This article from Saturday’s Globe was kind of amazing.
“Why is it that I’m always the one that has to vote with the Democrats?” Brown lamented. “Bipartisanship is a two-way street, you know? Why can’t they also work together to pay for these things within the budget, within the monies that we already have?”
“MOM!! Why do I ALWAYS have to take out the garbage?? Johnny NEVER has to do it! It’s not FAIR!!”
And that’s just the beginning of this excellent piece by Matt Viser, which goes on to explain that the unemployment bill that Brown desperately wants some support for has been, well, ignored — by both parties.
Brown’s unemployment plan – which calls for diverting $35 billion in stimulus money to pay for benefits for the long-term jobless and several other items – has attracted little support, even from Republicans….
“It’s going nowhere,” Senate majority whip Richard Durbin of Illinois said of Brown’s proposal.
“I haven’t seen it,” said Senator Lamar Alexander, a Tennessee Republican….
“There’s no Republican plan at this moment that I’m aware of,” Senate minority whip Jon Kyl, said this week….
“It’s a difficult precedent,” Senator John F. Kerry said of Brown’s idea of using the stimulus money to pay for unemployment. “I haven’t completely shut the door but I don’t think it’s the easiest way to do it.”
The reason Brown’s proposal hasn’t got any support is that it’s a bad proposal. The first problem, as has been widely noted, is that Brown is trying to solve a problem that doesn’t really exist. The second is that the money he wants to use is already set to be spent — in part in Massachusetts.
Brown’s plan would eliminate $8 billion in funding planned for high-speed rail and other railroad projects, according to Brown aides. These projects, still in the planning stages, include $485 million spread to eight projects in New England.
According to a White House summary, Brown’s proposal could affect other projects, including $5 billion in broadband projects and $1.4 billion in transportation infrastructure grants, which includes $20 million for improvements in Revere and at the Wonderland MBTA stop; $55 million for a Fitchburg Commuter Rail extension; and $20 million to reconstruct four freight rail bridges in New Bedford.
Come on, Scott. You’re not playing AA-ball anymore, popping off silly proposals in the state Senate that are guaranteed to fail because there are only five votes for them. You’re in the big leagues, where you said you wanted to be. Time to prove that you deserve to be there.
So, somebody is holding a gun to his head?
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p>By his own admission, either (1) he’s voting against what he sincerely believes to be right, or (2) he’s striking what he sincerely believes to be lousy deals.
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p>How is this someone else’s fault?
and learn how they manage to be moderates, to be in the pivot, to be part of winning coalitions on both sides… without whinging about it.