GOP warns Dems not to add extras to bailout bill

[cal04]

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/13675.html

Republican leaders in Congress are warning Democrats not to load up the Treasury Department’s emergency bailout bill with help for homeowners or others facing economic hardship — all while avoiding a direct endorsement of the bill themselves.

“Efforts to exploit this crisis for political leverage or partisan quid pro quo will only delay the economic stability that families, seniors and small businesses deserve,” House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) said in a statement issued Saturday afternoon. “Going forward, I hope we all can agree that we should keep any legislation as straightforward as possible while doing everything we can to protect American taxpayers.”

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who is up for reelection in November, said the Treasury’s $700 billion bailout plan must not become a vehicle for "partisan plans and pet projects" if it is to receive congressional approval next week.

(snip)
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) have both said previously that the proposal would have to address the needs of Main Street and not just Wall Street.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont who caucuses with the Democrats, issued a statement Saturday calling on Congress to find a way to pay for bailout. He proposed a 10 percent surtax on couples who make more than $1 million annually or individuals who make more than $500,000 — a tax hike that, over the next five years, would cover less than half of the cost of the bailout Treasury envisions.

[gulliver]

1. Dems warn GOP to sit down and STFU.

They caused this mess. They need to go to the corner, put on their dunce caps, and stick their thumbs in their mouths.

The GOP warning the Dems about this crime against America is a new definition of chutzpah.

What the Dems need to add to the bill is the creation of a special prosecutors office to investigate how this happened and throw some people in jail. Then watch the GOP soil itself.

[Lex]

8. lol

so true

[KansDem]

2. Hey, GOP!!!

YOU made this mess, so...

GO FUCK YOURSELVES!!!

[bbgrunt]

3. gosh--I wonder where I have heard such things before......

too bad that previous experiences with this kind of "emergency" legislation seem to make Dem leaders faint.

[jimshoes]

4. Ahem, repubs, Blow me! Seriously, just blow me

[RC]

5. Translated that means, "Don't help the commoners because that will

slow down the bankrupting of the country."

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

6. this is one play the Repugs can't win

The Dems have to get on the side of the people vs. the fat cats in demanding that we get something out of this. The people are already angry at the millionaire CEOs and hedge fund managers for getting us into this. If the Republicans refuse and the country goes into economic collapse, the Republicans will deservedly get the blame and you know they will do everything to avoid that and end up blinking and accepting whatever the Dems want.

I say condition any loans or buy-outs to requiring the use of any interest, principle, or profit received from them to establish free national healthcare.

[Democrats_win]

7. Include provision for prosecution of crooked bankers & control over CEO pay.

If the American people have to pay for this theft, then somebody beter go to jail.

[BlooInBloo]

9. Unfortunately this is a prime situation for our Congresscritters to show their cowardice....

when Very Serious Republicans In Nice Suits say jump, they usually jump.

[earthside]

10. This Bailout Plan Stinks

It would be a good thing if this Bush Bailout Plan as it is currently being talked about is scrapped.

As it is ... it is going to be the largest single transfer of wealth from working/middle class Americans to the wealthy economic elites in U.S. history.

And, even if it does pass, there is no guarantee that we won't still have a economic crash -- but then it will be two or three trillion dollars worse.

Furthermore, I wouldn't trust anything Bush and Paulson came up with ... this sounds like the Patriot Act. Is this bailout plan going to railroaded through before the end of next week ... then after the election we find out that the privatization of Social Security was in the legislation?

Democrats should not let the radical Republicans and their corporate masters rush this welfare-for-the-rich plan into law. What is the big hurry? Better to get it right than suffer the consequences of a full-fledged Depression if they get it wrong.

How about a Stock Market Holiday? Shut down the markets next week so Congress can thoughtfully deliberate and not be influenced by big swings in the market as individual elements of the plan are debated?

[Jim__]

11. Time for the dems to stand up on their hind legs.

They know where kissin' repuke ass got the country. Fight for working class people, and see how easy it can be to win elections.

[magellan]

12. Natch-rolly. Because everyone facing economic hardship deserves to fail

...except the private financial corporations whose fucking job it is to know better.

And they'll be SOOOOO surprised when the economy continues falling tits over ass....