five Republicans on board, Senate moves jobs bill forward

[frigidmagi]

CSMonitor

[quote]In a surprise move, five Republicans broke with party leaders Monday to move a $15 billion jobs bill to the Senate floor.

It’s the first vote on a major bill since Republican Scott Brown became a senator, meaning that Senate Democrats lost the 60 votes needed to block a Republican filibuster. In the end, they didn’t need that set of votes. The move to allow debate on the bill passed 62 to 30.

The bill gives a one-year Social Security tax break to businesses that hire unemployed workers, and it allows small businesses to write off up to $250,000 for equipment that they purchase.

Senator Brown of Massachusetts, the GOP’s crucial 41st vote, voted with Democrats. “I came to Washington to be an independent voice, to put politics aside, and to do everything in my power to help create jobs for Massachusetts families," he said in a statement.

"This Senate jobs bill is not perfect,â€

[Charon]

I think this might become a trend. The Republicans have done their posturing for their supporters, made a good show of standing up for them, and now the bills look like the Republicans gave their consent for them to be passed, as though they're the freaking Pope or something. And just in time for elections I might add.

Whatever, the Democrats couldn't find their own asses with the Hubble telescope, so I'll take what I can get.

[frigidmagi]

Just in time for the elections? November is in 10 months.

[SirNitram]

They, of course, filibustered just long enough to delay it by weeks, so any good it does do(And I expect it to do good, just not enough) will be further weakened by the bad economy.

As for why it won't do enough? The money spent needs to match the scope of the problem.