With a strong majority of the Senate voting for the bailout, the pressure on members of the House to switch and vote for the modified bailout bill is intense as this NY Times article makes clear:
As the shape of the new bill became more clear Wednesday, some House Republicans and Democrats indicated that the changes were enough to get them to take another look at the measure and perhaps change their minds — even though the new items being added would substantially increase the burden on taxpayers.
Representative John Yarmuth, a Kentucky Democrat who on Monday voted no, said he found the new proposal more acceptable, as did Representative Jim Ramstad, a retiring Republican from Minnesota who voted in opposition as well.
“The inclusion of parity, tax extenders and the F.D.I.C. increases has caused me to reconsider my position,” Mr. Ramstad said. “All three additions have greatly improved the bill.”
Leaders of both parties in the House, who spent much of Wednesday on the phone taking the temperature of lawmakers not scheduled to return until Thursday, said they were identifying other potential converts as well, and were finding a more receptive audience for the revised measure because of the tax package and other changes.
Now would be a good time to let your Representative know what you think of the bailout… The power elite certainly will be speaking loud and clear.
10:41 pm on October 1, 2008
