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HeyBub[_3_] HeyBub[_3_] is offline
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Default Bailout (politics)

Kurt Ullman wrote:


Blaming Pelosi is idiotic ... neither party wants "blame" for voting
either way (shades of WMD)

She did not exactly cover herself in statesman-like glory. Most
people know that the time to excoriate and blame is AFTER the votes
are safely counted, not before. Doubt it really made any difference
in the vote itself, but it might cause hard feeling for round 2.


Right. The rule is "Don't gloat before the vote."

And her speech probably made a difference.

I suspect the back-channel conversations went thusly:

1. Many congress-critters had constituent action running 400-1 against the
bail-out. In order to vote FOR the proposal, they had to have political
cover.
2. Some Republicans, seeking this cover, go to their leader and say: "I'll
vote "AYE" if I can be assured the vote won't be used against me by my
Democratic opponent."
3. Bonier (the GOP leader) goes to Pelosi and says: "I can give you an
additional 12-20 votes if I have your word you'll tamp down any criticism of
the vote by your Democratic candidates." Pelosi probably agrees. Bonier goes
back to the members and says "I have the word of the Speaker."
4. Then the speech. The speech leads several GOP members to significantly
distrust the "word" of the Speaker not to politicize the vote and decide to
vote they way their constituents want.