via The National Journal (5.26.11):
Democratic-led Senate Votes Down Ryan Budget
The Senate on Wednesday voted down House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan’s controversial budget blueprint, 57 to 40, in a Democratic effort to win advantage in continuing deficit talks and in the 2012 election season.
The vote marked an effort by Democrats to exploit public opposition to the Wisconsin Republican’s plan to shift Medicare to a subsidy system. A special election in New York’s 26th Congressional District on Tuesday, won by a Democratic underdog, became something of a referendum on the Ryan plan, and Democrats see opposition to it as a potent political weapon in 2012.
Democrats have yet to offer their fiscal 2012 budget resolution. In forcing a vote on Ryan’s plan, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., took what Republicans called an unprecedented step of forcing a vote on a budget that he opposes without offering one he supports. The maneuver highlighted Senate Democrats’ decision to mostly abandon an affirmative legislative agenda and instead highlight opposition to GOP plans. Democrats can argue they are acting out of necessity because they cannot pass—in either the Senate or the House—most of their preferred legislation.
For more coverage on the Senate's Budget Resolution vote...
Republican Debt-Reduction Plan Fails in Senate
Senate Republicans Get 40 Votes for Paul Ryan Medicare Plan
Society’s standing behind its elderly isn’t an "entitlement", which the rems and dems have been calling Medicare, Social Security, etc., for months, we give them, it’s a gift we’re returning; which should be returned in full- briefly, it’s a civil right. While many families in our community continue to struggle to find work and make ends meet, Republicans are threatening to hold the entire economy hostage in order to cut Medicare and preserve the Bush tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires. The Republicans want to abolish Medicare as we know it. We can’t leave seniors to the mercy of the private insurance companies and make them pay even more for health care. Yet, even supposed progressive dems are sliding towards the dinos collaborating with the rems, in order to enable the scalpel-in-chief's "thinning" Medicare for the rems and the corporate structure; when it was already "thinned" in the Affordable healthcare and health(s)care reform (bail-out the industry) bills- we must not give in, the elderly, and handicapped, etc., need us all, now! Advocate, fully support the Community First Choice Option, etc.! reality
Posted by: reality (aja) :) | May 29, 2011 at 03:42 PM