Prediction thread: List of swing voters on economic stimulus

[Sam Spade]

I hear that it's Collins and Specter.  Kinda surprised about Specter - this is the type of thing that is likely to inspire Republicans to challenge him.

Just them?  Mm, guess it will scrape by after all, my bad.

It shows that Specter is more worried about the general than the primary - and the stimulus is likely relatively popular in Pennsylvania?

It isn't popular now and it will be even less popular in 6-12 months.  Just wait and see...

[Lunar]

"Relatively" was the key word there

[Sam Spade]

"Relatively" was the key word there

Then it'll move from "relatively" unpopular to "despised".

[Franzl]

So Snowe is really going to vote against this?

[Ronnie]

I am seeing CSpan and SNOWE SUPPORTS THE STIMULUS.

Seeing her speech, Collins has moved from extreme FF to dead neutral in my eyes.

[Sam Spade]

...borrowed from "you-know-who"

[Ronnie]

BREAKING ON CSPAN

REID WILL COMMENCE WEEKEND SESSIONS TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON THE BILL

[Franzl]

BREAKING ON CSPAN

REID WILL COMMENCE WEEKEND SESSIONS TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON THE BILL

what?

[Franzl]

So can someone say whether any vote will be held soon?

If not....time to go to bed.

[Mr. Morden]

Don't Dems just need 59 votes to pass this?

No, the 2/3rds thing rounds upwards, they need 60 for the cloture

It's 3/5ths.  And 3/5ths of 98 is 58.8, which rounds up to 59.  They only need 60 votes if there are 99 or 100 senators there.

[Lunar]

Don't Dems just need 59 votes to pass this?

No, the 2/3rds thing rounds upwards, they need 60 for the cloture

It's 3/5ths.  And 3/5ths of 98 is 58.8, which rounds up to 59.  They only need 60 votes if there are 99 or 100 senators there.

Oops, yeah, brain fart.

Aren't there 99 senators?  TKen is voting

[Mr. Morden]

Don't Dems just need 59 votes to pass this?

No, the 2/3rds thing rounds upwards, they need 60 for the cloture

It's 3/5ths.  And 3/5ths of 98 is 58.8, which rounds up to 59.  They only need 60 votes if there are 99 or 100 senators there.

Oops, yeah, brain fart.

Aren't there 99 senators?  TKen is voting

I was just going off of what you said upthread: "Franken won't be there, and Kennedy probably won't be."

Also, the Politico article you linked to says: "Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) — just tapped by Obama to be the new Commerce secretary — has insisted so far that he will not participate in any more Senate votes, though it would be surprising for him to let the president fail based on this position."

[Lunar]

Oh right, so the magic number is actually 59, great point.  This makes it all the easier for the Democrats.

[Ronnie]

Oh God, I can't believe this is actually going to pass.

The economy is going to the freakin dogs and the Democrats hardly even care.

[Holmes]

Oh God, I can't believe this is actually going to pass.

The economy is going to the freakin dogs and the Democrats hardly even care.

More tax cuts!?

[Lunar]

Oh God, I can't believe this is actually going to pass.

The economy is going to the freakin dogs and the Democrats hardly even care.

You can't believe the Democrats can't get a single Republican vote (all they needed to get to 59) to pass the type of bill that Democratic-leaning economists say we need?

[Lunar]

Oh God, I can't believe this is actually going to pass.

The economy is going to the freakin dogs and the Democrats hardly even care.

More tax cuts!?

OH RLY?

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/stimulus-package/dems-house-gops-stimulus-plan-would-actually-raise-taxes-for-many-americans/

[Ronnie]

It just surprises me that Democrats support this monstrosity so overwhelmingly in the senate.

Republicans are beginning to concede on CSPAN.

[Holmes]

It just surprises me that Democrats support this monstrosity so overwhelmingly in the senate.

Republicans are beginning to concede on CSPAN.

I dunno, I think weatherizing houses, providing alternative energy ressources for buildings in big cities, lowering medical costs, and giving relief to states is really non-monstrous. The only thing that was eff'd badly was the whole infrastructure thing.

And both bills are gonna get revised of course, and I'm sure Obama is gonna be paying attention to it.

[Ronnie]

How the hell are we going to pay for this crap?

[Lunar]

How the hell are we going to pay for this crap?

The way that we pay for everything. The economic arguments have been hashed and rehashed here on the forum and I'm sure you can find some people a lot smarter than you or I defending deficit spending as a way to deal with recession.  In order to do this effectively, of course, you have to plan to pay down that deficit after the recession is over.  I have little confidence in our government to do that.

The #1 thing disappointing for me is the lack of funding of public transportation, which, to me, is the most obvious short-term-intense-payment, long-term-productivity-boost item on the list.  Of course, Collins fought to remove what little of it that there was.

[Matt Damon™]

How the hell are we going to pay for this crap?

End prohibition, end SS, end medicare, end medicaid, actually enforce welfare reform, dismantle the military-industrial complex

[opebo]

How the hell are we going to pay for this crap?

End prohibition, end SS, end medicare, end medicaid, actually enforce welfare reform, dismantle the military-industrial complex

Haha, while you're wishing, why not find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

But as for a practical fantasy, that COULD happen - I say we print it instead of 'borrow' it.  I'm sure this will occur, if not now, later on in the coming decade of depression.