McCain only senator to duck and run from Stimulus vote

[Thorgrim]

WASHINGTON—Republican presidential candidate John McCain skipped a difficult Senate vote Wednesday on whether to make 20 million seniors and 250,000 disabled veterans eligible for rebate checks as part of a proposed economic stimulus package.

The Arizona senator's decision to miss the vote appeared to come at the last minute, after his plane had landed at Dulles International Airport outside Washington just before the proceedings opened on the Senate floor.

Asked Wednesday morning to comment on the pending vote, McCain talked about the need to pass a stimulus measure quickly. Later, on his plane, he said he was not sure he would make the vote.

"I haven't had a chance to talk about it at all, have not had the opportunity to, even," McCain said. "We've just been too busy, focused on other stuff. I don't know if I'm doing that. We've got a couple of meetings scheduled."

Whichever way McCain may have voted, it would have been a difficult choice given his status as the Republican presidential front-runner.

If you go to Senate.gov, you can see the measure fell one vote short (Reid switched at the last moment because the majority leader must vote against something if it is to be brought up again, so the vote was not 58, but 59...needed just one more vote...McCain could have been it)

Look for this to hit him hard come election time

BTW what a fucking coward

[Stylerod]

Though I think everyone should vote as that IS their job. This was probably a pretty smart move on his part.

[motivez]

That's why it's been difficult for Senators to be elected.. they have a huge voting history on stuff like this people can pick apart and attack them over

That said, it's still pretty pathetic that someone who runs around saying how cool it is to be in a war for another 100 years lacks the testicular fortitude to put it all on the line by clicking a button based on his conscious..

[WickedLou9]

I still think the senate was a bunch of retards for trying to mess with a bill that was created with broad bi-partisan support in the house. They could have approved it as-is and sent it right through without delay. That could have allowed the checks to get cut that much sooner and the stimulus to take effect. But NOOO they had to add on pet projects and additional spending that they knew would be controversial. Fucking morons.

[Thorgrim]

pet projects?

[Stylerod]

Originally Posted by Thorgrim

pet projects?

Yeah, in the rest of the news story you didn't post it tells about all the "extras" the Democrats decided to add on to it.

[Thorgrim]

Senate Republicans this week offered to vote on the House bill with an amendment to allow seniors and veterans to receive a rebate, but no other additions.

The Democrats' broader stimulus package bill would also extend unemployment insurance, allow companies to backdate operating losses to prior years, fund state and local efforts to refinance mortgages, and offer a range of energy-related tax breaks for companies and individuals. The House bill does not include any of this language.

Senate fails to support broad stimulus package in procedural vote - Forbes.com

Sounds like more stimulus...no pet projects or bridges to nowhere

[Publius]

I think that Senators & Representatives should be docked their pay for days they aren't in their respective chambers while they are in session (i.e., if you miss 30% of the days in a session, you lose 30% of your annual congressional salary).

We elect these people and pay them to be present in Congress, they should be there.

[Thorgrim]

Originally Posted by Publius

I think that Senators & Representatives should be docked their pay for days they aren't in their respective chambers while they are in session (i.e., if you miss 30% of the days in a session, you lose 30% of your annual congressional salary).

We elect these people and pay them to be present in Congress, they should be there.

I know the libertarian line is that everyone in Congress is horrible, except Ron Paul

But, a lot of these people work extremely long hours

Jon Tester (D-Montana), the biggest boy scout I ever met, actually posts his daily schedule online

Schedule Detail

So, for example, February 5th, he got up probably at 6-7am, got ready and went to work, and was working non-stop...he even worked through lunch (although it looks like he took a 3 hour break/dinner in his office to finally relax) and then was back on the Senate floor from 9pm, probably until midnight

Anyway, he gets up and works all day and night with a simple 3 hour dinner for his only relaxation...with his real home across the country

If he took a week off for vacation, and missed some votes, I wouldn't hold it against the guy, he, like most politicians, works very hard

What about people who miss votes because they are in Iraq or Pakistan or wherever getting knowledge about a situation so they can make better votes?

What about when their district is facing a problema and they miss a vote because they are demanded back there?

I'm 100% against what you said though, I think politicians running for ANOTHER office should get their pay deducted for time campaining (i don't think we can realistically deduct pay for people re-campaigning to keep working their same job, it'd be like if you got pay deducted everytime you 'wasted' company time at your next re-evaluation)

[Publius]

Originally Posted by Thorgrim

I know the libertarian line is that everyone in Congress is horrible, except Ron Paul

But, a lot of these people work extremely long hours

Jon Tester (D-Montana), the biggest boy scout I ever met, actually posts his daily schedule online

Schedule Detail

So, for example, February 5th, he got up probably at 6-7am, got ready and went to work, and was working non-stop...he even worked through lunch (although it looks like he took a 3 hour break/dinner in his office to finally relax) and then was back on the Senate floor from 9pm, probably until midnight

Anyway, he gets up and works all day and night with a simple 3 hour dinner for his only relaxation...with his real home across the country

If he took a week off for vacation, and missed some votes, I wouldn't hold it against the guy, he, like most politicians, works very hard

What about people who miss votes because they are in Iraq or Pakistan or wherever getting knowledge about a situation so they can make better votes?

