Designed To Fail - ‘Spending Money We Don’t Have’

Several Senate Democrats Want Everyone To Know That They Oppose The Latest Mini-Stimulus Bill

‘Will Not Solve The Fiscal Problem,’ Won’t ‘Guarantee Job Certainty’SEN. BEN NELSON (D-NE): “If I didn’t think much of it on the one thing, you’ve got to assume that I won’t think much of it for something else … I don’t think you increase taxes for new spending.” (“Jon Tester, Ben Nelson Unsure On Teachers Bill,” Politico, 10/17/11)

SEN. JOE MANCHIN (D-WV): “…this bill will not solve the fiscal problem...” (Sen. Manchin, Floor Remarks, 10/20/11)

MANCHIN (D-WV): “We've already had two rounds of stimulus funding. This is our third… We only created 33 new jobs the first round [of stimulus] with over $217 million… We have to be responsible, and basically if spending money would fix our problems in America, we'd have no problems.” (Sen. Manchin, Floor Remarks, 10/20/11)

SEN. JON TESTER (D-MT): “I'm all for individual states making smart choices with their own money, but giving them federal money and just hoping they'll use it for education and teachers -- well, that's not good enough. With that kind of money, we need guarantees.” (Sen. Tester, Floor Remarks, 10/20/11)

TESTER (D-MT): “Mr. President, only after this final bill is amended to guarantee job certainty will it be able to earn my vote. And in order to amend it, I’m going to vote for the motion to proceed. My vote is a vote for debate that we ought to have.” (Sen. Tester, Floor Remarks, 10/20/11)

SEN JOE LIEBERMAN (ID-CT): “[W]hen you look at the president's jobs act, even if you break it down to bite-sized pieces, it's spending money we don't have, and you got to raise taxes to pay for it, and to me, all that just makes the job of the debt reduction committee, the committee itself, even harder.” (Fox News, 10/18/11)

LIEBERMAN (ID-CT): “Our economy needs a jolt. Paying for more state jobs is not going to be that jolt.” (“Lieberman: 'Bite-Size' Won't Work,” Politico, 10/18/11)

SEN. MARK PRYOR (D-AR): “It’s a little philosophical in the sense that I’m not sure federal taxpayers should be paying for teachers and first responders. That’s traditionally a state and local matter… I have a big question mark about whether the teacher portion benefits our state at all because of some of the stuff we’ve done on the state level over the past few years.” (“Spending Bill Hits Wall With Moderates,” Politico, 10/19/11)

SEN. MARY LANDRIEU (D-LA): “…said she was not convinced that the overall bill was ‘the right way forward.’” (“Jobs Bill Momentum Eludes Senate Democrats,” CQ, 10/18/11)

SEN. JIM WEBB (D-VA): “Virginia Sen. Jim Webb, for one, opposes the bill because of how it is paid for…” (“Joe Biden Plugs Jobs Bill At Hill Rally,” Politico, 10/19/11)

Senate Democrats Block ‘Important’ Part Of President’s Plan, Another ‘Narrowly Targeted Exercise In 2012 Politics’Senate Democrats Reject ‘Important’ Part Of The President’s Stimulus Bill. (S. 726, Roll Call Vote #178, Cloture Motion Rejected 57-43: R 47-0, D 10-41, I 0-2, 10/20/11)

JAY CARNEY: ‘They're All Important, They're All Of Equal Value’ Q: “Can you give us any guidance on which part [of the president’s bill] is likely to come up first?” CARNEY: “... It really doesn't matter to us, because they're all important, they're all of equal value…” (White House Press Briefing, 10/17/11)

A ‘Narrowly Targeted Exercise In 2012 Politics’“President Barack Obama didn’t do much to bring along lawmakers on his jobs bill — and it showed… the relentless focus on the American Jobs Act wasn’t about racking up a legislative win. It was always about laying the foundation for … 2012.” (“Obama Looks Past Hill On Jobs Bill,” Politico, 10/11/11)

“The reality in Congress is this bill has virtually no chance of passing and Democrats know that.” (Kate Bolduan, CNN’s Situation Room, 10/19)

“…narrowly targeted exercise in 2012 politics.” (“The Obama Bus Trip: A Political Guide,” Politico, 10/17/11)

“…Obama's latest attempt to combine campaigning for his jobs bill with campaigning for his re-election.” (“Obama Touring To Support Pieces Of Jobs Bill,” AP, 10/17/11)

“…Senate Democrats planned action first on a longshot plan to help states... In campaign mode on the road, Obama accused Republican senators of saying no...” (“Obama Seeks Votes On Jobs, Piece By Piece,” AP, 10/17/11)

‘A Major Component Of His Reelection Strategy’VP JOE BIDEN: ‘Are we campaigning? … Yes!’ “Vice President Joe Biden lashed out at critics today who have claimed that his and the President's efforts to get a job's bill passed is mere ‘campaigning.’ ‘Are we campaigning?’ he said. ‘Yes!’” (“Biden: 'Are We Campaigning? Yes!'” NBC, 10/18/11)

“David Axelrod… released a campaign memo on Tuesday signaling that Obama would make his American Jobs Act a major component of his reelection strategy, pummeling Republicans who obstruct his attempts to revive the economy.” (“Axelrod To Raise Obama Dough In Arizona,” The Hill’s Ballot Box, 10/12/11)

‘Public Theater,’ ‘Stagecraft,’ A ‘Play’“…the president collected checks and engaged in stagecraft...” (“Barack Obama Stumps For Jobs Bill, Raises Cash During Orlando Stop,” St. Petersburg Times, 10/12/11)

“public theater … they know it’s going nowhere.” “Democrats may not vote on President Barack Obama’s jobs bill just once. They could hold several votes on it, even though they know it’s going nowhere. But that’s just the public theater.” (“Democrats' Plan B On Jobs Bill: Go Smaller,” Politico, 10/10/11)

“WH senior aide pre-spinning the Jobs bill defeat in senate: ‘first act of a long term play.’” (@Chucktodd, Twitter, 10/11/11)

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