As if we needed further proof that Republicans have absolutely no intention of working with Democrats on anything, they filibustered a bill yesterday that comes straight from their own talking points. The small business lending bill would have given tax breaks and guaranteed loans from small banks to aid small businesses in today's tight credit market.
Every single Republican voted to continue the filibuster, claiming that Democrats wouldn't discuss their own amendments to the bill.
From MSNBC:
Much of the bill had bipartisan support, but Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said Democrats were blocking GOP amendments. Reid said Republican demands kept changing.
"It takes a lot of effort to make a partisan issue out of a bill that should have broad bipartisan support," McConnell said. "But our friends on the other side have managed to pull it off. They've outdone themselves."
Reid said he offered to hold votes on some Republican amendments, only to see the list of GOP demands grow.
"They wanted to offer amendments. I've agreed to offer amendments," Reid said. "There's nothing snarled, there's only an effort to stop passage of this bill."
GOP amendments included measures to beef up border security, impose a government spending cap and lower the estate tax, which is scheduled to return next year with a top rate of 55 percent on estates larger than $1 million.
Our own readers have been quick to criticize the Democrats for trying to cram unrelated amendments onto unemployment extension bills. Here the Republicans try to add asinine amendments they know won't pass riding on a bill like this, so they have a reason to filibuster.
In two days they've blocked aid and favorable treatment under the law to 9/11 first responders and small businesses. What's next, homeless veterans? Oops, they've done that, too.
This is going to backfire in November. Every Democrat in the country running for any office should run an ad outlining these votes over and over and over again until the voters really get an idea of the consequence of voting for any more of these clowns.
You are absolutely right; their mantra has been that small business created jobs. Well, hopefully those business owners will remember this in November. However, so many of them are folding because of tight credit.
The 2010 GOP: clown car on fire.
Burn, baby, burn like the crosses you would put on someone's front yard, if you could get away with it.
"Reid said he offered to hold votes on some Republican amendments, only to see the list of GOP demands grow"
It's not like the GOP doesn't have a recent history of bringing in amendments, then vote against the bill and accuse Obama of not getting anything done...