Too Much Man Tan

The trade bill outraged many Republicans and looked like it would fail, so Cantor pulled it at the last minute, egg dripping from his face. The PATRIOT Act extension just lost because Cantor hasn't learned how to count yet. He's too busy puffing himself up railing about defunding healthcare for hard-pressed American families. The GOP trade bill was abruptly pulled after some of the wingnuts in the caucus read it and decided it allows for too much government interference in the economy. What they objected to are the good parts of the bill-- providing aid and training to workers who lose their jobs or see their hours or wages reduced due to increased imports. Republicans now plan to hold these reauthorizations hostage to get Democrats to support their really bad job-exporting "free trade" legislation with South Korea, Panama and Colombia.

Cantor losing on the reauthorization of the PATRIOT Act was more embarrassing because he just pointed out he isn't paying any attention and is in over his head in his new job as Majority Leader. The bill was offered under suspension, meaning it would need a 2/3 majority, which Cantor felt would be easy with his huge majority plus plenty of Blue Dogs and other conservative Democrats along for the ride. But he's apparently not good with fractions. Although 67 Democrats did go along with him and Boehner-- retiring warmonger Jane Harman among them, of course-- 26 Republicans, many newly elected teabaggers bailed on the authoritarian legislation. It failed 277-148. Aside from Harman, other Democrats crossing the aisle to vote with Boehner and Cantor for this despised bill were many of the worst of the worst among Democratic Members of Congress, whose default positions are almost always to vote with Boehner.