Arlen Specter folds like a cheap suit every time someone reminds him he has to win Pennsylvania in a general election; that's why he votes like a moderate. He just needs to make a spectacle of himself for the cameras. (NOTE: Due to the expense of campaigning in PA, this is not just sarcasm but also literal truth; it keeps his name recognition high.)

Besides, Arlen Specter and Susan Collins worked on the compromise, so of course they were going to vote for it. The question is, what person is most reponsible for getting Olympia Snowe's vote:
a) her fellow Senator from Maine, or
b) Joe Lieberman?

On the other hand, Barack Obama's decision to bring Joe Lieberman back into the Democratic fold saved us from having to get yet another Republican vote. I agree with the reasoning there; Joe Lieberman (I-Conn) is a much more reliable economic vote than, what? Voinovich, maybe?

It can not be overstated: in a Senate with less than 60 Democratic Party supporting Senators, keeping Joe Lieberman happy is a lot easier than making a fourth Republican Senator happy from scratch.

meh. Joe is for Joe.

I rarely watch the Senate on CSPAN because I can't find a retch can big enough for the ritual and phoney "X is a personal friend of mine" crapola.

They are legislators. They work for the people. I don't object to saying 'thanks for your support', but the ass kissing is over the top. Reid is the worst at this. I'd like to projectile vomit on him every time he gets into his 'sincere' mode with opponents.

Is there any other profession (except whore's) where you slobber over everyone anytime you get the job done?

The bill was a steaming turd, with a stench so powerful even Obama had to leave the room for the weekend. I have yet to hear a reputable economist on either left or right defend this particular bill, as opposed to the need for stimulus itself, which most agree on. The best defense people can muster is "let's not be perfectionists." Martin Woolf, the left wing economist who writes for the FT, called the bill "wasteful and unfocused." He expressed surprise that its writing had been farmed out to Pelosi.

Joe is for Joe.

And Senators are for other Senators. Never was this more clear when Sen. Ted Stevens had to face the loss of his seat, shortly after being convicted of a few felonies... his Senate colleagues blocked off a couple of hours for the specific purpose of praising him to the high heavens. Why? Because he was "part of the club." Senators can be convinced to support a bill if their friends lean on them, in the same way that you or I would give a friend a ride because they need a favor. Pathetic, but true.

Frankly, it doesn't sound that strange to me. I work at a university, which is similar to the Senate in that most faculty have safe jobs and have been there for awhile. What gets done in terms of new endeavors depends A LOT on relationships built up over the years. In other words, the Senate reflects workplace politics.

It was impossible to sell this bill on the merits to anyone, so Obama sold it through party politics and three Republicans in Democrat seats.

The idea that this 'spending' is going to fix the economy is ludicrous. Its like treating heart disease with a facelift and liposuction.

Yea it is a little strange. But it is called politics.

I am no political scientist, but it seems to me politics is both about constituents, policy, and personality. Personal connections are super important--independent of political positions.

And momentous historical events often happen because a couple of individuals in key positions happen to have a certain relationship.

History can't always be plotted out in a rational fashion.

The bill is more like a listing ship that was taking on water being boarded by pirates. Many "lawmakers" and I use that term loosely, spied this poor galleon coming their way, and had various ways of looting it in mind. When it came time to board the ship (write the bill) they fanned out in all directions, this one taking a golden ducat ( billions to acorn) and that one a single silver coin (millions to the client of Obey's lobbyist son)

Pay attention to me! Pay attention to me!

Its more weird that Senator Feinstein has not been charged with revealing war secrets and Burris has not been charged with perjury for lying to the impeachment committee.

All in a days work, damaed the war effort, lie to protect your ass....where do these liberals find the strenght after working so hard to not pay their taxes

Sacrificing long term unity and discipline for short term advantage is almost never a wise idea. That's Obama's mistake.

Judging that choice when you can only see the short term gain, that's your mistake.

The Senate? That's the founder's mistake. And we're all paying for it's existence.

"The possible of millions of lost jobs and years of recession wasn't enough to convince Republicans of the need for $800 billion in new spending."

I hope the outcome of spending $800 billion on pork and expanded government called "Stimulus" will have the result you're looking for. I fear that this $800 billion (before interest is added) will have the same powerful impact as the $350 billion in TARP spending.

If the result of spending $800 billion is an end to the recession and a springboard for economic growth then at least it will have acheived its objective. If things go poorly then I hope our children and grand children appreciate paying the tab.

If things go poorly then I hope our children and grand children appreciate paying the tab.

Where was your precious concern over the past 8 years?

Where was your precious concern over the past 8 years?

I keep trying to figure out what people mean when they use the past 8 years as a rallying cry.
Is the President all-powerful? Does who controls the House or the Senate- or the House and the Senate- make no difference?

I keep trying to figure out what people mean when they use the past 8 years as a rallying cry.

You're obviously not that bright, so I suspect it will be a while before you figure it out. I'm woefully uninterested in what right-wing Bush supporters think of how good a job Obama is doing.

"Where was your precious concern over the past 8 years?"

Can't say I was a big fan of the growth in government and government spending over the last 8 years either.

With the Stimulus bill we get an instant hit for $850 billion as well as the current levels (+/- but more likely +) of deficit spending for all the programs that have come before.