How the Farm Bill Failed
It also blows a another hole in what is left of Cantor’s credibility because, jsut after the vote, he took to the floor and blamed this fiasco of the Democrats!
Among the 62 House Republicans voting against the farm bill last week, all but one had voted minutes before for a controversial food stamp amendment that undercut Democratic support for passage.
This is what passes for “growing the vote” these days in Congress. Or in playground terms: taking your ball and going home.
Fully seven of the 62 are current or former House committee chairmen; two more have appropriations bills of their own to manage on the floor. Yet all turned their backs on Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (R-Okla.), left begging for 20 votes just to get to conference with the Senate.
(Also on POLITICO: The dysfunctional House)
Looking back it was a remarkable moment not just for the tone-deaf judgment of the House GOP leadership but because the Republicans voting “no” had gotten their way so often in the debate.