(Update: GOPers Brown, Snowe, Collins, Voinovich & Bond voted with Dems for cloture. Democrat Sen. Ben Nelson of HCR fame voted no. - promoted by Garrett Quinn)
Is the conservative Honeymoon over for Scott "Mr. 41" Brown?
Harry Reid has been courting Brown for that crucial 60th vote to end debate and Brown is now reportedly voting in favor of cloture for the $15 billion jobs bill. With only a simple majority required to pass the bill a vote for cloture is considered a vote in favor of the bill by conservative groups who grade legislators like the Center for Fiscal Accountability. CFA, a wing of Americans for Tax Reform, is calling the bill a "handout" for labor unions.
The Alliance for Worker Freedom says the bill will "add $17 billion to the last 'stimulus bill'" and force union workers on all federally funded highway projects.
Tomorrow we will answer the most important question: How will this impact the sale of his action figure, trucks, and Carhart jackets?
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. This Senate jobs bill is not perfect. I wish the tax cuts were deeper and broader, but I will vote for it because it contains measures that will help put people back to work.
I was disappointed with the continuation of politics-as-usual in the drafting of this bill, as it was crafted behind closed doors, without transparency and accountability. I hope for improvements in that process going forward. All of us, Republicans and Democrats, have to work together to get our economy back on track. I hope my vote today is a strong step toward restoring bipartisanship in Washington.
