Minn. Senator dives into partisan Senate jobs fight

Klobuchar dives into partisan Senate jobs fight

Jeremy Herb
Minneapolis Star Tribune
October 28, 2011

WASHINGTON - Bolstered by her strong reelection prospects, U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar is jumping into the partisan fray in the Senate next week, as she will be leading the charge on the Democrats' latest bill from President Obama's jobs plan.

The Minnesota Democrat is expected to introduce the Rebuild America Jobs Act on Monday, which would provide $50 billion in infrastructure spending and create a $10 billion national infrastructure bank. But Republicans are balking at the bill because it's paid for by increasing income taxes 0.7 percent on millionaires.

Similar tax provisions from previous jobs bills for teachers and first responders have already failed in the Senate due to Republican opposition. The bills are part of a larger Democratic argument to try and paint the Republicans as protecting millionaires.

Republicans accuse them of playing partisan politics, and Klobuchar has been slammed by national and state Republicans because of the bill, which Reid said would get a vote next week.

For Klobuchar, getting in the middle of a partisan fight is a change from her usual style in the Senate. More than three-fourths of Klobuchar's bills with co-sponsors this year have Republicans on board.

The Minnesota Republican's willingness to take the lead on a bill that's likely doomed to party-line defeat highlights Klobuchar's strong election prospects one year from her first re-election race. Klobuchar has only received nominal opposition from Republicans, as every big name in the state party -- from former Gov. Tim Pawlenty to former Sen. Norm Coleman -- has declined to take her on.

Jennifer Duffy, senior editor of the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, said Klobuchar has little to worry about right now when it comes to re-election next year.

"The three candidates in the race now that have little name recognition and even less money, so to her credit, the senator looks in pretty good shape," Duffy said. "It's so unusual this cycle, because incumbents are really struggling of both parties and of all stripes, just because voters are so frustrated with Congress."

Klobuchar has built up a $4 million war chest, while her Republican opposition, 2010 GOP Secretary of State candidate Dan Severson and St. Bonifacius City Council member Joe Arwood, have $28,000 and $7,000 in the bank.

Partisan battles

Klobuchar says that the infrastructure bill is not about partisan politics, but is addressing an important need fixing the country's aging infrastructure.

"These truly have had bipartisan support in the past," Klobuchar said in an interview. "I believe there's some merit within the chamber for this, whether passes on the first try or not."

Democrats unveiled the bill last week in a conference call with Klobuchar, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, where Reid lambasted Republicans. "For too long, Republican senators have been doing everything they can to defeat President Obama at the expense of the economy," Reid said.

Republicans hammered back, with Minnesota Republican Party Chairman Tony Sutton accusing Klobuchar of trying to "channel money from main street through the federal government to union halls and Democrat political war chests." "It's not surprising that Sen. Klobuchar is the 'sweet' being trotted out to complement Harry Reid's 'sour' proposal for yet another massive federal stimulus bill," Sutton said in a statement.

Among the bill's $50 billion in infrastructure spending is $27 billion for road, bridge and rail infrastructure, $9 billion for transit and $4 billion for high-speed rail.

The Minnesota Democrat is expected to introduce the Rebuild America Jobs Act on Monday, which would provide $50 billion in infrastructure spending and create a $10 billion national infrastructure bank. But Republicans are balking at the bill because it's paid for by increasing income taxes 0.7 percent on millionaires.

Similar tax provisions from previous jobs bills for teachers and first responders have already failed in the Senate due to Republican opposition. The bills are part of a larger Democratic argument to try and paint the Republicans as protecting millionaires.

Surprise! More spending. A $700 "stimulus" bill did jack sit and this is supposed to? Geez. This is no jobs plan. It will create no jobs. The only thing this does is to pay back the unions and all of Obama's cronies... and stiff the taxpayers with additional debt.

SOS DD (Same Ol' Shit, Different Day)