Another multi-billion dollar boondoggle to buy off that most Democratic of groups, the teachers unions, gets passed in the Senate, courtesy of two Republican Senators from Maine -- who get a bribe for their state. Lori Montgomery writes in the Washington Post:A $26 billion plan to prevent the layoffs of tens of thousands of teachers, firefighters and other state and local workers cleared a key hurdle in the Senate on Wednesday. The vote handed President Obama a long-sought victory on his election-year jobs agenda.
The bill advanced by a vote of 61 to 38, breaking a GOP filibuster and setting the stage for final Senate approval later this week. Two Republicans -- Maine senators Olympia J. Snowe and Susan Collins -- joined a united Democratic caucus in supporting the measure.
The wastefulness of this measure is clear. Teachers, administrators, superintendents, assistant superintendents, guidance counselors, therapists, etc -- all are well-compensated, enjoy munificent pension and health benefits, tenure protection, and short school years. They, in turn, give a big part of their dues and time to Democratic politicians to help them get elected. The vicious circle: they get the same to deliver them taxpayer dollars.
While some governors cry about the need for more taxpayer money to avoid the chore of dealing with the problem, New Jersey has Governor Christie who believes in dealing with the problem forcefully and decisively -- and without the need for billions of taxpayer dollars to get states out of the holes their leaders have dug. Instead, the can gets kicked down the road again.
Meanwhile, what was the payoff to the two Republican Senators from Maine for breaking the GOP filibuster by defecting to the Democrats on this measure?
Democrats had tried for weeks to advance a bill to provide fresh aid to the states, but had been pushed repeatedly to scale back the proposal -- and ultimately to pay for it. Even then, Democrats lured the needed Republican votes only after dropping proposed cuts to Navy shipbuilding, an essential part of the Maine economy.
Thanks, Olympia and Susan, for your principled leadership on this boondoggle. Maybe there should be a third symbol: Donkey for Democrats (though I prefer the term "jackass"); elephants for Republicans; and rhinos for Republicans in Name Only.
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