Jennifer Steinhauser has the best report on what has been obvious for a week: There’s no momentum for the jobs bill in Congress. Believe or don’t, but Congress doesn’t automatically respond to polls that prove that a bill is marginally popular, or public appearances by a president who isn’t very popular.
With this in mind I am introducing the Jobs Bill Whip Count: An effort to track the lack of interest that members of Congress in passing this bill. Brainy Slatester Pete Fulham is tracking more; if you see ‘em, put ‘em in comments.
No votes
Rep. Louie Gohmert (R) - It’s a “disaster” that should be renamed “The Plaintiffs’ Lawyers Full Employment Bill.”
No votes, unless the bill is changed
Sen. Bob Casey (D) - He wants it broken up.
Sen. Mary Landrieu (D) - “I am not supporting a repeal of tax cuts for the oil industry unless there are other industries that contribute.”
Sen. Jim Webb (D) - The payfors are “terrible,” so the bill has to be paid for some other way.
Rep. Pete DeFazio (D) - “No more tax cuts.”
Philosophical no votes
Sen. Tom Carper (D) - He prefers a focus on the supercommittee, which if it found $4 trillion in cuts through tax reform and other ideas, would be “better than everything else the president is talking about — combined.”
Rep. Heath Shuler (D) - Just like Carper, he prefers that everyone focus on the healing power of the supercommittee.
Yes votes
…
