It was $35 billion that was to be sent to states in order to prevent governors and state legislators from having to make tough budget choices; pay teachers and firefighters or spend the money on something else. It would have been a temporary measure lasting only one year. And given that state revenues are not going to recover next year either, I suppose the Democrats would have sent another $35 billion to pay for another year of making it easier on Democratic - and Republican - state lawmakers. The senate GOP was having none of it. The Hill: For the second time in two weeks, Senate Republicans voted in unison to block "jobs" legislation, which the Obama administration and Senate Democratic leaders have made central to their agenda. The majority of Democrats then blocked a second "jobs" measure offered by Republicans. The first measure, a piece of President Obama's larger jobs package, failed in a 50-50 vote after two Democrats and Independent Sen. Joe Lieberman (Conn.) joined Senate...(Read Full Post)