Democratic Senator Heitkamp Says She Will Vote for Funding Bill

[DonViejo]

Source: The New York Times




By REUTERSJAN. 19, 2018, 6:39 P.M. E.S.T.

WASHINGTON — Democratic U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp said on Friday she would vote for a stopgap government funding bill, joining two other senators who have bucked their party and said they would support a Republican-backed bill to keep the government open.

"My vote to keep the government open is not an endorsement for a bill that just kicks the can down the road another few weeks," said Heitkamp, a senator from North Dakota, in a statement. "I want to find a long term solution to keep the government operating."

(Reporting by Makini Brice; Editing by Eric Beech)

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Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2018/01/19/us/politics/19reuters-usa-congress-shutdown-heitkamp.html

[C_U_L8R]

1. Sorry, but your vote is an endorsement.

Get a dictionary.

[cstanleytech]

4. Not really plus think about it because it could be a useful tool.

By delaying a permanent spending bill a bit longer say another three to four months it gives the Democrats the chance to put the Republicans on the defensive because we have an election coming up and they do not want to shut down the government just before an election.

[lamp_shade]

2. I expected her to and I assume Schumer felt that he could release her safely. nt

[Mr.Bill]

3. That's the problem with Congress.

She doesn't work for Chuck Schumer. She works for the people of her state.

[JI7]

5. That's why she said she will vote for it

[Mr.Bill]

8. Then so be it, but

I was referring to her being "released" by Schumer.

[JI7]

9. It's political strategy

Release just means schumer told her it won't make a difference so vote in a way which will help win in the red state.

[Mr.Bill]

10. Do you think

she is so stupid that she didn't already know that? The word "release" implies permission.

[JI7]

13. She doesn't know the numbers

Which is schumers job to keep track of.

[Mr.Bill]

14. She doesn't own a TV set?

Hell, everyone knows the numbers on this one.

[JI7]

15. This stuff isn't all done in front of a tv

[lamp_shade]

20. Exactly... you and I and most people who pay attention know it's a common strategy.

[Hortensis]

22. Yes, and thanks for pointing it out.

[still_one]

11. That is what some do not seem to grasp. No doubt she also beleives this is the best choice for her

constituents, and though I would love it if the Democrats would stand together against the republican bullies and blackmailers, I also recognize the political realities

[lamp_shade]

21. Exactly.

[Sophia4]

26. It is not the best choice for her constituents.

The Republicans have a strategy.

First they passed a tax bill that will not adequately fund the government.

When it is obvious that the money they gave to rich corporations and donors is desperately needed to fund the government, they are going to point to all the money that goes to Social Securiity, Medicare and Medicaid and the VA and other really good programs that the most vulnerable Americans rely on to survive and start cutting them.

That is the Republican way.

And until Ms. Heitkcamp figures that out and figures out a way to explain that to the people of her state, she needs to quit her job and let someone who has figured it out and who can explain it to voters in her state do her job.

This is sheer stupidity. Voting to help the Republicans reach their longterm goals of cutting Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid (and that is what she is doing) is sheer stupidity.

Lack of vision. Lack of comprehension. Lack of understanding about just how low and mean Republicans really are.

[still_one]

27. Are you from North Dakota? I'm not

[Sophia4]

29. There are lots of Social Security and Medicare and Medicaid recipients all over the

nation.

I'm from California and my income is Social Security.

My healthcare is Medicare.

I'm just like all the other old people in the country. Goes beyond state lines. I seriously doubt that she is able to see beyond this vote and figure out the Republican strategy although it is very obvious.

[still_one]

31. I am from California too, the Bay Area. North Dakota is not California was my point

I doubt ND cares very much ch about DACA

[kimbutgar]

6. Also she is afraid of all that Koch and Russia money coming into her re election

Will be used against her.

[bluestarone]

7. From ND here and hate to see it BUT

probably smart move on her part with the crazies in this RED state! I personally hope WE SHUT DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[question everything]

16. Mark Shields, on PBS NewsHour said that the Republicans cannot find anyone

to run against her..

[not fooled]

17. Good

She sounds like an astute strategist, even if not every Dem is on board.

In these times, we have to deal with the hand we are dealt.

[BigmanPigman]

18. That means she has no excuse!

Manchen(WV) is another one. I called his office this AM. There is a third Dem now but I can't find out who it is.

[GulfCoast66]

19. Unless you live in their states why should they care?

Have you even been to their states? I have.

Sounds to me like our leaders are doings a great job of supporting out candidates.

[sofa king]

24. There are many possible explanations....

Whatever else she's doing, she is triangulating on a throwaway vote to broaden her support at home before the GOP can find a candidate to run against her.

But there are other explanations, too. It could be that a high-dollar donor called in a favor, which she happily burned on a throwaway vote. It could be that she's voting in solidarity with a caucus of states or another caucus, either formal or informal. It could be that she is trying to build the outlines of a coalition; if there were ten moderates in the Senate who agreed to stick together they could in theory wrest control of the appropriations process from the GOP and put it back into bipartisan hands. (Sorry, I don't remember how that's supposed to work in detail, but the coalition acts like a filibuster cork. If they're all for something, debate can be closed. If not, nobody can close the debate. Want to get something done, you've got to talk to them.)

But you are still correct. Those are explanations, not excuses.

[BigmanPigman]

25. You know your stuff!

A you a poli sci professor?

[sofa king]

32. Former legislative analyst.

Now an artist lost in a jungle far, far away from Donald Trump. I run into others like me in the forest, too, but we just run our separate ways.

If you want my professional opinion, we're fucked.

[BigmanPigman]

33. As a fellow artist, I agree with your opinion.

We are royally fucked.

[Sophia4]

30. Get out there and educate the voters in your community.

[Ccarmona]

12. The Parties Have Done a Number on the Electorate to conflate the Issues,

If one is not a political junkie, you’d have no idea why these politicians are doing some Much postering. It leads to confusion and then indifference. Is that what we want out of DC?

[truthisfreedom]

23. Weak.

[shanny]

28. "...said on Friday she would vote for a stopgap government funding bill..."

Means fuck all without 8 other Democrats and all the Republicans.