It'd have been nice if WINO (waverer in name only, back from the magical September days of fighting Iraq War funding) Sen. George Voinovich had had a spine injection 17 months sooner, but better late than never. He's breaking the logjam that will finally allow this bill to pass.
Retiring Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio) said he plans to help push a package of small-business incentives through the Senate next week, a move that would give President Obama and congressional Democrats a key victory on the economy in the final weeks before the November midterm elections.
In an interview, Voinovich said he could no longer support efforts by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to delay the measure in hopes of winning the right to offer additional GOP amendments. Most of the proposed amendments "didn't have anything to do with the bill" anyway, Voinovich said, and amounted merely to partisan "messaging."
"We don't have time for messaging. We don't have time anymore. This country is really hurting," Voinovich said. If a single amendment to reduce paperwork for business owners is considered on the floor, Voinovich said he told Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) that he would add his vote to that of 59 Democrats. That would give the majority party the 60 votes needed to overcome possible a GOP filibuster and move the package to final passage when Congress returns to Washington next week.
This small business bill is the best chance at getting any kind of jobs initiative, however modest, through before the election, so good for Voinovich for doing it. I guess that's the luxury of being on your way out, by choice. Hopefully he'll also line up to support the infrastructure bill which could give more leverage to leadership in forcing a recalcitrant Michael Bennet to toe the line.
Don't miss Drdemocrat's diary for much more discussion.