How they voted on the GOP’s Gimmicks-R-Us ‘cut, cap and balance’ amendment

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The Washington Post has the breakdown of the vote last night on the GOP's Gimmicks-R-Us "cut, cap and balance" amendment. Note that the vote did not even come close to the two-thirds majority vote required to pass a constitutional amendment in Congress. This was simply a symbolic vote for Tea-Publicans to feel good about themselves and to pander to their Tea Party fringe. Just how fringe? Check out today's Post-ABC poll: GOP too dug in on debt talks; public fears default consequences:

– There is also growing dissatisfaction among Republicans with the hard-line stance of their congressional representatives: Fifty-eight percent say their leaders are not doing enough to strike a deal … fully 50 percent of conservative Republicans and “strong” tea party supporters say the GOP leadership is too unwilling to make a deal on the deficit.

– [T]he poll finds GOP majorities favoring some of the specific changes advocated by the president, including higher income tax rates for the wealthiest Americans … [M]ore than six in 10 Americans say a plan to reduce the deficit should include a combination of spending cuts and new taxes … Big majorities of Democrats and independents and nearly half of all Republicans support the mixed approach.

– Although some Republican lawmakers have cast doubt on the seriousness of the Aug. 2 deadline, majorities across party lines in the poll predict dire economic consequences if the two sides fail to extend the government’s borrowing power and a default results … More than eight in 10 — including 80 percent of Republicans — say there would be serious harm to the U.S. economy if the government could not continue to borrow money to fund its operations and pay its debts after Aug. 2.

And yet, Tea-Publicans continue to pander to their Tea Party fringe that promises to shut down the federal government and to default on the U.S. debt by wasting time on meaningless symbolic legislation like the GOP's Gimmicks-R-Us "cut, cap and balance" amendment. By the numbers: The House ‘Cut, Cap and Balance Act’ vote – 2chambers – The Washington Post:

The measure, which passed the House, 234 to 190, has little chance of passing the Democratic-controlled Senate. Here’s a closer look at how Tuesday night’s vote broke down:

229: The number of Republicans voting “yes” on the measure.

Nine: The number of Republicans voting against the measure. They were Republican Reps. Michele Bachmann (Minn.), Paul Broun (Ga.), Quico Canseco (Texas), Scott DesJarlais (Tenn.), Morgan Griffith (Va.), Walter Jones (N.C.), Connie Mack (Fla.), Ron Paul (Texas) and Dana Rohrabacher (Calif.).

Of the nine, four members – Bachmann, Broun, Mack and Paul – have signed the “cut, cap and balance” pledge.

181: The number of Democrats who voted “no” on the measure.

Five: The number of Democrats who joined most Republicans in supporting the bill. They were Democratic Reps. Dan Boren (Okla.), Jim Cooper (Tenn.), Jim Matheson (Utah), Mike McIntyre (N.C.) and Heath Shuler (N.C.).

All five are members of the conservative Blue Dog Coalition. [But of course]

Eight: The number of members who did not vote Tuesday; seven Democrats and one Republican were not present.

Rep. Jim Matheson (D-UT) is running for the senate and is tied with Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) in early polling, who is also facing a Tea Party challenger in the GOP primary. Daily Kos: UT-Sen: Poll says Matheson could beat Hatch. It's Utah people, what are you going to do? The chance to get rid of that smarmy Orrin Hatch is worth making compromises for Jim Matheson.

So we are down to just four hard-core blue dogs who seriously need a Democratic primary challenger.