$638 Billion Spending Bill Passes Senate

Written by Sam on September 27th, 2008

And it isn’t the bailout either.  This was just business as usual.  The Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2008 passed easily by a vote of 78 to 12 in the Senate and 370 to 58 in the House.  Apparently, when appropriating for homeland security it’s necessary to lend the auto industry $25 billion in loans made available by we, the taxpayers, as well as over 2,300 earmarks.

The following Republican Senators voted against the waste:

  • Lamar Alexander (TN)
  • Wayne Allard (CO)
  • Jim Bunning (KY)
  • Tom Coburn (OK)
  • Mike Crapo (ID)
  • Jim DeMint (SC)
  • John Ensign (NV)
  • Lindsey Graham (SC)
  • Jon Kyl (AZ)
  • Jeff Sessions (AL)
  • Richard Shelby (AL)

They were joined in their opposition by the ever reliable Russ Feingold (D-WI).  Richard Burr (NC) voted Present, Giving Live Pair, an usual move I explained here.  John McCain did not vote.

7 Comments so far ↓

  1. Sep
    27
    8:10
    PM
    Alan

    Nice to see Graham on the right side of an issue for a change. Would that he made a habit of it like certain other senators.

  2. Sep
    28
    9:16
    AM
    John

    John McCain missed the vote? I really dont like that about him, seems he misses too many votes.

    I mean, I know he is running for President but he still has a job to do.

  3. Sep
    28
    11:28
    AM
    DavidShiffman

    It wouldn’t trouble me at all that he missed the vote if he hadn’t given a high-and-mighty speech earlier this week about suspending his campaign to work on the financial crisis.

  4. Sep
    28
    11:37
    AM
    Alan

    Good point, John and David. Very good point.

  5. Sep
    28
    12:04
    PM
    Moshe Starkman

    Who should I speak with about incorporating this feed into my network? I plan to overhaul the news section to incorporate Conservative feeds into the news that is reported on the network.

    Thank you,
    Moshe

    The site is http://www.yrnetwork.com/

  6. Sep
    28
    12:08
    PM
    Sam

    McCain could be the reason Burr voted the way he did.

  7. Sep
    28
    2:21
    PM
    DavidShiffman

    Sam,

    I understand why voting “present” if you were planning on voting one way and an absent senator was planning on voting another way would in effect cancel out a vote. However, it seems like this benefits the absent senator more than the present senator. Why would a present senator do this?

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