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With the broken filibuster, the Senate will now proceed on the $15 billion bill aimed at creating jobs. Politico reports:
“I don’t know why any senator would trust Harry Reid after he just killed a bipartisan compromise jobs bill,” said a Republican aide. “He basically dumped a must pass measure with $45 billion in tax relief and said you know what, screw you guys.”
Leadership aides say Reid dropped the Baucus-Grassley bill after intense lobbying from liberals in his caucus who doubted Republicans would actually voted for the measure when it came to the floor.
“I find Republicans a moving target here,” said Maryland Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin. “I think the leader would have had problems on any bill.”
Top Democrats also wanted to force Republicans to take a tough vote on a key election issue.
A decision by the GOP to block a slimmed-down jobs bill over largely procedural reasons wouldn’t fly with voters, argued top Democrats, who saw an opportunity to slam Republicans as obstructionists. [...]
“While the president is saying we want bipartisan deals, Harry Reid is saying we don’t,” said a Republican aide. “At some point the minority does have to say this isn’t how you legislate, you can’t just ram us through.”
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