Wild development in the U.S. House today (link corrected) on budget legislation.
Democrats voted present, rather than voting, on the draconian House budget plan, leaving the Republicans to decide on that plan or an even more ruthless plan preferred by the Tea Party end of the Republican contingent.
The more radical bill — steeper spending cuts and even bigger tax breaks for the wealthy — barely failed as Republicans jumped to vote against rather than be hung with the consequences. U.S. Rep. Mike Ross voted present. Republican Reps. Tim Griffin, Steve Womack and Rick Crawford voted against the deeper spending cuts and bigger tax break.
Then came the vote on the Ryan budget itself, the main event of the day. It passed 235-193. This bill, though not Tea Party strength, remained a bill to soak the poor, enrich the wealthy and destroy Medicare.
Arkansas Republicans all voted for it, naturally — Reps. Tim Griffin, Rick Crawford and Steve Womack. Two of them might rue the day. We long ago abandoned hope for the 3rd District.
But, it’s a signature day. Nominal Democrat Mike Ross voted with Democrats today, against a plan which he said, correctly, would privatize Medicare. It would turn federal health care money over to private insurance companies to plunder at the expense of the sick elderly. The good news is that a Democratic firebreak still exists in the Senate to protect the endangered.
Said Rick Crawford: “…we need to quit mortgaging our children’s future and give them the fiscally stable country they deserve.” Old folks? Screw ’em.
Tim Griffin went with the Republican slogan “Path to Prosperity” and claimed he’d saved Medicare rather than wrecked it.
For his rare good vote, let’s let Ross talk about it (and following the Democratic Party frames the Republican vote):