Disgusted with House Republicans, Senate Announces ‘We’re Done’

Last updated on February 7th, 2013 at 06:18 pm

Several times a day I find myself feeling sorry for John Boehner. The man really did try.

But now this humiliation from the Senate:

“The House Republicans have two choices: cut their losses and pass the deal now, or else put up a fight they cannot win and pass the same deal a few days now after being further humiliated,” a Senate Democratic leadership aide told The Hill. Furthermore:

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Another senior Democratic aide said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) will not reconsider the bill, which passed by a vote of 89 to 8. “We’re done,” said the aide.

House Republicans tossed their incomplete homework to the Senate, after realizing that they didn’t have the votes for Boehner’s Plan B and they were too divided to cope with it like grown ups.

Fix it, Senate! They demanded. And so the Senate did. Senators from both sides of the aisle worked hard on the deal, agreed to early this morning. It passed with a clear majority vote of 89-8. It is being referred to as the McConnell/White House deal and 40 out of 45 Republicans voted for the Senate bill. These facts indicate that the House rejection of the bill is really off kilter.

The House Republicans who are not tea party members realized that their failure to pass Plan B meant the deal would suit Democrats more than Republicans, since the Senate has a Democratic majority. That is why Boehner’s failure to get the votes for Plan B was such a disaster. The tea party caucus is apparently too clueless to understand this and were unwilling to take advice from folks who’ve been around much longer than they have (the first sign of staggering arrogance meeting stupefying incompetence).

The Senate is done playing preschool with the tea party caucus and the impotent leaders of the House. The House is so blinded by crazy that they can’t see what they’re walking into; if they wait until the new congress comes in, they will have even fewer Republican votes. In other words, when they spit in John Boehner’s face, they ran right into the Democrats’ wall.

Republicans are going to be blamed for the impending disaster. John Boehner knows this, but there’s no talking to tea.

Update: 7:18 PM House just recessed, are coming back tonight. They will be in until 2AM. Rumors are that they may not have the votes for their spending amendment.

Sarah Jones

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