needed to successfully pass a debt ceiling hike.

Hoyer is warning his colleagues not to be "politically gamed" by Republicans and instead to either vote "no" or "present" to deprive the vote of any legitimacy. He told reporters in a briefing on Tuesday that if the bill is "simply a political charade in which the overwhelmingly majority or all Republicans are going to vote no, I'm going to advise my members that they should not subject themselves to the demagoguery that would surely follow."

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/05/steny-hoyer-slams-gops-political-charade-urges-dems-to-vote-down-clean-debt-limit-increase.php?ref=fpa

[Parker CA]

1. Sound advice. Fug the pugs.

[flpoljunkie]

2. The House is now 'debating' prior to the vote. Rep. Sandy Levin just finished speaking.

[avebury]

3. K&R

[rfranklin]

4. Can they just refuse to vote?

Let the Republicans play with themselves?

[flpoljunkie]

5. Politically, not really. Hoyer is advising they vote no or present.

[madmom]

6. This seems like a stunt to get the dems with a gotcha vote like they had with the ryan bill.

[flpoljunkie]

7. That's exactly what it is. Watch live on C-Span. Hoyer just spoke. He was great!

Hoyer urger Democrats to vote no on this political charade!

http://www.cspan.org/Live-Video/C-SPAN/

[flpoljunkie]

8. Pelosi now speaking.

[flpoljunkie]

9. She appears to be urging a no vote, as well.

[flpoljunkie]

10. Votes due to take place at 6:30--or momentarily. Debt ceiling vote will apparently be last.

[DCBob]

11. Good strategic vote.. the GOPers can't really do any good with this if the Dems dont play along..

with this non-sense.

edit: fixed typo.

[Diamonique]

12. I'm feeling a little clueless.

I know the Rethugs are gonna vote no on this bill. But I don't understand why the Dems are being urged to vote no. Why shouldn't they vote yes on a bill they like even though they know the Rethugs are gonna vote it down?

I don't get it.

[DCBob]

13. If the Dems all vote for this then the GOPers will say Dems dont care about fixing the deficit..

they just want to spend, spend, spend.

Its a bit of a tough position for the Democrats but I think a no or present vote is smart... in this situation.

[flpoljunkie]

14. I agree. 97 Dems voted to raise the debt ceiling cleanly. All R's voted no, of course.

[DCBob]

15. how many voted no or present?

thanks!

[flpoljunkie]

16. Here you go, from The Hill--a video capture of the vote. Nine Dem present votes, 83 no votes.

House torpedos unconditional raise to debt ceiling
By Russell Berman

05/31/11 07:19 PM ET

The House overwhelmingly voted down an unconditional increase to the $14.3 trillion debt limit Tuesday, as the Republican majority delivered a symbolic rebuke to President Obama ahead of a meeting at the White House.

The vote was 318-97, with 82 Democrats joining every Republican in rejecting legislation that would have authorized $2.4 trillion in additional borrowing by the federal government. Seven Democrats voted present on the legislation.

House Republicans scheduled the vote, which occurred after the close of the American markets, to demonstrate to Senate Democrats and the White House that Congress would not increase the debt limit without significant spending cuts and reforms.

The lopsided result was expected after Vice President Biden began bipartisan negotiations on a long-term debt-reduction plan, essentially acceding to the GOP demand that an increase in the debt ceiling be paired with fiscal reforms.

http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/house/164067-house-torpedos-unconditional-raise-to-debt-ceiling

[DCBob]

17. Thanks.. i guess that's a hung jury.

;)

[flpoljunkie]

20. Luke Russert said the Dem yes votes were from safe districts. Pelosi voted no with Hoyer, Clyburn.

[Lasher]

19. I don't. Why can't Democrats just be Democrats?

The Democratic President wanted a clean bill, raising the debt ceiling with no conditions - just like it was routinely raised without contention all during the GWB years. Why can't Democrats vote to support their President on this important vote? It's not smart to take a stand with Republicans against the bill. It's stupid.

All this preoccupation with the national debt that Republicans ran up is an inside-the-beltway Republican thing meant to hamstring the Obama presidency. We actual Americans are more interested in good paying jobs than we are in deficit reduction. We want taxes raised on the wealthy instead of gutting Medicare and Social Security. Why can't Democrats just be Democrats? It's a winning play with the voters. Not so much with rich campaign donors, I guess.

[flpoljunkie]

22. I agree. Obama needs to lead here. First economic recovery, then worry about long term deficit.

[kelly1mm]

18. Can someone explain this a little better for me. The President asked

for a vote on a clean bill. That is what was up for vote. The Democratic leadership argued against it????? Even so, about 1/2 of Democrats in the House voted for it????? Now the r's get to put their "real" version out there with massive cuts in order to increase the debt limit. I am really confused on what is the Democratic plan/end game?? The Senate cannot increase the debt limit on it's own. The House needs to pass something. Is there a plan?

[flpoljunkie]

21. That was months ago. Biden is working on deal to raise debt ceiling and cut budget.Obama's meeting

with Republicans right now. Luke Russert said earlier on MSNBC the 97 Dems who voted for the Republican bill to raise the debt limit cleanly are in safe blue districts. How cynical for Republicans to bring this up for a vote and then all vote no. It was a supreme political stunt. They hoped to be able to use it against Dems in 2012, but that will be hard when the Dems who voted for it are in essentially safe blue districts. Shame on the Republicans--total lackeys for big business!

[Nancy Waterman]

23. Dems should vote yes on this

And stand for what needs to be done, not gaming. They should make their message clear:


If the economy crashes because the Republicans refuse to raise the debt ceiling, it will be the Republican's fault.

Time to go on offense and put the GOP on the defensive. Right now the narrative is about who is serious about the deficit. it needs to change to question who is serious about not crashing the economy.