A McCain amendment to strip Buy American provisions out of the stimulus bill was one of eight separate Republican amendments to go down in flames tonight (what a waste of time). McCain’s amendment, which failed 31-65, was a perfect demonstration of fear-based voting. Take a look at the Republicans that voted against it.
Sam Brownback (R-KS)- running for governor
Richard Burr (R-NC)- up for reelection
Susan Collins (R-ME)-
Lindsey Graham (R-SC)-
Chuck Grassley (R-IA)- up for reelection
Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX)- running for governor
Olympa Snowe (R-ME)-
Arlen Specter (R-PA)- up for reelection
David Vitter (R-LA)- up for reelection (after getting busted for wearing diapers with prostitutes)
Collins and Snowe have voted with the Democrats over 80% of the time in the 111th Congress and they both voted against almost all of tonight’s amendments. Other than them, Lindsey Graham was the only Republican that voted against stripping the Buy American provisions who isn’t going to be facing the voters next year. I don’t know what motivated Graham (he normally does whatever John McCain tells him to do) but I can tell what motivated the others. Republicans want to do the bidding of their corporate masters but not if it means that they are going to be thrown out of office. All the safe Republicans and all the Republicans that aren’t going to be facing the voters for four-to-six years voted to strip the Buy American provisions.
Now, I am not even sure it matters much either way whether these provisions remain in the bill. If you watch European business channels, they’re all very concerned about the provisions leading to a new era of protectionism. If you read David Sirota, you might conclude that the future of the nation depends on their inclusion. The truth of the matter is that the provisions are limited to spending in the stimulus bill and are unlikely to lead to any backlash in the form of Buy Germany or Buy Japanese laws getting enacted that will harm U.S. exports. At the same time, the jolt to American businesses the provisions might provide will be minor and temporary. They can stay or go, as far as I am concerned, without it having much of a lasting effect.
Yet, the debate about the provisions is still telling. If, as it appears, the Obama administration is a little queasy about their inclusion, they’re going to have to have them stripped out in conference. And I’m just not sure that that is going to fly given the resounding defeat of McCain’s amendment tonight.
Worth noting.
The Repub opposition to these so-called “Buy American” provisions strikes me as odd. There’s nothing protectionist about it. It’s common sense — if the point is to stimulate our economy — we’d want US contractors and workers re-building our bridges and dams instead of a Canadian firm supervising Mexican workers. If we’re giving money to develop wind/solar power, don’t we want that happening in a factory here instead of Europe? Wasn’t McCain’s campaign slogan “Country First”? I guess he didn’t specify which country he meant…
It’s early morning and maybe I’m confused. But Repubs voting against “American” is weird.
O, okay, they were voting against American UNION WORKERS, the ones who make steel and iron. I get it now.
Good point. Extra points for coming up with that before 8:00 am (I know I wouldn’t have thought of that).
Just more protection of corporate interests.
Right. This is confusing only if you believe that the GOP’s “America” has to do with the nation as a whole, which it does not.
“America” is The Corporation (as are “the American people’). “Freedom” is corporate freedom. The actual population-at-large isn’t really relevant beyond our service to “America” & to “freedom”.
The political success of the Reagan-era GOP (still alive & kickin’) is a matter of mass hypnosis.
Besides the creation of jobs, there is also the weird idea that American taxpayer money should create American jobs.
Now if the Europeans want to let their taxpayer money create American jobs, we’ll be delighted to talk about how to end protectionism.
These amendments are there because Americans cannot trust American corporations to create jobs in America when given money by American taxpayers.
Aren’t the Europeans making enough from our consumer purchases?
There was an interesting discussion on “As It Happens”, the CBC news magazine radio show. There were several different segments, to include how Canada would fight their half of a trade war. There was a question about exclusion of the use of Canadian steel.
What was interesting was that while they seemed at least sort of upset by the “Buy America” provisions, they mentioned that they really like Democrats and not so much Republicans. Someone pointed out that Mondale had an approval rate of 85% and Reagan 15%.
Solution? Shed the South and merge with Canada.
It’s a Union thing. American Made just makes R’s shiver at the thought of losing the corp trough.
“Buy America” is a serious time bomb, and is not by any means just a yawner! “Buy America” is a perfect vehicle for Lou Dobbs and the rest of the anti-immigration talking heads. I agree its final effect on the economy may be of little consequence, but as a AM Radio driven propaganda tool for the political pundits, it is manna from heaven. And this time around the folks that will be tuned in will be more than your classic rabid right wing nutcases. It WILL BE JOE SIXPACK and his about to be homeless family.
How ya gonna hold down the ringing rhetoric over the airwaves that passionately asks “Why are they taking OUR TAX DOLLARS and buying steel overseas to bring back home to fix our bridges and roads? Where’s the stimulus in that? BUY AMERICA!” Just use your imagination and put yourself in the shoes of a family with no money for food, heat or gasoline, and think how you would react to a “Buy America” campaign.