What about when their district is facing a problema and they miss a vote because they are demanded back there?

I'm 100% against what you said though, I think politicians running for ANOTHER office should get their pay deducted for time campaining (i don't think we can realistically deduct pay for people re-campaigning to keep working their same job, it'd be like if you got pay deducted everytime you 'wasted' company time at your next re-evaluation)

Obviously there would be exceptions for members of Congress on official visits to foreign countries, but just not showing up because you'd rather be at a fundraiser or having dinner with a special interest in your home district? No, unacceptable.

And the fact that you bring up Ron Paul and Libertarians here is pretty -worthy, considering that has nothing to do with anything that I said. You really need to stop getting such a hard-on over the LP and Ron Paul, seriously.

[Stylerod]

Originally Posted by Publius

I think that Senators & Representatives should be docked their pay for days they aren't in their respective chambers while they are in session (i.e., if you miss 30% of the days in a session, you lose 30% of your annual congressional salary).

We elect these people and pay them to be present in Congress, they should be there.

I agree. If your plan would have been in effect John Edwards would have owed us money. He was horribly absent from votes.

[Thorgrim]

Originally Posted by Publius

Obviously there would be exceptions for members of Congress on official visits to foreign countries, but just not showing up because you'd rather be at a fundraiser or having dinner with a special interest in your home district? No, unacceptable.

And the fact that you bring up Ron Paul and Libertarians here is pretty -worthy, considering that has nothing to do with anything that I said. You really need to stop getting such a hard-on over the LP and Ron Paul, seriously.

I was actually talking about libertarians not the LP or Libertarian Party members

I was making an accurate paraphrase from RPers/libertarians that I've been hearing the past few months

[thewise1]

Originally Posted by Publius

Obviously there would be exceptions for members of Congress on official visits to foreign countries, but just not showing up because you'd rather be at a fundraiser or having dinner with a special interest in your home district? No, unacceptable.

And the fact that you bring up Ron Paul and Libertarians here is pretty -worthy, considering that has nothing to do with anything that I said. You really need to stop getting such a hard-on over the LP and Ron Paul, seriously.

x 20

[Thorgrim]

Originally Posted by thewise1

x 20

Everything is a "special interest" and why would you not want to meet with people representing big industries in your own district?

And fundraising, what if you have a millionare running against you (not uncommon) are you supposed to miss all the big fundraisers and face certain defeat...it's not like fundraisers are particularly fun for those who are hosting them

[thewise1]

Originally Posted by Thorgrim

Everything is a "special interest" and why would you not want to meet with people representing big industries in your own district?

And fundraising, what if you have a millionare running against you (not uncommon) are you supposed to miss all the big fundraisers and face certain defeat...it's not like fundraisers are particularly fun for those who are hosting them

Fundraisers can be a blast

We pay them to go represent us and our state. If they aren't doing so, then they are derelict in their duties.

As a consultant, I don't get to say "oh I had to deal with 16 hour days so the deliverable won't be delivered" - that would get me fired.

[Publius]

Originally Posted by Thorgrim

Everything is a "special interest" and why would you not want to meet with people representing big industries in your own district?

And fundraising, what if you have a millionare running against you (not uncommon) are you supposed to miss all the big fundraisers and face certain defeat...it's not like fundraisers are particularly fun for those who are hosting them

That's what the days off they get during the session and the weeks they're not in session are for.

[Thorgrim]

Originally Posted by Publius

That's what the days off they get during the session and the weeks they're not in session are for.

Actually district work periods are when they have to personally deal with district problems and work out of their local offices

And regular non-session days are parts of the year they finally get to see their families after working 16 hour days and going home to an empty residence

[AVengeance]

I'm sure we could expect four years of that kind of chickenshit activity from McWar.

[Publius]

Originally Posted by Thorgrim

Actually district work periods are when they have to personally deal with district problems and work out of their local offices

And regular non-session days are parts of the year they finally get to see their families after working 16 hour days and going home to an empty residence

Does the average American family get to spend a few weeks at a time just sitting around having family time? No. Why should Senators and Representatives? They can see their families at the end of days during district work periods and on weekends like normal Americans. If they don't like the hours and the sacrifices it requires, they don't have to keep the job.

For being such a fan and defender of the "common man" you sure are making a lot of excuses for these people being paid well over a hundred thousand dollars annually NOT to go to work.

[Thorgrim]

I'd like to see how many American families have a father who works 16 hour days, and can't come home to give his kids a kiss goodnight, doesn't even see his family all week he comes home, and isn't considering in a rott