At Daily Kos Radio today, David Waldman had a great discussion of the lightning speed at which the normally dysfunctional Senate passed funding for air travel to overcome the sequester. The Senate passed the measure by unanimous consent -- a slightly different outcome than the background check vote.
Thus, we have yet another terrible example of the topsy-turvy priorities of Republicans -- screw the poor and middle class, but God forbid the affluent are inconvenienced.
And don't forget that the sequester is in the service of the absolute imperative of debt reduction, because you know what happens when debt exceeds 90% of GDP, don't y ------ . Oh, wait, that's based on a phony study and there's no causation (or even reverse causation). So that's great -- we can repeal the whole thing!
Not so fast, dude. In an excellent article in Salon, Alex Pareene writes:
The Senate, which can’t confirm a judge without months of delay and a constitutional crisis, passed this particular bill in about two minutes, with unanimous consent. The hope is that the House can get it taken care of today, I guess in time for everyone to fly to Aspen or wherever people whom Congress listens to fly to on Fridays.
So the scheme is:
1. Whine about the sequestration parts that affect you, like air travel.
2. Don't even consider repealing the entire sequester.
3. Pass a "fix" that helps the Kochs or Pete Peterson get to Aspen easier (even private jets need air traffic controllers).
4. Democrats don't dare vote against it.
5. Go home to your districts on the newly punctual planes and brag about your "victory.".
You have to admire it in the same way you might admire Bane's scheme to destroy Gotham city.
And on Sunday morning, David Gregory will extol Congress for finally overcoming its gridlock. I think I'm going to be sick