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28 Apr 2010 20:12

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U.S.: Financial reform debate’s a go in the Senate, finally

  • Forget the full Senate vote. They shook hands on it. In what’s a pretty big #(&(@&& deal, Democrats and Republicans in the Senate agreed to bring financial reform to the floor. BBC notes that a vote failed three days in a row, but eventually went through after Democrats nearly forced an all-night session. Republicans claim they won some concessions, though. While Republican Sen. Richard Shelby, who’s been working with bill mastermind Christopher Dodd, says he still disagrees with many parts of the bill, but has been promised that Republican amendments would be considered. So that’s something. source

27 Apr 2010 23:31

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Politics: Deal or no deal, 60th vote for Senate financial reform debate in sight

  • If backdoor haggling goes on too long, Sen. George Voinovich will vote yes to get the ball moving. Many GOP senators might be ready to break ranks to make the financial reform bill happen, according to Voinovich. He says he knows how long it should take for a deal to go through, but if one doesn’t, he’ll play vote number 60. By the way, Senators Richard Shelby and Chris Dodd say they’re close to a deal, but Sen. Bob Corker (who knows the score) says they’re not as close as they say. source

26 Apr 2010 10:27

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Politics: The status of the financial reform bill: Look beyond today

  • today With both sides at an impasse, it’s unlikely that the bill will clear a key Senate procedural vote today.
  • later However, both sides are optimistic they’ll get the votes to make this thing actually happen. source

25 Apr 2010 11:51

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Politics: Chris Dodd and Richard Shelby seeing more of each other lately

  • I hope tomorrow we can get those votes; we may not, but I hope we do because we need to move forward.
  • Sen. Christopher Dodd • Regarding his push for a financial reform bill. He hopes to pull at least one Republican over with a bipartisan bill. Sen. Richard Shelby is currently working with him to make it happen. For what it’s worth, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell thinks it’s going to happen. “We don’t have a bipartisan compromise yet, but I think there’s a good chance we’re going to get it,” he says. source

16 Apr 2010 20:12

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Politics: GOP Senators to Obama, again: Drop dead

  • We are united in our opposition to the partisan legislation reported by the Senate Banking Committee. As currently constructed, this bill allows for endless taxpayer bailouts of Wall Street and establishes new and unlimited regulatory powers that will stifle small businesses and community banks.
  • A letter from all GOP Republicans to Harry Reid • Making it clear that the party will again be the Party of No when it comes to financial reform. Because, hey, it worked out for them last time. Obama, by the way, says he won’t pass a bill that doesn’t do something to hold back the onslaught of derivatives. Blanche Lincoln is working on adding teeth to the bill. source

13 Apr 2010 23:13

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Politics: Mitch McConnell continues policy of obstructionism by default

  • The fact is, this bill wouldn’t solve the problems that led to the financial crisis. It would make them worse. This bill not only allows for taxpayer-funded bailouts of Wall Street banks; it institutionalizes them.
  • Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell • Regarding the financial reform bill that the Democrats are trying to push through. Let’s go back in time and remind you that this is the guy whose entire political plan of attack involves disagreeing with the Democrats on everything – a plan which wasn’t enough to sideline the health care law. Democrats wanted to work with Republicans on the plan, by the way. (They’re still working behind the scenes.) Fellow Republican Bob Corker made an effort to work across the aisle, but he couldn’t get any help. A couple of weeks ago, in fact, we posted an article titled “Could financial reform be the GOP’s way out of ‘just say no?’” McConnell gave us our answer (at least from GOP leadership). No. source

25 Mar 2010 20:54

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Politics: Could financial reform be the GOP’s way out of “just say no?”

  • The bill, currently lacking Republican support, could provide a turning point. Departing Sen. Chris Dodd’s financial reform bill may be a second chance for the GOP. One senator who worked on the bill, Bob Corker, says he felt abandoned by his party when working with Dodd, but Dodd himself thinks the tide might be turning. If the obstructionist policy worked, the Democrat says, “they would go along. But they saw it fail and now they’ve had enough of it and they really want to be involved in crafting things.” source