Not a one!

NOT A ONE!
Yesterday, even after incredible efforts by our new President to include members of the opposition party - The Republicans - in a stimulus package designed to get the economy moving in the right direction, Not one Republican voted in favor of this package. NOT EVEN ONE.

So much for Bipartisan efforts. The Republicans claim two things are amiss in this package - (1) Too many pork barrel projects and (2) not enough in the way of tax cuts. I don't know, maybe it's just me - but weren't the Republican congressmen the ones who led the way in pork barrel spending during the last several years of the Bush Administration? For them to go all high and mighty all of a sudden is a mystery to me. Have they realized the error of their ways? Besides, I would need to read the entire 600+ page bill to find out if there really is pork in this legislation. On the second issue, I'm wondering how additional "Tax Cuts" will help those people who are currently out of a job - including my wife, who was downsized almost 5 months ago, and has been unable to find a job yet.

With large companies announcing massive layoffs every day, is a further tax cut going to help John Q. Public? It seems to me that putting people to work is the answer. But, then again, I'm just a normal person, not the smartest guy - one who can't figure out why, if the numerous tax cuts enacted over the previous 8 years hasn't seemed to work to PREVENT this mess, why it will now.

Could it be that the Republicans are simply back to their old tricks? You know, if a Democrat is in the White House, you vote against each and every thing he proposes. That's essentially how it was during the Clinton administration.

I suppose the good news is that the Democrats have a majority in both houses of congress these days, so they have enough votes to pass legislation without a single vote from the Republicans. It is a shame though, that regardless of how President Obama tried to engage them, not a one would vote for his plan. Living in the reddest state there is, I am used to this, but still....

Old Fart Mike