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“They’ve cut a deal with three of our guys.” That’s what Byron York learned today when he called who he characterized as an influential Republican senator. It’s possible four Republicans will vote for this spendulus. Here they are and again I’m asking you keep calling. If you can’t get through to their DC offices, use their local office numbers:
Collins (202) 224-2523; ME office (207) 622-8414
Snowe (202) 224-5344; ME office (207) 622-8292
Voinovich (202) 224-3353; OH office (614) 469-6697
Specter (202) 224-4254; PA office (717) 782-3951
Call them!
Also, call Senator Dianne Feinstein because she has come out and said she may not support the spendulus. Call her and encourage her to vote no. (202) 224-3841; CA office (415) 393-0707.
Update: Good news! Voinovich has dropped out of negotiations:
Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio) has pulled out of negotiations on a bipartisan compromise on the Senate’s economic stimulus bill.
Three Republicans — Sens. Susan Collins (Maine), Olympia Snowe (Maine) and Arlen Specter (Pa.) — continue to negotiate with Democrats, but Voinovich’s departure could make it more difficult for Democrats to reach the 60 votes they need to pass the bill.
Keep calling Collins, Snowe, and Specter. It is vital that we defeat this. If you need some inspiration as to why you should call and demand our senators vote against it, read Bob Owens’ piece.
Lorie Byrd emails to say that according to Senator Burr two senators are still negotiating but he doesn’t know when they will vote, meaning that Reid does not have the votes. Burr said that out of very 10 phone calls coming 9.9 of them are against the bill. Our phone calls are working. Keep it up!
Update II: Charles Krauthammer on Obama’s sudden change of tone. Mr. Hopenchange is suddenly Scary Barry:
So much for the president who in his inaugural address two weeks earlier declared “we have chosen hope over fear.” Until, that is, you need fear to pass a bill.
Update III: CQ Politics says Susan Collins is wavering:
But by mid-afternoon, one of the leaders of the bipartisan group, Republican Susan Collins of Maine, emerged from a meeting with Reid and said she was just beginning to review an offer from the Democratic leader.
Asked how she felt, Collins said, “not as good as I felt earlier.”
Jeff Emanuel at RedState is also hearing that Collins is wavering because she’s feeling bad for possibly betraying her fellow Republicans and her constituents.
Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) just said in a radio interview that only two “Republican” Senators are still actively attempting to provide the Democrats “bipartisan” cover for their nearly $1,000,000,000,000.00 borrow-and-spend bill. Based on what I’ve been hearing from around the Hill, and Roll Call’s report that Sen. Collins (R-ME) was having misgivings about betraying her party and constituents, those two are (definitely) Arlen Specter (PA) and (most likely) Olympia Snowe (ME).
Her constituents were against this and she was prepared to throw them under the bus in order to give the Democrats bipartisan cover? What is she thinking?
Update V: Ed Morrissey says Reid can’t get cloture.
